Do you want to know a secret?
I was kind of a nerd when I was little. And if I'm being completely honest, I actually still am. I probably decided somewhere around 7th or 8th grade that I needed to stop liking the things I enjoyed to "fit in" and "be cool". And now over 30 years later, I have discovered that as much as I have grown and changed, the things that bring me the most joy and happiness, are the same things I loved to do as a kid.
I really started to think about this as theory: if we can get back to our childlike selves by remembering what made us feel the most contentment, calm and pure joy, perhaps that is the "secret" to our happiness as adults. So of course I made a list (as a Virgo usually does). And here is what it said:
things I loved to do when I was young
read a great book, I adored mysteries especially Nancy Drew (still would rather be reading)
play outside with my friends: run around, move my body, ride bikes
hunt for treasures, go to the beach to collect shells, explore new places (my shell and seaglass collection is off the hook)
lay in the sun, look at magazines, daydream, plan (sun worshipper always)
play inside: making up games, play pretend (house, STORE, school, farm) (ummm hi shop owner)
create radio shows where I was the DJ and on air personality and record them onto tapes (future podcast host)
draw, paint, make art, write stories and illustrate them (hello, art journaling)
put on shows for my family: fashion shows and singing/dancing
rearrange rooms and organize things: make spaces more aesthetically pleasing and functional (I even loved drawing floor plans)
try on outfits and make things look different than how they were intended to look (such as turning a t-shirt upside down so the neck became the waist and rolling the bottom hem over your shoulders to create an off the shoulder crop top)
The list really could go on much longer but we'll stop here so I can tell you how incorporating all of these activities back into my daily life as a 47 year old woman has made me so much happier than before. I reached a point in my life about 6 years ago where I felt so empty and unhappy. I wasn't sure why, on paper my life seemed so complete. I had a husband, two beautiful & healthy children, a perfect little center hall colonial, a great business I had built myself, a dog, lots of friends, etc. But I was always looking outside of myself for validation or approval that I was worthy of happiness. I won't get into all the nitty gritty right now, however I will tell you that I quit drinking alcohol and embarked on a journey of self discovery that has ended up here, with this very list.
I started to take notice of what I was doing when I lost sense of time, when I was IN THE FLOW, so to speak. And not surprising, it was always when I was doing one of the things listed above. It led me to believe that if we can all make our own lists of "things I loved to do when I was young", and start to do more of what's on your list, then we can all get to this state of contentment and happiness!
I dare you to try it for yourself. If you need guidance, send me a message. I left this off my list, but helping people find their happiness is also something I have always loved to do. ;)
XOXO,
Hilary Star
