It is said that children learn by imitating their parents. But watching my 1 year old bend and stand up on her own to take her first wobbly steps, I realize there is so much I can learn from her.
And isn’t that all what we want, to go back to our childhood days of innocence, curiosity, abundant giggles, inexhaustible joy and free will. So how do we keep that child in us alive?
SIMPLE…by being one!
Here are a few of my observations and Life lessons I would like to learn from my one year old.
1. To Never Sit Idle
Children are always trying out new things and when they get bored of one activity they instantly switch to another playing, babbling, fiddling with new small nothings or just crawling around the house they do not sit idle for a second. It is an important Life lesson for us adults that life is a continuous flow and every moment has so much to offer to us.
2. To Fall to Get Up and Fall Again but Never Get Discouraged
reminding us to remember to bounce back from failures and keep the hope alive, to never get discouraged and to keep moving ahead no matter how bumpy the terrain.
3. To Believe in Their Dreams, and Have No Fears, Doubts or Prejudices in Mind
To accept everything with open arms- acceptance. Along the road of growing up, we sometimes become too cynical as adults, trapped in our own fears and doubts. We see the limitations and ignore the possibilities and good ideas.
4. To Always Be Curious
The one word that most describes a child is curiosity, children possess endless store of curiosity and every new thing sends them on a journey of exploration and wonder. On the other hand, we believe that we know enough and shy away from learning new things. It is, when we stop asking questions and dwelling on the why’s that we stop learning and growing in our knowledge of the world.
5. To See the Positive Side of People and Share Unconditional Love
Children do not focus on criticizing or judging people. Sadly we as adults get into the habit of fault finding and being pessimistic in our views about others. The truth is when we truly appreciate the good in others, we open ours elf to imbibe a little of it too.
6. To Once Again Learn to Share Smiles With Strangers
Out on the streets, market or on a local commute, my daughter smiles at everyone who waves at her. She has no qualms about babbling with anyone who is willing to entertain her. This reminds me that all the wonderful people I know today were once all but strangers. If we too could accept new people as interesting and wonderful, it could make a lot of moments like bus, train rides and elevator journeys a lot more interesting!
7. To Not Wait for the Right Moment to Do What I Want to and Live in the Present
Wrapped in their own wonder world, children do not worry about the future, or fret about the past, everything that matters to them is the moment they are in now. If only we could go back to this important trait we possessed as kids, we could reduce a lot of stress from our daily lives and enjoy the true gift of this present moment.
8. To Be Enthusiastic
Little things in life make kids go into a frenzy of ecstasy. When was the last time you remember being so excited about the little joys of life….a new dress, a surprise date, a shopping spree, a smile from a stranger. Why do we have to get less enthusiastic about the things we loved doing earlier?
9. To Achieve Goals
It is amazing to see the strong emotions of likes, dislikes and determination to get what she wants, my 1 year old displays, I wish I was so confident about my goals in life and could go after them with the same perseverance. When I look back today I realize I could have accomplished a lot more if I had chased my goals with the same drive.
10. And Most Importantly to Smile a Lot, With or Without Reason..
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