Have you ever wished you could go back to being a child? It happens to me a lot, and I remember when I didn't have to worry about much with great joy. Ah, yes. Playing and having as many laughs as possible was essential to me. Planning what to do the next day will make it even more fun. And that's what I miss most about being a kid: feeling like I can do anything. It's good to feel like everyone is interested in you.
But I grew up, and the truth is that being an adult often means having many responsibilities and obligations you have to meet. Plus, as adults, we get very serious. We can still be funny, enthusiastic, and maybe even innocent in some situations, but the truth is that the amounts vary. It's difficult to return to the carefree world of childhood when we have responsibilities, challenges, bills, more or less pleasant conversations, and things happen that are out of our control, no matter how hard we try.
I've been thinking much about this since Kinder came to see me the other day. He knew we were fans of his work, so he came to tell us about the release of two new collections: Kinder Smurfs and Kinder Miraculous. Since it was full of delicious Kinder eggs, I couldn't help but think about my childhood and other things. Because if I had to think of a dessert that perfectly represents our childhood or that of our children, I would immediately think of Kinder. What's the point of all this? After the lovely visit, I also had an idea I'll discuss in the following few lines.
And what I'm about to say might seem silly to you, but today I want you to act like a child again, if only for a little while. It might be good for you.
You know how, when you sit back and try to think like a child, you come up with really creative ideas? "Every child is an artist," said Pablo Picasso. The challenge is to stay an artist as you get older. "Learning new things, being curious, and finding inspiration in everything around us are all things that are typical of childhood but that we lose as we get older and have to deal with adult problems and, most of all, lack time.
Why wouldn't we do this again? Not all the time, because we have responsibilities: bills, jobs, families, etc., but sometimes, certain things can take us back to our childhood, which was the best time of our lives.
Here are five nice things you can do to feel like a kid again, which I do more often than you might think.
Sing and dance. When kids play, they make up songs to sing or sing songs they hear on the radio or TV. The same thing goes for dancing. You shouldn't be surprised if you see me singing on the street. I haven't gone crazy, but when I go for a run, and the playlist starts playing, I do this. And how good I feel!
Color or draw something. It's a way to bring back old memories. I could have improved at drawing. On the other hand, when I colored, I did more than just my best. So, whenever I get a coloring book (even one for kids) and some pencils or crayons, I test my skills again. You've probably seen those coloring books for adults, too. I'll warn you now that you might not be patient enough for them at first, but if you give them a second chance, you'll have a great time. Do you still remember all the pictures we used to draw on the asphalt with chalk? We were up to our elbows in chalk, but you must admit that some things that came out on foot were real works of art.
Buy your favorite candy. We all had a favorite candy as kids. I'll never forget how much fun my first Kinder Surprise Egg was. Even more so because I didn't get one until I had seen the commercial a million times on German TV stations. The way the two halves were separated in a way that kept them perfect, the surprise I felt when I opened the yellow box and hoped there wouldn't be a duplicate in my collection—these are all feelings I still have.
And because the famous Kinder Surprise Egg stopped by our house the other day (he brought gifts for the whole family), we discovered that the Smurfs and Miraculous are the new collections of Kinder Surprise Egg. Why don't you start putting them together? I've already started on this project, not because I'll have more time to play with them but because I want to remember when I was a child and carefully put them into collections and groups.
Get bored. Kids often complain that they are bored. And if you're an adult and don't like it, boredom can be good for you, even though you might think it's the opposite of being productive. Why? Neuroscientists say that being bored makes a person ten times more creative and that the brain will reach its full potential if you let it roam free during this time of boredom. That's why kids come up with things you'd never think of as an adult. So, enjoy being bored when you don't have anything to do. Let your mind wander; you never know what else you might think.
Enjoy the childhood games. Do you remember how funny it was when everyone tried to trick each other by telling ridiculous lies? Or, do you remember how hard it was to play with a rubber band? And be honest: Where was the best place to hide when you played? What was your favorite game when you were a kid? So, why are you still sitting there? Even though you're an adult now, it doesn't matter. Come on, join in!
So our trip back in time was fun? I hope that this brought back some great memories for you as well. I also wish I have persuaded you to use some of the ideas above or others from your childhood, which I hope you can tell me too! We are, of course, too serious. Too bad-tempered all the time. We worry too much and too often about things we can't change. There will always be problems, but having fun is still important. So I'll repeat it: act like a child, even if just for a moment!
