Grownups have a tendency to make things complicated.
On the other hand, 2-year-olds (and 4-year-olds!) are renegades. They have a certain amount of charm, but they are also old enough to learn to reject what they don’t want or like.
Oftentimes we think other grownups can teach us how to be happy with our lives. Grownups may have wisdom, but 2- year-olds have cornered the market on being happy.
Learn the Art of Saying No
You’ll be happier for it. If you ask a 2-year-old for a hug, sometimes they say yes, sometimes they say no. They are not as are compliant and willing to do whatever you ask.
When you regularly begin to say no to other people’s agenda, it’s uncomfortable. People who are used to you acquiescing will think you’re out of your mind, or that you’re having a bad day. Let them think what they want. Stick to what you want, and be done with it.
Be Open
Kids are unfiltered beings, and with good reason – there tend to not be any consequences for their candid opinions. As adults, we start to calibrate what we say, sometimes to our own detriment. We weren’t meant to stifle ourselves, to go along to get along.
When you can share your vulnerabilities with trusted confidants, you’ll find that they are willing to help you along. If your behind is showing, they will tell you to cover yourself up, instead of laughing at you.
Drop Everything
Pick a day, half a day, or an hour, when you have no agenda except to have some fun. One of my fondest memories growing up is when my brother Dan and I would hop in the car, drive randomly, and get “lost” on purpose.
Not every activity in life has to be attached to a value proposition. Do something that you wouldn’t normally do. If you were waiting for “someday,” I hereby give you permission to make today someday.
Be Clingy
Isn’t it the cutest thing when some kids openly prefer one parent over another, one aunt over another, or one toy over another? Don’t waste time trying to impress, befriend, or otherwise influence people who don’t value you.
There are people who already know, like and trust you. Those are the people who will be there for you when you need a boost. Invest in improving the lives of those people.
Do What you Want
I have been so pleasantly surprised to find out the “secret” fun outlets of some ultra-serious people that I know. Some like to juggle; others like to paint; others like to write poetry.
It doesn’t matter what your secret pleasure is, as long as you’re not doing anything illegal, unethical, or hurting yourself or someone else in the process.
Not everything in your life has to be related to a profit motive. If getting a reflexology foot massage once a month makes you happy, by all means, go for it.
You are now ready to enjoy your life! Resist the urge to over-analyze, especially the urge to over-analyze this list. Take ownership of your happiness.
You may not have kids of your own, but you were 2 years old once. You already have what it takes to be happy; you simply need to unburden yourself from the restrictions you have imposed on yourself since that time.