When was the last time you really tapped into the boundless energy and free-spirited mindset you had as a kid? If it's been too long, it might be just what you need to jumpstart your fitness motivation. As adults, it's so easy to get bogged down by responsibilities, routines and self-imposed limitations. We often find ourselves reflecting more on the struggles and negatives of childhood rather than reveling in those simple joys and pleasures. But taking a trip down memory lane to those carefree, playful days can be powerfully invigorating.
Think back to running around the neighborhood for hours, dancing with reckless abandon, or climbing trees with no fear. Remember how it felt to let your imagination run wild, transforming a simple cardboard box into a rocket ship or castle? Those were the days when playing and being active was as natural as breathing.
Reconnecting with those happy childhood memories and childlike wonder can be incredibly therapeutic. It transports you back to a time before self-consciousness and overscheduling, when fun and silliness were priorities. The things you loved doing as a kid - swimming, jumping rope, playing kickball, going on adventures - are all amazing ways to stay active as an adult.
Not only will staying active in body help you feel more youthful in spirit, it ensures you have the energy and physical capacity to fully embrace your inner child through activities with your own kiddos, nieces, nephews or grandchildren. Having fun and being silly with the little ones in your life is a beautiful reminder of how exhilarating and freeing it is to live with that vibrant, youthful zest.
Here’s some ways to Embrace Your Inner Child:
Take a trip down memory lane and reflect on the activities, games, and imaginative play you loved most as a child. Make a list of those beloved childhood experiences.
For each treasured memory, get to the core of what made it so special - was it the sheer silliness, the feeling of adventure, the use of your creativity and imagination, the experience of uninhibited physical activity? Pinpoint the essence you want to recapture.
Now make a plan for activities, experiences or mindset shifts that will allow you to tap back into that childlike sense of wonder, playfulness and joy as an adult.
Schedule time for your "inner child" pursuits, giving them the same importance as work obligations. Put "play soccer" or "finger painting party" in your calendar.
One of the biggest obstacles to fully embracing your inner child is caring too much about what others think. Give yourself permission to be silly, get a little messy or loud, and not take yourself too seriously sometimes.
Invite friends, partners, kids or grandkids to join you for things like playground adventures, dance parties, fort building or games.
Pay attention to how amazingly light, energetic and happy you feel when engaging in these childlike activities. That feeling is what keeps you motivated to prioritise play as part of your self-care.