10 things we can learn from children
1. Enjoy the moment.
Mindfulness is currently the big topic. In order to learn to live in the here and now and to slow down everyday life, we attend workshops and expensive seminars. It is an art that we have mastered perfectly as children! Tinker for hours at a Lego house, paint pictures, feel the weightlessness of the water - children can immerse themselves in the things they do. It does not matter to them whether something useful comes out or whether something else is left behind. And they do not even need a meditation course for that. So, try it: Forget the to-do list and do something consciously at least once a day. Best with the kids together!
2. Pay attention to the little things.
What did you see on the way to work yesterday? (Apart from the idiot who took you to the right of way.) A nice leaf that was on the way? A ray of light reflected in a puddle? A strange beetle with long feelers? No, probably not. If we are honest, we usually move totally blind around the area. We arrive where we want, but miss the many interesting and beautiful things that exist in our environment. Children see them because they are new to them. But what speaks against rediscovering them with them?
3. Start each day new in the morning.
"And what will we do today?" Children usually start the day full of curiosity, they want to experience something and do not think about yesterday or the stupid things that they may not have done (clean up rooms, for example). Obviously, we adults can handle all of our duties only to a limited extent, but it would make us happy to say, "Hey, a new day, I'm looking forward to it!"
4. Laugh as often as possible.
Children laugh according to studies up to 400 times a day. And adults? On average, only 15 times. And the time we spend laughing has also diminished in the last few years: in the 50s it was 18 minutes a day, today it's just 6th depressing? Yes! Because as we all know, laughter is healthy. Of course you can not do it at the push of a button. But it can provoke. For example, by telling jokes with the kids. Or disguised and funny quips cuts. Or together "Ice Age" looks.
5. Try something new regularly.
"May I go?" When it comes to getting to know new things, children are in the front row. No matter if it is an interesting game machine or a new technique. And we? Dare us too seldom to the new. Because we do not trust ourselves or are too lazy. A mistake - learning is important not only for the children, the adults also need input to stay fit in the head! So: always try something new, and we do not just mean foreign red wine varieties.
6. Do not worry about appearances.
How stupid the obsession with our appearance is, has recently shown a video experiment. In the film, adults and children were asked what they would do to change their bodies. And while the adults looped around the size of their ears or the width of their upper arms, the children had very different ideas: wings they would like or the legs of a cheetah to run very fast. The idea that they might not be beautiful enough did not help the children.
7. Whistle on conventions.
If children feel like shopping with a Viking helmet or singing loudly in the summer hot bus "Oh Tannenbaum", then they make it easy. And we think that's cute. For adults, however, we would be embarrassed to look in another direction. That's a pity! If we were as unabashed as the children, the world would certainly be more colorful - and funnier.
8. Contact us.
One of the greatest talents of children is making new friends anytime, anywhere. It does not matter what the other child looks like, which language it speaks or what skin color it has - as long as it looks friendly, it is a good new playmate for her. And you also understand needlessly without words. We adults are much more inhibited - and thus miss many interesting contacts.
9. Be honest with yourself.
Too often we do things because we believe they are expected of us - even though we do not really feel like it. Go to the man's friend's barbecue party, although we would rather stay on the sofa. Watch the heavy art movie, though we would rather be after the "minions". Children are more honest. If you do not feel like doing something or realize that it's not fun, then just let it go. So much honesty would do us good and get rid of ballast. And it leads us to the last point ...
10. Just do nothing.
Because that often comes out when we listen in and give in to our wishes.Just do nothing, dream away, have no plans - that can be so fulfilling. For small and for tall people.
