A couple of weeks ago I sat at the coffee shop at Heathrow Airport. I’ve noticed a two little boys patiently watching the landing aeroplanes. They seemed very excited every single time an aircraft touched down. They were so focused and present in the current moment and this inspired me. This week’s blog is not only for those who have children, but it is for everybody. There is so much, we can all learn from children. Although I am not a parent myself, I have a beautiful little niece and a nephew, who are my wonderful teachers. So what can we learn form children? I have a few suggestions that may inspire you.
They are living in the present moment
I often talk about how important it is being aligned in the present moment. Children are great teachers of this. When they are doing something, they are fully focused on it. They give their full attention to that activity and won’t let anything or anyone distract them. When I used to suffer from anxiety and panic attacks, one of the best cures for me was focusing on one thing at the time. This prevented my mind from wandering to some unwanted places, and helped me to be fully engaged in the present moment. Remember, present moment is the only place were the real life exists.
They are always curious
Children always ask questions. They are constantly curious about life. Curiosity is a wonderful way of being more child-like again. Let’s make a decision to learn something new every day. If somebody mentions something you don’t know anything about, become curious about it. For example: Become more curious by picking up a book you would not normally read, or join a class you would not normally join. Do it just for fun. You never know what you may learn, or who you are going to meet.
They do not worry
Children do not worry as such. They don’t have the same responsibilities we do (of course), but they look at life differently. The same applies to teenagers and young adults. When I was learning to fly I was in my twenties. We also had much younger students at the flying school. I often noticed how fearless most of them were. It was so much easier for a sixteen or a seventeen year old, to take an aeroplane flying solo without hesitation, than for someone older (myself included). I often wished I had their confidence. They were not children anymore, but neither adults. Having less life’s experiences prevented them from overthinking and worrying. What I’m trying to say by this? Let’s be braver and don’t let important and exciting opportunities pass us by.
They live in a fantasy world
Albert Einstein said: “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” I could not agree more with this quotation. Children love stories. They love playing, making imaginary characters and believing they are real. I remember when I was a child, I lived in a fantasy world myself, where anything was possible. This has shaped my world. When we grow up, we often lose this side of us. Let’s awaken this precious part of our being and start believing in magic once again.
They tell the truth
Children normally tell the truth. If they don’t want to do something or like somebody, they clearly state it. They say exactly how they feel. Many of us live our lives based on lies and pretending. We became so good at faking smiles, or saying yes when we mean no. We are not truthful to ourselves and others. We are often embarrassed or scared to express who we really feel. We hide behind false personas, creating lives that look good on the outside, but are so painful on the inside. I personally became very fed up of this recently. I am currently making some major changes in my life, cleaning up my side of the street, but also letting go of anything that is no longer serving me and re-evalutating my relationships. So, let’s make a decision today to become more truthful to ourselves and others.
A thought to keep!
“If we could all see the world through the eyes of a child, we would see the magic in everything.”
~Chee Vai Tang