I recently spent a weekend visiting my son and his family. My "job" that weekend was to keep my two year old granddaughter entertained so that my son and daughter-in-law could tackle some projects around the house. We went to the circus, had sleepovers at the hotel, saw a Barbie movie, went to a play center and had lots of fun.
As I observed my granddaughter during the course of the weekend, I noticed that she naturally does many things that my clients and I strive to do in order to live our best life.
Top ten lessons that I learned from observing a two year old:
1. When you don't want to do something, just say no. You don't need to make excuses or apologize. A simple "no" will do.
2. Be proud of your accomplishments. Whether it's putting your shoes on the right feet all by yourself, buckling your seat belt, stretching to reach the #3 button on the elevator or anything else that you are proud of accomplishing, throw your arms in the air and say "I did it!"
3. When you are tired, go take a nap. And on those days that you went to bed late the night before because you were having so much fun, take an extra long nap.
4. If you aren't sure how to do something, ask for help. Most people don't mind.
5. When it comes to hunger, listen to your body. It's OK to turn down ice cream if you really don't want it and you don't always have to eat everything on your plate. Simply stop eating when you are full (even if there is still food on your plate) and go do something else that is fun
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6. Have a bedtime ritual that includes spending quality time with someone you love. Getting your PJ's on, brushing your teeth and having someone read you a story is a wonderful way to end the day. 7. When something needs done, make a fun game out of it. Long hallways are perfect for running races to see who gets to the end first and you can sing lots of songs waiting for someone to come out of the grocery store.
8. Feel your emotions fully. If you are upset, don't try to hide it or do something that isn't healthy and doesn't fix the problem anyway (like eating a bag of cookies). Cry or yell to let others know how you feel. Often times they will fix it once they know why you are upset.
And if you are happy, experience it fully! It may just make someone else feel good too.
9. Don't be afraid to show your enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is contagious and it's fun to get others involved. A highlight of the weekend was everyone joining in with Mickey to do the "hot dog dance" at the end of the Mickey Mouse show.
10. Have a sense of wonder and awe at all the amazing things around you. Purple flowers along the road, circus ladies flying on the trapeze, a fire in the fireplace or the toy isle at the store are all amazing things to stop and notice. Show up, pay attention and enjoy!
