Think back to when you were a kid.
Ask yourself three questions: 1) What was important to you back then? 2) What did you love doing? 3) What were you really good at? Now, let’s cut to the chase … What was important to you as a kid is the same stuff that should be important to you now. What made you happy and the stuff you loved to do (and the stuff you were really good at) is the same stuff that will make you happy today. I’m talking about family … friends … maybe you’re creative … or love problem solving … or helping a team win. I’m talking about remembering what’s important to you, prioritizing those things above all else and playing to your built in, born with ‘em, you couldn’t change ‘em if you wanted to strengths that make you who you are.
You were carefree back in the day.
Looking back now, aside from that pesky (i.e. insanely traumatic) experience of walking in on your parents while they were “wrestling” 😳🙀😭, chances are there are vast pockets of your early years that you’d whole-heartedly describe as happy and carefree. Now, think about what it means to be “carefree.” Truly carefree. No distractions … no wandering thoughts … no antsy “I wonder what my friends are posting on (stupid) Facebook, what am I missing out on!?” moments. You didn’t realize it then, but being a kid meant living in one ginormous, 24/7, non-stop state of … in … the … NOW. And guess what, back then, you experienced 100+ #GoodFeels a day! For reals. You couldn’t have hidden from those buggers if you’d wanted to!
So, what changed?
Work? Kids? The stress of financial commitments? Did life all of a sudden just happen? And what about work? It is where 90% of your physical + mental bandwidth goes … I mean, you have to work, right?! You can’t just sit around playing Hungry Hungry Hippos all day (although I guarantee you’d nab a cheap #GoodFeels moment if you did)! At work, the question I’d ask is: are you in a position, at a company and on a career path where you’re able to play to your strengths every day? Because you should be. If you aren’t, change course immediately. Remember when you were a kid (a young kid, before it became uncool) school was actually fun. It was fun because you played to your strengths on a daily basis. When you are in a role that plays to your strengths, you can be in the NOW throughout your day (even at work) where there are tons of good old fashioned Hungry Hungry Hippos-eque #GoodFeels just waiting to pounce.
It’s simple, really.
By “Being a Kid Again,” the truly important and rewarding aspects of your life take the throne, putting you in a position to play to your best strengths, every day, in everything you do. Even at work (which should really net closer to the 10% end of your mindshare spectrum). THIS is where the journey (wait, the adventure!) begins … the path leading towards a steady in the NOW groove and your fair and deserving share of #GoodFeels. Heck, maybe even 100+ a day!