A 2-year-old baby girl taught me life lessons.
Very recently I called a tiny guest at home, her name is Amrita. I follow a ritual of giving small gifts to kids once in a while, it brings immense satisfaction to my soul. Bringing a smile to someone else’s face lightens my inner self. Last Saturday was one of those days.
She is the daughter of the Manager of the apartment I live in Bangalore. While the little girl frolicked around, I kept thinking about how many changes happen within us from childhood to adulthood.
Kids reflect utter innocence, with a little dash of mischief. Leading life in the utmost beautiful way.
Baby Amrita taught me a lot of lessons in the half-hour she stayed. I would love to share these with you, dear friend! Go on relive your childhood and figure out ways to keep the child within yourself alive.
Carefree
Toddlers are carefree, they walk around as if they own the world.
While adults, on the other hand, take life too seriously. Take a chill pill and keep doing what you’re doing in the best possible way. Rather than wasting your precious energy on external factors that you have no control over.
Takeaway: Live more, stress less.
Love your Mum and Dad
While little Amrita was here, she kept telling me stories about her mom and dad and how much she loves them. 🥰
Parents are your biggest cheerleaders, make sure to show affection towards them. As you grow up they’re going to grow older.
No matter what happens only parents are the ones who do not have a transactional relationship with their children. Make sure to cherish them.
Takeaway: Tell your parents you love them.
Say NO
While Amrita was playing in the garden, I gave her food. She did not want it and told this with a lot of conviction.
Kids know what they want, and they are not ashamed of saying NO to unwanted things.
Many times you would have found yourself in situations where you ended up saying a YES even though you wanted to say NO.
Learning to say NO is respectable and you should learn this as soon as possible, otherwise, a considerable amount of your life will go into pleasing others. No one wants to live a life of a people pleaser.
Takeaway: Save yourself time by saying more NO than YES.
Joyful
Kids derive happiness by looking at little things, even a fluttering butterfly can make them happy, they don’t have big goals to give them happiness.
If you learn this as an adult, trust me more than half of your worries will vanish. The ability to experience the little joys of life is priceless.
Adults keep waiting for big things like a promotion, pay hikes, international trips, etc.. to feel happy. Rather, find bliss in the tiniest things and see how life will surprise you every day.
Takeaway: Acknowledge the little joys of life.
Curious
Have you tried spending time with a kid? They will make you go haywire with innumerable questions on various topics.
Where does this curiosity vanish when you grow up? The world is filled with mysteries yet humans choose to settle with the bare minimum information they were taught in school.
Ask questions, as many as you can and you never know what might tickle your creative instincts.
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish
~ Steve Jobs
Takeaway: Ask questions.
Dance like No One is Watching
My friend happened to play a song while Amrita was curiously looking at her gift. The moment she heard the song she left the gift and started dancing. The kid has got amazing moves by the way.
She danced till she was tired.
Do you remember when did you dance like no one was watching? Do this once in a while and I guarantee you from my experience, the feeling will be surreal. A relaxation like none other.
Flaunt your moves in front of a mirror and if you want, record yourself and share it with your friends for them to have a hearty laugh.
Takeaway: Dance baby.
Fearless
As you grow up, due to life experiences you tend to develop fear.
Take risks and give your fears a backseat every now and then, I’m not asking you to make reckless decisions. Challenge yourself in overcoming your fears once in a while and let the adrenalin hit you.
Scared of heights? Try bungee jumping. Scared of water? Try surfing.
If not today then when?
You might not enjoy doing certain activities but trying at least once will let you free from regrets.
Takeaway: Take risks.
Make Mistakes
Children are not afraid to make mistakes.
I don’t know why adults cringe every time they make mistakes. Aren’t mistakes supposed to be your best teachers?
How will you be good at something if you don’t fu*k up at least once? Make mistakes my friend and don’t forget to learn from them.
If you see someone else make a mistake, help them course correct rather than degrade them. Be more accepting of yourself and others.
Takeaway: Learn from your mistakes, and make as many as possible.
Express Emotions
Thirty minutes later, Amrita’s dad came to pick her up, she was happy to get a gift and made sure to express happiness.
Many times as adults you would have suppressed your feelings. Has it done any good to you? I don’t think so.
Make sure to express your emotions time and again; take time to analyze how you feel and react. Alter your course of reaction if necessary.
Expressing emotions and reacting are two different scenarios, that you need to be cognizant about. Express more, React less.
Takeaway: Be self-aware of your feelings.
Live in the moment
I’ve not enjoyed many best moments of my life because I was either living in the past or present.
However, kids never make this mistake. Living in the moment is their mantra.
Think about the times when you’ve lived in the moment — you might be on a long-awaited holiday, and while living in the moment you might forget to take pictures.
Lamenting on past happenings and stressing about the future is not going to change either. So, my friend live in the moment while experiencing the little joys of life.
Takeaway: There’s only one truth- PRESENT. It makes no sense to live in the Past or Future.
Hope you enjoyed reading the story about how baby Amrita taught me major life lessons. If you like this blog do share it with your friends and family so they can benefit from it.
Check out my website for more such posts.
Note: This blog was originally published by Illumination on Medium.
