5 Essential Lessons Adults Can Learn from Children

All children are different and yet, they share one common characteristic – a zest for life. It is no wonder that Peter Pan refused to grow up. By growing up, we lose many of the traits a child possesses and, in the world of adults, all of us are forced to change.

Very often, we find ourselves going down memory lane to those wonderful moments when we were children. While you need to adapt to adulthood to be able to live a full life, it is never a bad idea to learn from children. Every person needs to awaken the child within them if they wish to be happy. When you turn every day as an opportunity to live, know and be happy, you will finally have done this.

How do you go back to your childhood? Here are the five most essential lessons you can learn from children.

1. Never Be Sad for Too Long

Have you noticed how children become sad when something bad happens, but quickly forget it and return back to their happy-self? When something doesn’t go the way the child wants it to go, you will be witnessing a tantrum, a pouting session, or even crying. But quickly after, it will be as if nothing has happened.

Wouldn’t it be great if we can go through life sharing this trait with children? When you fail in something and feel down, commit to behaving like a child. Dust yourself off, jump back up, and find happiness in something else. Look around you and find something that interests you – this seems to be what children do in such situations.

2. Don’t Be Afraid to Try New Things

Being afraid to do something is often the reason for our failures. Children look at risk differently. Instead of focusing on the risks and the failures that might arise from an action, they try things and learn something new on daily basis.

Have you ever wondered what would have happened if you weren’t afraid to try out new things? Take the advice of children – if the outcome looks stronger than the risks, isn’t it better to take the risk? After all, it is better to regret your doings than to regret that you haven’t even tried.

There’s no better way to learn something than by trying something new. Children learn new things every day – that is how they grow up to be adults. But, once we reach adulthood, we stop taking risks and only go for things that seem safe. This limits us from seeing and experiencing wonderful things, and prevents us from learning something new.

3. Have Fun

The greatest thing you can learn from a child is to have fun! We know that this is hard in this tough world and with the many obligations you have, but if you learn to leave behind your worries and fears for at least a moment and have fun, you’ll see the beauty children see every single day.

4. Get Your Sense of Curiosity Back

Children are curious, but that does not mean that you are not. Adults seem to lose or hide their sense of curiosity, which prevents them from using every moment for something great.

Whenever you feel curious about something, remember to behave like a child. Learn new things, take risks, visit new places, and simply take advantage of your time.

5. Say Your Mind

Adults often find themselves in situations where children are dangerously honest with other people. It can often make people uncomfortable, but honesty doesn’t equal being rude. The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn from a child that is honest. By not allowing ourselves to speak freely, we tend to keep things inside and stress over the least important details.

There are many situations where you would want to just keep your thoughts to yourself. In some cases, that’s the right thing to do. But in others, the fear of being judged or rejected is preventing you from expressing yourself. At times, the most refreshing thing you can do is express yourself sincerely like children do. Even if it is about something the other person doesn’t really want to hear.

This especially applies to feelings. Children love to express their feelings. If they like something, you will know. If they don’t, you will know it again. And since you are the person having similar feelings, why would you struggle with expressing them?

Stop feeling the need to hide your feelings to avoid conflict or not offend others. Try to say what’s on your mind wherever possible and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Children don’t really have a filter of knowing what is rude and what is just honest, but you do. For the things that make you honest, act like a child and speak your mind.

According to Paulo Coelho, ”A child can teach an adult three things: to be happy for no reason, to always be busy with something, and to know how to demand with all his might that which he desires.” Don’t be afraid to listen to his advice.

The child you were still exists somewhere inside of you, and all it takes is a little push to help you achieve greatness.

With the mind and experience of an adult and the freedom of a child, you can achieve everything!