Have Fun and be Kid-Like

But admit it, don’t you sometimes feel guilty for letting yourself feeling like a kid?  You enjoy playing, but there’s something deep inside you that says that it’s time to “grow up” and “be responsible.”  I’ve come to loathe that inner voice, and while I know that it’s healthy to kick back and have fun, I’ve often had difficulty banishing those disparaging thoughts.  That demon inside tells me I don’t have time for fun; I must work harder if I want to be successful.

At our company Christmas party last month, our soon-to-be-retiring CEO gave an inspiring speech, part of which included qualities he felt we should all have.  In amongst the usual bits about working hard and being a part of a team, were two qualities that more of us should embrace:

As the words came out of his mouth, they struck right at the heart of my inner demon and laid him to rest.  Here was the ultra-successful CEO of a company that has achieved double-digit growth through the Great Recession and become an iconic mid-Atlantic chain, telling us that it was not only okay, but actually essential to enjoy ourselves and let our inner child see the light of day.  If he can be successful with that philosophy, then heck, so can I!!

I’m one of the lucky few who work for a company that embraces such values, and I really took his words to heart.  We all talk about work-life balance, but few of us actually achieve it.  I’m terrible at letting myself become overloaded in the work department, but I intend to keep his words close to my heart as I learn to feel less guilt for letting myself indulge in my childish pleasures more often.  This will be on my list of resolutions for 2013 for sure.

I need to make that mental shift because as I’ve embraced becoming fit in 2012, I’ve unfortunately started to feel guilt towards my sedentary hobbies which were responsible for getting me so out of shape in the first place.  I’ve sort of come to feel that riding my Trikke is the only fun that I’m “allowed to have now.”

I got out early from work yesterday, and I’m off for the Christmas holiday today.  As much as the house needed cleaning, I decided that I deserved to have a break and a happy holiday too.  I won’t stray too far down the path of talking about how tough Christmas can be for us single-folks, but let’s just say this year I’m really determined to beat the blues that usually accompany my holidays.  So I let myself be kid-like for a few hours, and pulled out some toys I bought a while back.

As a kid, I was always enthralled with the “lots of assembly required” types of gifts, and this is something I have never outgrown.  The happiest sound on Christmas morning for me was the distinctive rattle of a box of Legos.  Last night, I lost myself for a blissful few hours assembling a Lego replica of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water.

Then this morning I put together a small photo-etched replica of the Golden Gate Bridge.  I am a fan of architecture and construction, so I really enjoyed these projects and felt like I’d come close to replicating the joys of past Christmases.  More importantly, I’m making progress towards realizing it’s still okay to enjoy my sedentary hobbies.  After all, it’s these hobbies that bring most of the happiness into my life.

Like everything, it’s all about balance and moderation.  So go ahead, and let yourself be a kid again this Christmas.  Play with some toys, draw a picture, play a game, ride your Trikke, or do whatever makes you feel joyful and alive again!!

I’d like to take this time to wish all my readers a safe and happy holiday season.  You have enriched my life by being part of it, and I look forward to more of the same in 2013!