Live Like a Child

I think I could use a little less fear and a little more curiosity at times. Funny…I think I had both when I was a kid.

The other day, I heard this little anecdote while listening to a webinar from Kary Oberbrunner:

If the adult brain was put into the mind of a child, it would take that child into their 80's before they learned to walk. This is because they would be so focused on the fear of falling or stumbling instead of being focused on learning.

Have you ever watched a toddler? They just go forward, no matter what. There’s very little fear. Sure, they’ll fall down. But they get back up and learn to walk.

At what point in life do we lose that?

If I take an honest audit of my day, I see moments where I let fear get the best of me. Am I succeeding at work? What if I can’t figure it out? What if I’m not good enough? Do people like me? Am I a good friend?

The mind of a child wouldn’t worry about fear of failure at work. Instead, the focus would be on doing whatever it takes to learn to succeed at work.

Children don’t seem to worry about whether people like them. Instead, the focus is on being themselves and learning from their surroundings. There is an insatiable curiosity and no room for complacency. It’s onward and upward.

But there has to be some advantage to being an adult…right?

Before I go any further, let me say that I am only 23. I’m not an expert at adulting by any means. I struggle with it daily. I’m learning constantly, or at least trying to. Many of you could surely give me stellar advice about the adult life. I hope you do! Please respond to this and share your story with me.

But I don’t want to make this seem like I’m saying that being a child is better than being an adult and life is just downhill after you turn 7.

No, of course not! In fact, I think I am in the best season of my life right now. I wouldn’t trade a single moment.

You see, adults can look at situations rationally. They can reason through nuanced subjects and have deep conversations. They can foster meaningful relationships and connections.

But sometimes we’re crippled by fear.

I’m not telling you that you should go quit your job and chase that dream. Maybe it’s not the right time. Maybe there is something important for you to learn from your current situation.

But don’t let fear be your sole reason for staying put.

Maybe you need to release the fear of what others think. I know for me, that’s a big one. But it is so freeing to take my focus off of that fear and make room in my mind to focus on other things.

Like…actually getting work done instead of worrying.

Life is so beautiful. Even everyday life is beautiful. I learned that lesson anew recently when I put my phone down at lunch and listened to the music of everyday life around me.

My marriage is beautiful. My friendships are beautiful. My work is beautiful. My dreams are beautiful.

My life is beautiful.

I don’t live a glamorous life. I’m 23 years old, living in Indiana with my beautiful wife, Sarah, and working in my first job out of college. But that’s the point: life doesn’t have to be glamorous to be absolutely beautiful.

Are we really going to let fear steal some of that beauty from us?

I say no. I say it’s time to move forward no matter the obstacle. I say it’s time to be curious and learn from the people and places around us. I say it’s time we start acting like a child learning to walk.

But maybe leave out the crying and throwing fits part, ok?

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