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Be active -

Playing outside is often seen as a child’s activity, and it’s true that lots of kids spend time running around with their friends just for the sake of it.

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Be active -

However, adults should also recognize that playing outside is a great form of exercise. Why not ditch the gym and play pick-up soccer at a park instead?

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Be creative -

There is great satisfaction to be drawn from creative endeavors, and yet as we grow older the majority of us push creative pursuits to the bottom of our “to do” lists.

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Be creative -

We would all do well to spend time creating something, whether it be a painting or a novel. When doing so we should immerse ourselves fully in the project in the same way a child would.

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Every day is a fresh start -

Partly because their perception of time is different and to a child a day seems like eternity, kids are much better at treating every day as new.

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Every day is a fresh start -

As adults, we tend to let the baggage from the day before follow us into the morning, when actually we’d do much better to treat every day as an opportunity for a fresh start.

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Be open to making new friends -

Children are normally more open to making friends than adults, perhaps because they have been hurt by fewer people and are less jaded as a result.

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Be open to making new friends -

And yet there is a lot to be gained from letting down our guard and realizing that everyone has something to offer. Nurture as many friendships as you can!

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Laugh every day -

Children have the wonderful ability to find silliness in the mundane. They are able to laugh and giggle at things that adults would never bat an eyelid at.

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Laugh every day -

And yet seeing the funny side of things is a great way for all of us to approach life.

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Be courageous -

There are, of course, exceptions, but children are generally more courageous than adults. They are happier to sing out loud or put on a show for their friends.

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Be courageous -

Unbridled courage comes more easily to children, who have not yet been beaten down by life, but adults would greatly benefit from adopting even an ounce of that courage.

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Be the hero -

Lots of kids are not afraid at all to “blow their own trumpet.” When they tell you a story about something that happened at school, they are usually the hero of the story.

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Be the hero -

As adults, we tend to suppress this instinct out of fear of seeming conceited. But as Nora Ephron once said, "Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim."

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Experiment -

The older we get, the less likely we are to try new things. Our fear of the unknown becomes greater and our world shrinks to that which we already know.

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Experiment -

Why not take a childish approach to adventure and throw yourself readily into something? You are sure to feel exhilarated!

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Show off your scars -

Children readily recognize that scars are not a sign of weakness, but of strength and survival. More often than not they love to show them off to their friends.

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Show off your scars -

Adults, on the other hand, tend to hide their scars away. Being open about scars, both physical and emotional, is healthy and often a weight lifted.

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Notice the little things -

Children are much better than adults at finding joy in the little things in life. They appreciate more readily the miracles of mother nature, for example.

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Notice the little things -

As adults, we tend to get bogged down in the stresses of the every day, and we tend to forget about those miracles that are happening around us all the time.

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Emotions must be acknowledged -

Children are much readier to express the emotions that they feel. If they feel like crying, they’ll cry, and if they feel like laughing, they’ll laugh.

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Emotions must be acknowledged -

Society tells us that certain emotions should be stifled, that there are feelings we shouldn’t express. However, letting them out is a whole lot healthier.

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It's okay to ask for help -

When children don’t know how to do something, they typically have no qualms about asking for help. Adults, however, are normally stifled by pride.

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It's okay to ask for help -

The reality is that there is great strength in knowing when to ask for help. No one knows everything, nor can anyone be expected to know everything.

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Forgive -

When a kid has an argument with their friend, they can be distraught about it one second and have forgotten about it the next.

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Forgive -

Forgiveness comes less easily to adults, but we should nonetheless try to forgive like a child. You would be surprised at the load that it takes off.

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Trust your instincts -

When it comes to making a decision, kids are much more likely than adults to trust their instincts. Adults tend to quiet their instincts in favor of things they’ve learned.

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Trust your instincts -

And yet, as Oprah Winfrey once said: "Follow your instincts. That’s where true wisdom manifests itself."

Sources: (HuffPost) (Purpose Fairy)

See also: Life skills parents can teach their children for success

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