Who Were You at Age 10?

Can you remember who you were and what you liked doing most at age 10 ?  When I ask this question in my happiness workshops, most people not only remember but do so with a smile on their face.  Some report spending hours reading or playing an instrument. Some recall weeks at summer camp, going horseback riding, swimming, doing arts and crafts and making things with their hands.  Some remember the simple pleasure of just being outdoors, riding their bike, or going fishing.  Some remember collecting stamps.

When you stop to think of it, you probably have a lot more in common with who you were at age 10 than you realize and what you enjoyed back then is probably something you would still love now. Too many adults, however, have lost their ability to play because of seeming burdens and responsibilities, but that can easily be changed.

The next time you feel bored or mindlessly turn on your TV looking for something to do, instead, stop and think back to who you were and what you were doing at age 10.  Then, go walk your dog or walk to the library and check out a book; or buy some inexpensive watercolors and paint a picture or join an arts organization.  How about finding a pool and going for a swim or finding a place to go horseback riding?  Maybe going fishing would put a smile on your face as well as in your heart. 

To raise your happiness quotient, just remember who you once were and what you once loved and then just go and be and do.  Go and play - right this minute – just for the fun of it!  Play not only creates more inner happiness but stirs the imagination and recharges the soul as well.