10 life lessons you can learn from children

We don’t stop playing cause we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing. At tentree we believe it is important to keep your 4 year old spirit alive in you as you grow up! So..... Here are 10 life lessons you can learn from children:

1)  Live for today

Little kids do not dwell on the past, or think to far ahead. They accept things as they are. They don’t try and control things they cant. I am not saying you can’t have plans and dreams, or look forward to the future. I am saying that if you live for today you are more likely to not miss out on opportunities. If you are constantly replaying past events or predicting future events, you may be the victim of your own, unnecessary anxiety. Be present.

2)  Be honest

With yourself and with others. Say it as it is. If you like or do not like something, say it. Take responsibility for your actions. Don’t beat around the bush. Don’t care so much about what other people think. Be honest with yourself and wear what you want to wear. Do your hair the way YOU want to do it. Because, ‘the one thing that nobody else has is you. Your voice your mind your story your vision. So write, and draw and build and play and live as only you can.’

3) Laugh more

As we grow older we take on more responsibilities and ‘big girl/big boy’ jobs, which all require forms of ‘seriousness’. The professional world surely requires such focus and maturity, though its okay to not take things so seriously ALL the time. Spend time with people who make you laugh and build you up. Kids don’t have time for people who bring them down. Laughter truly is the best medicine!

4)  Dream BIG

Use your imagination and think outside the box. We can do what we put our mind too. 'I want to be an astronaut! A singer! A talk show host! A doctor! A world traveler! A professional skateboarder! Save all the endangered animals!' These are all things we hear little kids say. They are all possible. We are never too old to dream a new dream. Continue to dream with your eyes closed, but then live them with your eyes open.

5)  Face your fears

We all have those moments where we wish we started a sport earlier in life. Whether it be snowboarding, hockey, wakeboarding, rock climbing, gymnastics, etc. Kids tend to have minimal fear. They aren’t scared to take risks. They aren’t scared of failure, getting scrapped up or making a ‘fool’ of themselves. They get up, try again and learn from their mistakes. They let their passion for life outweigh their fears. It is never to late to face your fears and challenge yourself to a new sport or activity. Besides, ‘great things never come from comfort zones’.

6)  Treat yourself

Indulge every once and a while. Chose that pizza over a salad, at dinner time. If you want those 3 scoops of ice cream, go for it! Life is about balance. Kids do not think twice about what they want on the menu, or think ‘Oh no summer is coming, and I am going to have to be in a bikini, or if I eat that they will think I am a pig.’ Little kids are confident and accept themselves for who they are. Treat yourself not only physically, but emotionally too. Make time for you. Book a spa day, or go out for a night with the boys/girls. Take this as a sign to go out and purchase that item you have been wanting to for so long, but hadn’t because you thought it was selfish. It's okay to treat yourself ?

7)  Don’t stop playing

I am not suggesting you dig out the old Barbie box or ‘Tonka Trucks’ but I am suggesting you keep active and embrace your inner child. Be silly. Host a game night, or a costume/themed party, build a snow fort, set up your tent in the living room and have a ‘camp in’. Headed to the beach? Have a contest for who can build the ‘sweetest’ sandcastle. If we stay active we can afford to treat ourselves :) ‘We don’t stop playing cause we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing’.

8)  Ask questions

Little kids want to know everything. Whether it is in regards to their surroundings, what someone has told them, or what they are watching on TV. They have extremely curious souls and are always pondering, WHY. Just because we may have graduated from high school or university, or settled in our career, does not mean we are done learning. Question what you read or hear. Inquire further. Have a conversation with a stranger; you never know what could come from it (Even though we tell kids not to talk to strangers). Learning is a life long process and there are is always opportunity to learn more.

9)  Forgive and forget

They do not let others weight them down. We are the owner of our own emotions. Put your energy into things that bring you up. Treat your energy like expensive, bright shiny pebbles. You wouldn’t just give them away to anyone, would you? Forgiveness does not always have to be because you believe someone deserves it, but because you deserve to not have that weight on your shoulders. By forgiving you will find you have more space for happy more productive thoughts. You can begin to move forward.

10)  Go outside

From climbing trees, playing in puddles and in the dirt, kids take advantage of and spend countless hours outdoors. Most even find joy in picking up litter, planting trees, seeding a garden and giving back. As we grow up our world becomes our playground. For me (@brookewillson) it went from my neighborhood park/monkey bars, setting up my tent my families backyard, to running local trails, to biking, hiking, tenting and countless other adventure opportunities in the Rocky Mountains. Now to exploring and traveling all over the world! The outdoors is packed with opportunity!

Though do eat your vegetables: D

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