Creating Your Own Second Childhood

Creating Your Own Second Childhood

 Watching my niece playing in the garden recently made me think about life from her point of view. There I was after a long day at work, downing a Red Bull¹ in the hope of keeping my eyes open while my mind ran through what tasks I had achieved today and what needed to be done the following day.

In contrast my niece was simply “in the moment”. She was full of energy. She hadn’t a care in the world. She had no responsibilities to worry about. Nothing important to remember. She was just living in the now. What a wonderful perspective on life.

All this reminded me of just how great childhood (in a caring home) can be. It also made me wonder what we as adults – with all the responsibilities and practicalities that involves – can do to consciously move our everyday lives to a more relaxed, now-focused and child-like state.

Here are 8 Ways to start creating your second childhood today:

Consider going on vacation.

Certainly we like to take time off work. We like to sit in the sun and relax. But I think there’s more to why vacations are so popular than just these reasons. I think it has something to do with “switching off” from the everyday realities – of leaving our metaphorical² baggage at home – and just enjoying ourselves without worrying about paying that bill or calling out the plumber³ to fix that leaking pipe.

Vacations give you an opportunity to be who you really would be if it weren’t for all the things we as adults have to do. To quote Homer Simpson “he minds me of me – before the weight of the world crushed my spirit”.

So what can we do to achieve a more childlike, hassle-free lifestyle? How do we reduce or eliminate baggage so we have more time to play and simply be present in the moment?

Here are just a few ideas I have come up with though I’m very interested in hearing your own thoughts and ideas in the comments section at the end of this post.

Focus On Fun

They say that when you underline everything, you underline nothing. Parts of your life need to stand out if you’re really going to make the most of them. Losing weight is far easier when you concentrate on it, plan your meals, organize your exercise regime⁴ and track your results than when you just carry on with life as normal hoping you can lose a few extra pounds.

So it is with fun. You need to draw the concept of fun to the forefront of your mind. Make it something to concentrate on – to strive⁵ for.

Make fun the first thing you think about when you wake up each morning. Plan fun things to do when you’re not working. Consider what you’d like to do but haven’t done yet. Consider how you’re going to include something fun in your day, everyday, even if you have to spend eight hours at work that day.

Reduce Your Responsibilities

One of the reasons why chidren can be so “in the moment” and can simply enjoy having fun is that they have far fewer responsibilities than adults. By it’s very nature many of these responsbilities are things we have promised to do for other people – whether that’s someone at work, a friend or family member.

Make a conscious effort *not* to automatically⁶ say yes to everything people ask you to do. Consider the responsibility that promise comes with and whether you would be better off without it. I’m not saying to never do anything for anyone else – what a sad life that would be – but to carefully cherry-pick them so you don’t drown in tasks you’re doing for other people while having no time to do things *you* want to do.

Automate⁷ Or Outsource Chores

Some mundane⁸, everyday tasks have to be done. We have to pay our bills. We have to clean our homes and our clothes.

There’s no getting away from these so instead consider ways to lessen⁹ the blow, and there are a number of ways to achieve this.

For example you could consider getting a virtual¹⁰ assistant (VA) who can check your emails, remind you of forthcoming¹¹ birthdays and social events, book hotels, dentist appointments and so on for you and all manner of other tasks.

Then there are cleaners and laundry services who will clean your home and clothes for you. Your VA could even find these and manage these services for you so you don’t have to worry about looking after them yourself.

Food shopping can be done online and delivered to your home at a prearranged time. Your VA can arrange this for you and simply email or call you to let you know when it will be arriving. You could even ask your cleaner to receive the shopping and put it all away for you so that you don’t even have to lift a finger.

Finances¹² can be automated¹³ to a degree. Arrange to pay bills automatically out of your bank account so you don’t have to remember to pay them yourself. Set up a savings¹⁴ account that will automatically have a chunk¹⁵ of your income deposited¹⁶ into it. Set up internet banking¹⁷ to make it easy to check balances, transfer funds or pay bills without having to go to the bank and stand in a queue.

You could also consider blocking off some “practical time” each week to do these few small tasks. Put aside an hour or two each Saturday morning for example to check your bank balance, pay any bills necessary, speak to your VA, check your calendar for the next week and so on.

Then once that time is up and your tasks are done, put them away and enjoy guilt-free play. This is surely better than punctuating¹⁸ your play all week long with practical tasks as you think of them, or worrying about when you’ll be able to get round to them.

Live Within Your Means

Create a lifestyle that is easily covered by your income. Downsize and simplify if necessary. This way you will ensure you don’t worry about money and instead can just get on with enjoying yourself without worrying about that bill you know you need to pay but can’t afford.

Expand Your Social Circle

Get out there and meet new people. Make new friends with similar interests to yourself. All “children” need playmates and finding these people that you have so much in common with can make a real difference to your play-like state.

When you meet them aim for total honesty and transparency. Find people you can be yourself around.

Ignore Social Norms¹⁹

Young children don’t understand peer²⁰ pressure and social norms. They don’t appreciate what they are and aren’t meant to do in public. That’s why they scream and cry, or shout things they shouldn’t.

These rules certainly serve a purpose – I’m not suggesting *you* throw your toys out of the pram²¹ if you don’t get your own way – but rather to worry less about what other people think of you.

Expand your network of friends and be who you really are. Stop worrying about what you should wear based on how everyone else will be dressed and instead just put something on that you like.

If you’re obsessed²² with Star Wars but everyone you know things you’re a nerd as a result, find some new friends who *do* like Star Wars so you can chat to them about it rather than trying to hide that part of your personality.

Lay yourself bare, be who you are and stop worrying so much about what other people think.

Learn To Let Go

My niece dropped her sandwich on the floor while playing. She started to cry. She really wanted that sandwich. So I gave her a bit of mine. Two minutes later she was as happy as could be again and had forgotten all about the sandwich she dropped.

As adults we sometimes spend far too long worrying about things or mulling over things that have gone wrong. Children seem to deal with the feelings then and there, then move on. They don’t let negative emotions haunt²³ them over the long term.

So learn to let go of these feelings to free up “head space” and enable you to enjoy life more. When you leave work in the evening, aim to do it mentally as well as physically²⁴. If you fall out with someone, aim to start afresh the next time you see them. If someone annoys you, don’t let it get to you. Learn to let go of these feelings and you’ll feel a lot better as a result.

1 bull   

n.公牛，买进证券投机图利者，看涨的人

参考例句：

• It's only a hair off a bull's back to them.这对他们来说，不过九牛一毛。
• Many dogs closed around the bull.很多狗渐渐地把那只牛围了起来。

2 metaphorical   

a.隐喻的，比喻的

参考例句：

• Here, then, we have a metaphorical substitution on a metonymic axis. 这样，我们在换喻（者翻译为转喻，一种以部分代替整体的修辞方法）上就有了一个隐喻的替代。
• So, in a metaphorical sense, entropy is arrow of time. 所以说，我们可以这样作个比喻：熵像是时间之矢。

3 plumber   

n.(装修水管的)管子工

参考例句：

• Have you asked the plumber to come and look at the leaking pipe?你叫管道工来检查漏水的管子了吗？
• The plumber screwed up the tap by means of a spanner.管子工用板手把龙头旋紧。

4 regime   

n.政体，政权，制度

参考例句：

• Under the new regime in our office,no one is allowed to leave early.在新的办公制度下，谁也不能早退。
• The people finally rose up and overthrew the reactionary regime.人们终于起来把反动的政权推翻了。

5 strive   

vi.努力，奋斗，力争

参考例句：

• Don't strive merely for quantity of production.在生产中不要单纯地追求数量。
• The scientists strive for a breakthrough in cancer research.科学家们力争在癌症研究方面有个突破。

6 automatically   

adv.不加思索地，无意识地，自动地

参考例句：

• The machine cycles automatically.这台机器自动循环运转。
• She had automatically labelled the boys as troublemakers.她不假思索地认定这些男孩子是捣蛋鬼。

7 automate   

v.自动化；使自动化

参考例句：

• Many banks have begun to automate.许多银行已开始采用自动化技术。
• To automate the control process of the lathes has become very easy today.使机床的控制过程自动化现已变得很容易了。

8 mundane   

adj.平凡的；尘世的；宇宙的

参考例句：

• I hope I can get an interesting job and not something mundane.我希望我可以得到的是一份有趣的工作，而不是一份平凡无奇的。
• I find it humorous sometimes that even the most mundane occurrences can have an impact on our awareness.我发现生活有时挺诙谐的，即使是最平凡的事情也能影响我们的感知。

9 lessen   

vt.减少，减轻；缩小

参考例句：

• Regular exercise can help to lessen the pain.经常运动有助于减轻痛感。
• They've made great effort to lessen the noise of planes.他们尽力减小飞机的噪音。

10 virtual   

adj.实质上的，事实上的，实际上的

参考例句：

• This reply is a virtual acceptance of our offer.这一回答实质上是接受了我们的建议。
• At that time the East India Company was the virtual ruler of Bengal.那时东印度公司是孟加拉的实际统治者。

11 forthcoming   

adj.即将到来的，可得到的，乐于提供消息的

参考例句：

• He gave me a list of their forthcoming books.他给了我一张他们即将出版图书的目录。
• Her letter may purport her forthcoming arrival.她的来信可能意味着她快要到了。

12 finances   

n.(pl.)财源，资产

参考例句：

• I need a professional to sort out my finances. 我需要专业人士为我管理财务。
• The company's finances are looking a bIt'shaky. 这个公司的财政情况看来有点不稳定。

13 automated   

a.自动化的

参考例句：

• The entire manufacturing process has been automated. 整个生产过程已自动化。
• Automated Highway System (AHS) is recently regarded as one subsystem of Intelligent Transport System (ITS). 近年来自动公路系统(Automated Highway System,AHS)，作为智能运输系统的子系统之一越来越受到重视。

14 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

15 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

16 deposited   

存放( deposit的过去式和过去分词 )； （尤指小心地或准确地）放置； 付（保证金）； （把硬币）放入（自动售货机）

参考例句：

• It was deposited in the vaults of a bank. 它存在一家银行的保险库里。
• He deposited the money under [in] the name of his son. 他挂着他儿子的名（在银行）存款。

17 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

18 punctuating   

v.（在文字中）加标点符号，加标点( punctuate的现在分词 )；不时打断某事物

参考例句：

• Finally, it all came to a halt, with only Leehom's laboured breathing punctuating the silence. 最后，一切静止，只剩力宏吃力的呼吸，打破寂静。 来自互联网
• Li, punctuating the air with her hands, her fingernails decorated with pink rose decals. 一边说着，一边用手在空中一挥，指甲上还画了粉红玫瑰图案。 来自互联网

19 norms   

n. 规范 名词norm的复数形式

参考例句：

• deviation from the previously accepted norms 违背事先接受的准则
• Everyone should abide by our social norms. 我们每个人都应该遵守社会行为准则。

20 peer   

n.同辈，同等地位的人，伙伴，贵族；vi.仔细看，费力地看

参考例句：

• Children are easily influenced by their peer.孩子很容易受同辈影响。
• He is a peer.他是一个贵族。

21 pram   

n.婴儿车，童车

参考例句：

• She sat the baby up in the pram. 她把孩子放在婴儿车里坐着。
• She ran in chase of the pram. 她跑着追那婴儿车。

22 obsessed   

adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的

参考例句：

• He's obsessed by computers. 他迷上了电脑。
• The fear of death obsessed him throughout his old life. 他晚年一直受着死亡恐惧的困扰。

23 haunt   

vt.常出没于，使苦恼，萦绕；n.常去的地方

参考例句：

• The area was a haunt of criminals.这个地区是罪犯经常出没的地方。
• The college library is a favorite haunt.大学图书馆是人们喜欢的地方。

24 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。