Do you remember when you were a child and you faced each day as though it was a new adventure?  When you awoke excited about the day that lay ahead?  Even on the dullest of days (a rainy Monday, for example) you knew you would see your friends, play, learn and grow.  It wasn’t intimidating, it wasn’t scary and it didn’t cause too much anxiety.

I don’t mean to romanticize childhood, and I am aware that the experience wasn’t pleasant for many people.  But what I am interested in is the way that kids can find the good in just about anything.  For most of them, optimism or the ability to shift perspective seems to come almost naturally.  Even on the most rotten of days, they seem to be able to remember that the day that is coming to an end doesn’t have to power to shape the day that will come.  They know that tomorrow is “another big day” and with that comes so many possibilities.   Why is this?

Adults, for sure, have pressing concerns that can easily distract us from the joy in life.  Taxes, jobs, relationships, kids, cars, careers, money, self-image, education etc.  The list goes on and on.  And for many of us, what makes a great day as adults may be a bit more complex than what constituted heaven as a child (although I’d still be pretty damn happy if I had a hammock, an Archie comic and a carton of chocolate milk!).

Somewhere along the line, we seem to lose our inherent ability to be the proverbial kid in a candy store.  We stop seeing things as new and different, and see them as scary and potentially harmful.  For example, the pursuit of a new degree loses the spark of “Wow!  What a great opportunity I have to try something new and learn” and becomes “Will this degree get me a job?  Will that job pay the bills?  What if I fail every class?”

It seems the more wrapped up we are in the outcome, the less we can enjoy the moments that actually lead up to the outcome.  When you think about it, the actual end result is usually a pretty tiny part of any process.  If you stood at the counter in that candy store and thought about how each candy would taste, whether or not you would like it, if you should choose this one or that one…you’d never even make a choice!  And if you did, the fact that you’re worrying about whether or not it is the right one is sure to color your experience.

Right now, today, I want you to think about one thing in your life that has you HOOKED.  Something you are hung up on, that is causing you difficulty or anxiety.  And I want you to think about how you can reframe your perspective to believe that, no matter what you do, it is the right thing and you will get everything from the experience that you need.  As of now, the outcome has nothing to do with whether or not you A) enjoy the experience and B) are successful. 

How do you feel now?   Better?  Worse?  Was it hard to change your perspective?

Try this with as many things as you can think of.  Rediscover your joy.  Get excited about life.  Even if it feels fake or forced, keep it up.  You might just be surprised by how enthusiastic you find yourself becoming.

Good luck and I’d love to hear about your results!