Unleash the child in you

However grown up, there is child in us ever alive!

You love toys – you are thrilled to look at and try new toys. You also try your hand at video games. You go for simulated golf or flying.

You like to ask for a bite of a chocolate or ice cream, or that piece of yummy pancake when the child is enjoying it. It is something a child in you, want (not you).

I remember when I accompanied my grand children to children Gym. I constantly wanted them to try one after another the activities there. In fact, it was the child in me who was asking me to do so. I saw many other parents too, behaving like me.

Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny, The Powerpuff Girls, Aladdin, Pokemon… The list is infinite. These were popular when you were a kid. Some of us were watching them before we would go to sleep. Some of us would eat their breakfast before school while watching our favorite cartoon.

Times have changed and today cartoons do not look like they used to. Although they are different, your generation may still remember the cartoons that you watched. Not only remember them, but wear a symbol from your favorite cartoon on the skin.

That is a sign of the relationship that existed between you and the certain characters from favorite cartoon when you were really young.

Why so?

Are you tired of the mundane? Have you lost the excitement of life? Has your love affair gone bland? Are you irritated at what others do? Maybe it's time for a change... Professional counselling can be helpful, however, a change of attitude might change your life.

When you see children at play, you might often wish that you had their energy. You would see them laughing freely and easily at what most adults would call ridiculous. You would see their heightened expressions and smiles with the acknowledgment of learning something new.

We all have seen the boost in their confidence when they manage to build a house out of blocks or made their tricycle move; even taking the trash outside seemed to prove their importance and abilities. Playgrounds, no worries, just having fun.

Children usually seem so loving when they hug family, friends, pets and some are filled with so much love that even a pole might get their affection. As adults you accentuate your childhood behavior, perhaps it's time you had a happy childhood.

You begin going to school and, as you progress through education, you realize a sort of "pecking order" is being established. Peer pressure seems to be the catalyst for many of the changes you make.

You want to be accepted and in some cases, admired. In adolescence, you face many character-forming challenges. As adults, responsibilities begin to wear on you.

Success stimulates the drive for higher expectations and failure can diminish your confidence. Both, success and failure, can augment ability to enjoy life.

Wealth doesn't mean happiness, we prefer wealth AND happiness. If you're forced to make a choice, it would be happiness. Having money without happiness is like being all dressed up and no where to go.

To release your inner child from bondage, here are a few suggestions:

As often as you can, put your maturity and adult ego on the shelf. Take time and the patience to play at their level. Realize that silliness and imaginative situations can exercise your fun muscles.

Be thankful if they draw a picture for you, they want your approval and it shows you have theirs. Playing the fool isn't foolish if it brings a smile. Consider it a challenge to put a smile on a smug face.

Find the inconsistencies of life amusing. Open the doors to communication with tolerance and understanding for what you hear. Find success in making someone's day (or life) better. If your desire is to make others happy, you won't dwell in misery.

Have you ever noticed that the elder part of society is fixated on sharing their memories? The creation of valuable memories to share will, someday, be our most prized possessions. Everyone appreciates kindness and it can be a pinnacle in your memories.

Allow me to share one with you: someone told me this – a boy of ten years and his brother was seventeen, on the way to the basketball court, saw an eight-year-old crying on his front steps.

The elder brother asked to wait and the younger oneI stood there, listening, while holding the ball. He started talking with the boy, then began joking with him until the boy was laughing. His name was Brent and we became good friends.

At eighteen, Brent was killed by a drunk driver. Of the many things I appreciate about my brother, is that, he made at least one day of Brent's short life happier. Make a memory and smile.

Byshema was obsessed with the cute yellow bird, Tweety. Her room is full of Tweety Bird objects and designs. When she was thinking to get a tattoo she knew that she will put something what was part of her, something that will be worth to have in the future.

She didn’t even need to think about it.The little lovely bird was the perfect choice for her. She got her tattoo in January, 2011.

Byshema knew that she will have to live with her tattoo and she said that she will never get tired of Tweety. You know why? Because there is a child in all of us and you never forget what was the first form of entertainment that you enjoyed while being a toddler.

How many of us live with Tintin? My grown up boy still loves to watch it and is interested in collectibles. There is a shop selling Tintin souvenirs in China Town in Singapore. When I visited the shop, child in me also craved for buying few!

Similarly, while visiting ToysRUs, we all like to see how that toy works – be it a choo choo train, or a Helicopter. This is child in us craving to play!

You can find many people storing Archies cartoon books in the Bathroom!