When I grow up I want to be more like my one year old son. I can’t tell you how many time I’ve said that motherhood has been my fiercest life lesson. As parents we are often told our main job is to teach and mold this child into a successful person, but I assure you there is no mold for people and he is the one that is teaching me. 

 

As he gets older and is able to do more and more things on his own I watch in amazement and then try to follow suit. Over the last couple of months we’ve done a bit of everything: hiking, swimming at Audra, and a couple of trips and I wanted to share with you the things I’ve learned from him. 

 

One: Be fearless.

 

Change isn’t uncomfortable to a child; they’ve yet to find themselves in a “comfort zone”. The truth is, change isn’t uncomfortable to us either. Every time I leave my comfort zone I find it wasn’t all that comfortable. As adults we live under the illusion that familiarity is comfort… it’s not. You’re already uncomfortable so you may as well keep moving forward, keeping making changes, be fearless in your pursuit of life. 

 

Talk to strangers. All of them. Each person, regardless of circumstance, has some new information or lesson to offer you. Spend some time listening. Meet new people. Grow your networks. I am both an introvert and an extrovert, I CAN talk to anyone but that doesn’t mean I did. When your one year old wants to talk to everyone he sees you’ll have to follow suit and it has been one of the greatest gifts he’s given me. 

 

Try it. Whatever it is, try it. You might bump your head, skin your knees, or even wind up screaming and crying but if you keep trying you will find a way that works for you. 

 

Two: Ask for help.

 

Cannon loves the water, he’ll walk (run) right into the ocean and not look back. He saw me sitting in the water with a beach chair so he walked 40 yards up to grab his and carried it 40 yards back down on his own but when he stepped into some waters that seemed to be tougher than him he stuck his hand right up to the stranger beside him and said “help, please”. This also falls under the realm of fearlessness. Strength is asking for help. 

 

Three: Know How To Recharge

 

Intuitively children already know they need rest and where to go to recharge (which often looks like being glued to mom and dad). What about you? When you are exhausted and rundown do you check out? Start bingeing Netflix? While you eventually come out of it just from the sheer time spent checking out, there is a more fruitful way. I’m not talking candlelit baths (although if you’re in to that it will definitely work); I’m talking testing the waters and trying different things that will work for you. 

 

Recently I was exhausted and checking out. I had a running tab of all the things I wanted and needed to do but instead found myself two hours later scrolling my phone. I wanted to stay on the couch and keep checking out (and was even encouraged to do so by others) so I did. The next day when I was experiencing the same thing, I decided to try something new. I journaled through what I was feeling and why and soon I was feeling a little restored so I put on my shoes, grabbed my headphones and went for a walk… within twenty minutes I was feeling more like myself, I was recharging. Try something new, and keep trying until you find what recharges you. 

 

Sweat & Smiles, 

Melissa