Writing Prompt Challenge Contest from Flint & Steel
What Did You Enjoy Doing as a Child?
Going back to those things could help you unlock the next level of your life
“The creation of something new is not accomplished by the intellect but by the play instinct.” ~ Carl Jung
I have always had a sense of urgency in my life to achieve things. Whether it was another country on my list I wanted to travel to, or another course I wanted to take to perfect my skills as a psychologist. I was always in some sort of competition with myself and I had almost forgotten to enjoy the process.
In the past couple of years, I have been very focused on healing and soothing my inner child. I have started taking things easier. Enjoying the journey more rather than the destination. Meditating more and aligning myself with what I actually wanted to do and allowing things to unfold rather than forcing them. Balancing work with joyful rest and self-care. Inviting a more playfulness state into my daily life and not taking everything so seriously and intensely.
By slowing down I have also started remembering and missing all the things I enjoyed doing as a child. By doing so, I began forgetting all about the limitations I have been putting on myself or the criticism I had received from my parents as a child whenever I attempted trying anything that didn’t fit their worldview at that time.
Looking back I can say that in the past few years I have gone back to some of the things that brought me the most joy as a child. For instance, as a child, I liked recording myself and I have always dreamt of being on the radio or so. Now I am getting ready to record some podcasts with other fellow psychologists. I also liked being on the stage, performing in different plays, and doing public speaking. A few years ago, whilst in China, I was surprised at how natural I was whilst presenting some activities in the schools’ auditorium in front of dozens of people. And it felt so good!
Another thing I enjoyed doing as a child: I loved writing but then I stopped because my mother didn’t like the topics I was writing about so I thought that's because I wasn’t good enough. Last year, in August I started writing on Medium and I couldn't stop ever since. I used to do ballet and now I have started my yoga journey and I am contemplating enrolling in adult ballet classes.
Now, why do I say that these things can lead one to the next level of their life? Well, that’s because all that creative energy I have been suppressing all those years is now finally allowed to manifest into the material world. Going back to those things that felt so authentically me and filled me up with joy and excitement are now aligning me with my path.
They have allowed me to get out of my limiting comfort zone, let go of self-sabotaging patterns and gain more confidence by doing those precise things I was most afraid of that were keeping me small.
The funny thing is that I didn’t have to go out looking for them.
Once I gave myself permission to enjoy life more and I did the inner work, these things started appearing out of nowhere in my reality, presenting themselves as opportunities. I like thinking of them as winks from the Universe telling me that I am on the right path.
I have learned to listen to my heart and follow its guidance. By letting go of resistance and becoming more aligned, I find life to be more enjoyable. I sometimes think of life as a video game in the sense that as the main character of my life, after accomplishing certain tasks and conquering my fears, I can go to the next level of growth and fulfillment.
I learn new ways to navigate life easier and enjoy it more.
Doing things I enjoyed doing as a child puts me in an almost mesmerizing state of flow and better connects me with my intuition. When I am more connected with my intuition and with God, I can become more aware of the synchronicities and follow the signs which take me to the next chapter of my life. I am learning to embrace my most playful self and see where it leads me.
“The playing adult steps sideward into another reality; the playing child advances forward to new stages of mastery.” ~ Erik H. Erikson
I would love to know what were some of the things you enjoyed doing as a child and if you feel like they have somehow propelled you into the next level of your life by going back to them. ☀️
Thank you for reading! I appreciate you!
This is in response to Writing Prompt Challenge Contest from Flint & Steel. Thank you so much dear Ellie Jacobson for the wonderful idea and for this beautiful challenge that sparks creativity and inner joy and makes one wondrously enter the flow of free creative writing! ✨ If you would like to take part in this challenge contest, you can find the guidelines here:
I would like to give a shoutout to the wonderful Umme Salma for her beautifully and masterfully written article titled How to Craft Your Life as a Masterpiece? in which she talks about how we can weave a more meaningful life. It truly made my soul saunter with joy and inspiration. 🥰 You can find talented Umme’s article here:
