Let your inner child play!

Last night I had dinner with my parents and afterwards I wanted nothing more than a hug from my dad and a cuddle from my mom. So I did just that. Yes, I'm a grown woman and a doctor no less, but I decided to listen to my childish desires and it felt great! As I was lying next to my mom, I started thinking are we ever really too old to feed our inner child?

As we age, and responsibilities pile up one on top of the next, there is a tendency for us to get "serious" about life.  When was the last time you skipped down the street? When was the last time you laughed so hard your stomach hurt? When was the last time you did some arts and crafts? When was the last time you played a game? Age is just a number. How youthful you stay depends on how much you let your inner child run free.

During the happiness retreat in the Dominican Republic this past month, we dedicated a whole day to bringing out the inner child of business executives. I can still hear them laughing as they lay in a happy baby yoga pose on the beach. And I'll never forget riding water slides with them either- the oldest participant was 72!

Fun, laughter, exploring, and trying new things keep you young and full of life! See how different your life becomes when you start taking advantage of anything that brings out that sense of freedom you remember feeling as a child. As an adult you actually do have all the freedom in the world, you just have to choose to play!