Seeing Life Through the Eyes of a Child — What Fun!

By Jill Allison Bryan

The other morning as I worked diligently at my computer, my eight and a half year old daughter, Riley Anna, came in fresh from a good summer night’s sleep — the kind where you know you don’t have to wake up early for school the next day! Like a cat she curled up in a comfy corner of my reading nook. She yawned, stretched and surveyed my office. A snaggle-tooth grin appeared across her face as she proclaimed, “I love your office, Mama! It’s really messy — but everything in it is exciting!”

At first glance, all I could see was piles of stuff that desperately need to be organized and the empty boxes stacked in a corner in which I hoped to someday soon complete said organization (on or before the next millennium would be nice). But Riley Anna’s genuine enthusiasm made me take another look, and in a moment I could see it.

There was my electronic keyboard surrounded by songbooks. My guitar hanging on the wall. Partially filled spiral notebooks — their empty pages ripe with the promise and possibility of the new ideas and lyrics that would soon fill them. A beautiful poster of seashells I scored for free from the Gap when they were changing out promotional pieces. A meditation bell. Candles. Piles of art supplies and stacks of inspirational books from my recent creativity retreat. Shells from beach trips. A piece of wood from Colorado. A Chinese lantern hanging in the corner and Tibetan chimes hanging in the window.

Riley Anna was right. I just needed my “Can’t you see I’m a serious adult-self” to step aside and let my “Wow! Isn’t life cool?” kid-self take a look.

You can do it too! Try this on for fun. Take something in your life that needs your attention (a messy office, an extra-long to-do list, a project you keep putting off) and look at it through the eyes of a child. Watch your messy office transform into an emporium of delights. Enjoy turning your to-do list into your “I get to-do” list. How about giving your project a fun name like “Adventures in Culinary Re-alignment!” (Who knew cleaning out the pantry could be so exciting?)

In creativity coaching, we call that reframing. And it’s just one of the many fun and easy ways to live a more creative and fulfilling life. When you’ve accomplished your task — take yourself out for an ice-cream cone and give yourself a gold star sticker. Your inner child and your grown-up self will love you for it! •

© 2008 Jill Allison Bryan

About the Author | More by Jill Allison Bryan
Jill Allison Bryan helps people to experience the joy and fulfillment that creativity can bring to their lives with Creative Oasis Coaching. Trained in the Kaizen-Muse tradition, Jill offers one-on-one coaching and facilitates group workshops and retreats. Also a singer/songwriter, Jill is currently producing her first solo CD. She would love to help you create your own Mid-Life Oasis. Visit her at www.creativeoasiscoaching.com.

08/15/08