After an unexpected trip to CA due to a family tragedy, I came back to New York and I've been feeling a bit out of sorts. Typically, my dad and I spend Spring Break going on a trip together. It's an amazing time for us to share stories, reminisce, build new memories and just enjoy each other's company. Instead, I spent most of the week inside my apartment. After a week of feeling totally blah (and after listening to perfect advice from a wonderful friend) I realized that I can't take care of other people unless I take care of myself first. I wasn't sleeping, kept forgetting to eat dinner and was a general mess! I started thinking about the things I would do as a kid to take care of myself and what I did to enjoy my time and make my life great. Some of my favorite memories as a kid are: curling up in bed with a good book or my most recent Calvin and Hobbes, dancing my little heart out all afternoon long at Joan Golden Dance Studio or choreographing solos in my bedroom to ridiculous music, doing impersonations (apparently I loved doing this for my parents), spending time with friends, writing in my journal and just being an overall happy person. I think it's time to bring it back.
HOW TO LIVE LIKE A KID:
1. Learn something new:
Every week, I used to memorize a new vocabulary word. Since when did that go out of style? Now, I keep a list of words on my phone that are new to me and that I love, but why not seek out more?
Word of the week:
Amanuensis (noun)
1
a person who writes down your words when you cannot write, for example if you are injured and have an exam2an assistant, especially one who writes or types for somebody
Use it in a sentence: I needed an amanuensis for Summer of Tammi recently, as I've been too darn busy to create a post.
2. Play outside.
I kept myself holed up in my apartment and realized after three days that I needed to get out. Just being outdoors in the sunshine makes everything better. One of my favorite pictures from my childhood is me with my cousins--in our bathing suits, in the grass, licking Popsicles--time to get outside and explore.
3. Try new things:
When I was little, I had these cookbooks that I loved to make dinner from. I would cull my favorite recipes and try them out on the family. These days, I sometimes fall back into what's comfortable. I forced myself to make some new treats. Sometimes it's scary doing new things, but I have to remind myself, what's the worst that can happen?
4. Write thank you notes:
When you're a kid, you are always required to write a thank you note. Why do people stop doing this as adults? I'm a lover of all notes, especially thank yous and realized I haven't had a Grateful Grazie in awhile either...time to get crackin'.
5. Cry....a little, or a lot. Yeah, whatevs, I cry. Sometimes crying just helps.
6. Love and Be Happy:
As children, we just do the things that make us happy. We spend time with the people we like. We don't bother to eat the foods we hate or play with the mean kids on the playground.
I need to spend more time with the people I love and the ones who love and support me.
