10 Things to Learn From Children

1. It's not the end of the world. Looking back to your earlier years, I'm sure you can remember the first time a significant other broke your heart, right? The first thought that rushed to your head was, "Who is going to sit next to me on the swings at recess?" But you eventually patched yourself up and found another fifth grade hand to hold, didn't you? At the time, it may have felt like there was no reason to return to school the next day, but years later it's helpful to remember that you're doing just fine.

2. Try, try, again. Making the transfer from training wheels to that dusty old bike in the shed wasn't an easy task. After a while and a few bruises, you got the hang of it. Your parents always said, "you can do anything you put your mind to." While riding a bike seems like a much simpler goal, having the right mindset and not giving up, can help you achieve things you thought were impossible.

3. It's okay to change your mind. From the time I was in first grade to the middle of third, I was set on being a veterinarian. I was called to squeeze animals with affection all day long, I knew it. Later that year, when my hamster took a chunk out of my leg, I decided I might would enjoy being a teacher more.

4. Stay curious. It's almost impossible not to have a conversation with a child because they are so full of questions. They have the mindset that they MUST know the "how's" and the "whys" of everything, whether it truly matters to them or not. Don't you agree though, that there's never an awkward silence when speaking to a kid?

5. Be open to new friendships. Everyone has been asked at one point in their childhood years, "My name is _____, will you be my friend?" A smile was exchanged, a Lego was given, and friendship was instantly built. Too many times in life, people do not have the courage in life to share a smile and create new relationships.

6. Think outside of the box. Being creative is easy to do when you're young. Forts for safaris in the living room, were only one of the many missions accomplished over the years. Getting older, we tend to believe in simplicity. Did we never learn anything from finger-paint and feathers?

7. Don't let fear stop you. At a young age, you are incredibly daring. Jumping off slides and climbing trees was no big deal. The last thing that was on your mind was the broken arm that you were most likely to get. You wanted what you wanted and did what you could to get it. As time passes, we let the simplest of things get in the way of our hopes and dreams, in fear of getting hurt.

8. Don’t be in a hurry to grow up. I can clearly remember sneaking into my mom’s closet and finding my favorite pair of heels that were four sizes too big. I walked around with my Barbie cell phone and pretended to drive my dolls to the mall. At the end of the day, I gladly accepted being tucked in to bed and having my hair braided come morning. It’s important to treasure young age while you have it.

9. Forgive and forget. At an older age, forgiving is so much harder then when you were four and had the attention span of a bug. "You broke my Pretty Princess teacup? That's okay, you can make it up to me by giving me one of your ladybug band aids." Granted, situations are much larger now, forgiving is something all people must learn to do.

10. Be positive. Can you even remember being stressed when you were little? The worst part of your day was making sure you weren't picked last in gym. Usually though, hours later, you were carefree and happy again. When you are young, it’s easier to see the beauty of life that goes unseen. As adults, it’s important to see just the same