As I sit here sipping my coffee (black, no sugar – the only way to drink it in my opinion), I can’t help but reflect on what it means to be a “kid at heart.” It’s a term that gets tossed around a lot, but I think it means something different for everyone. For me, it’s about maintaining that sense of wonder, curiosity, and unadulterated joy that seemed to come so naturally when we were young.

Now don’t get me wrong, being a “grown up” has its perks. The freedom to stay up past 9pm without someone yelling at you to go to bed. The ability to eat ice cream for dinner if that’s what your heart desires (and your stomach can handle). And let’s not forget about the joys of an uninterrupted bathroom break – those precious moments of solitude are truly priceless when you’re a parent!

But there’s also something to be said for the pure, unfiltered enthusiasm that kids bring to every aspect of life. The way they get excited about the most mundane things, like a shiny rock or a particularly cool-shaped cloud. Or how they can turn the most ordinary day into an adventure, transforming the living room into a fort or the backyard into a secret jungle.

I find myself longing for those carefree days sometimes, when the biggest worry was whether mom packed my favorite snack in my lunchbox or if I’d get the top bunk tonight. The world just seemed so much bigger and full of possibility back then. Everything was novel and worth exploring – from the mysterious workings of a simple kitchen appliance to the wonders of the natural world just beyond our doorstep.

As adults, it’s easy to get bogged down by the drudgery of everyday life – the bills, the laundry, the endless work meetings. We lose that innate sense of curiosity and instead start plodding through our days on autopilot. But I truly believe that maintaining that childlike wonder is the key to staying young at heart.

It’s about finding joy in the little things – like stopping to smell the flowers on your way to the car or dancing in the rain just because you can. It’s about being present in the moment instead of constantly worrying about the future. And it’s about giving yourself permission to be silly, to play, to let your imagination run wild.

One of my favorite ways to tap into that youthful spirit is by revisiting some of my favorite childhood pastimes. Like building a fort out of couch cushions and blankets (my kids love when I do this, by the way) or having a full-on tea party complete with mismatched china and tiny sandwiches. There’s just something so freeing and joyful about letting go and embracing your inner child.

And let’s not forget the power of nostalgia! I love nothing more than curling up with a good book from my youth or rewatching my favorite childhood movies. It’s like a little time capsule that transports me back to simpler times, when the biggest problems I had to solve were whether to have peanut butter or jelly on my sandwich.

Of course, being a kid at heart doesn’t mean you have to act like a literal child all the time. It’s about finding that delicate balance between adult responsibility and childlike wonder. It’s about maintaining that sense of curiosity, playfulness, and optimism even as you navigate the complexities of grown-up life.

Because at the end of the day, I truly believe that staying young at heart is the key to living a full, vibrant, and joyful life. It’s about embracing the magic in the mundane, finding humor in the chaos, and never losing that innate sense of awe and wonder that makes the world such a fascinating place.

So the next time you find yourself feeling bogged down by the stresses of adulthood, I encourage you to take a step back and reconnect with your inner child. Go outside and jump in a puddle. Have a living room dance party. Heck, even build a blanket fort if that’s your thing! Because trust me, it’s the surest way to inject a little bit of that youthful spirit back into your life.

After all, who says you have to grow up to be a responsible, put-together adult? I much prefer the title of “delightfully eccentric kid at heart” – and I’m sticking to it!