Some people claim to be old souls when they are born due to their wisdom and maturity at an early age, while others call themselves young at heart no matter their birth date. When my granny Nora was still alive, she told me that every time she passed by a mirror, she was stunned to see an old woman looking back at her. She admitted she always felt like a sixteen year old girl within her eighty year old skin and gray hair. This is because she greeted each day as a fresh start, a new beginning. I’ve discovered over the years that we never grow old if we are willing to keep learning and approach life with what is called Beginners Mind.
When was the last time you were lit up with excitement? I’m going to assume it had to do with a trip you planned to a destination you’d never visited, or perhaps for the opening of a restaurant with a unique menu you were dying to try.
What about curiosity? Remember when you constantly asked questions such as, why is the sky blue, and where do babies come from? Do you still ask questions? Do you wonder about things like the origin of place names, or who lived in your neighborhood one hundred years ago, or even what type of tree is in your yard?
Living each day as if seeing through the eyes of our inner child, we can rekindle that sense of wonder and magic that made life more exciting when everything was new to us and curiosity motivated our actions.
Discover life again from a beginner’s mind. If you can’t remember the last time you tried a new food, traveled somewhere you’ve never been, or attempted to learn something, then starting today, begin anew. It can be as simple as choosing an item at the grocery that you’ve never used in cooking, taking a different path to work, or reading a book on a topic you know nothing about. Be open to possibilities. Maybe there’s a pottery class you can sign up for, or learn a foreign language online. Let go of trying to be an expert and be willing to fail at whatever activity you wish to explore. Ask LOTS of questions, such as learning your cashier’s name, or what country your grandparents are from. (You’d be surprised how many people don’t know anything about their ancestry.)
Approach life with a beginner’s mind and watch your existence magically transform. The world will be new to you again, and you will feel forever young. Explore. Discover. Begin.