When people reach a certain age and start assuming adult responsibilities, their youthful spirit begins to dissipate. This can manifest in the way they stop seeing life through rose-colored glasses, or because they can no longer appreciate the little things with childlike wonder.
Although in a certain context, these qualities can be admirable because it allows them to face their responsibilities head-on and create proactive solutions, it can also be somewhat devastating. The reason for this is that life shouldn’t be taken so seriously all the time because it can turn any person into a hollow shell devoid of enjoyment.
This is not to say that adults should neglect their responsibilities, simply because being an adult is not like being on two ends of a spectrum. The key is to strike a balance between being serious and being playful, especially since a person’s life can be gone in a blink of an eye.
So many people don’t believe that achieving this balance is possible, which is why they resort to turning themselves into robots that only know how to work. If you feel like you’re slowly losing your youthful spirit in the name of performing your duties and responsibilities as an adult, here’s how you can reignite the spark of playfulness within you:
Drive Fast but Responsibly
If you have to travel to and from your house for work, you likely have your own car because public transportation isn’t the most convenient. Having your own car is like a rite of passage for most adults because that means that you’re finally capable of financing such a big purchase.
However, the traffic congestion during rush hour is so intense that it can take up most of your time and it can make driving feel even more of a chore than it already is. That in itself is unfortunate because driving can be an enjoyable activity if you can let loose on the open roads and just feel the breeze on your skin.
That’s why whenever you can, you need to drive for leisure instead of necessity. If you’re in it for the thrill, you can also drive as fast as you possibly can without going over the speed limit because you might catch the attention of local enforcement with their laser speed guns. Drive fast, but always be responsible.
Play with Food (Nobody’s Telling on You)
If you grew up with strict parents or parental figures, you were likely told once or a few hundred times that you should never play with your food. That’s because doing so can compromise the sanctity of the food on your table, and it can also a waste of a great home-cooked meal.
As an adult, deciding what to eat can feel like a chore because you do it so often and no one will decide for you. This might lead you to wonder why you took the warm meals at home for granted when you were a child. But there is a way to treat food as something more than a way to fill your stomach.
You finally have the opportunity to play with your food, but not literally. If you tend to order the same take-out food all the time, you can use this as a chance to explore new options. One way to do this is by making a manual or online randomizer that can pick your dinner for you.
However, this can only work and be exciting if you create your options properly. Instead of including your go-to takeout options in the mix, put in the ones you’ve vowed to try before but never got to. Or you can include the meals that you’ve always wanted to taste but didn’t try because you’re scared of not liking them. This way, you can expand your palate and make food enjoyable again.
Go Outside the Comfort Zone, and Then Do It Again
Always remember that stagnancy is scarier than change. That’s because no one ever grows inside their comfort zone; if you truly want to expand your horizons, you have to keep pushing your boundaries and limitations. And to do that, you have to be braver than you were yesterday.
Going out of your comfort zone doesn’t have to be extravagant every time. It can be as simple as trying out a new menu, learning a new hobby, talking to a stranger, or even playing a new sport as long as it’s something that you’ve never tried before. Doing this little by little can build your confidence to keep growing as an individual.
Life is too short to be a stickler for the rules and do everything by the book. Not only is that a huge waste of time, but it’s also a dull path that so many others have taken before. Don’t be afraid to stray from the road usually traveled and set off on your own. Even the most mundane activities can become fun if you know how to make them so.
