Clues from our Childhood

Time for another question of the week.  This week we are going to our past, our childhood to see if it holds clues to our current passions.  You will be surprised how often it does.  So this week's question is: What were some activities you loved doing as a child?

You might look at this question, wondering what it could possibly tell you about your life now.  I admit it sounds strange but 9 times out of 10 when I ask clients this question they remember an activity that they absolutely loved and don't engage in now. One of my favorite examples was told to me by a mentor who asked someone this question and she answered as a child she loved decorating her Barbie Dream house.  She was constantly changing the rooms, coming up with new designs, using carpet samples and wrapping paper as wall paper.  When asked why she wasn't doing more decorating now, or at least using her creativity she didn't have an answer.  As she had gotten older and taken on more and more responsibilities her creativity had been pushed to the side.  She started doing decorating and eventually started a small decorating business.  She was thrilled.

I admit the answer to this question isn't always so clear. When I was a child I loved to teach, whether I was pretending to speak to an audience (yep, I use to role play being a professional speaker), teaching my stuffed animals or having my barbies (I LOVED Barbie) be a teacher, teaching was a common theme in my childhood play.  Today I love teaching, not in the traditional elementary school stand in front of the chalkboard way but through this blog, through my clients, in my speaking.  Teaching is something that makes my heart sing, and it is something I do in an indirect way every day of my life.

Your answer doesn't have to be life changing.  It could be as simple as swimming.  I admit, although I am learning how to swim correctly, I absolutely love jumping in the pool and just being able to do flips, dive to the bottom and act like a child.    Or maybe you loved being outdoors, playing at the beach, skiing, baking or drawing.  Childhood was a time that we could try all the activities we wanted, we could be free to test out our creativity, sense of adventure and passions.  As we grow older we sometimes forget those passions because we have added too many sensible responsibilities.  For today, return to your childhood and the activities that you use to fill your free time with--do you want to add any of those activities to your life today?  Feel free to share them below!  Your idea might spark someone-else's passion!!

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