I can sew, I can bake, I can sing, I can dance
I can act, I can clap, I can glide, I can prance
I can skip, I can jump, I can leap, I can hop
I can move, I can sway, I can go, I can stop
I can read, I can write, I can eat, I can think
I can sail, I can swim, I can float, I can sink
I can fly, I can soar, I can ride, I can bike
I can catch, I can throw, I can hit, I can hike
I can set, I can bet, I can spend, I can save
I can share, I can cut, I can shave, I can wave
I can call, I can crawl, I can creep, I can walk
I can clean, I can clear, I can shout, I can talk
I can push, I can pull, I can prod, I can lock
I can lift, I can drop, I can block, I can knock
I can laugh, I can cry, I can shout, I can scream
I can stay, I can go, I can be, I can dream
I can sit, I can nod, I can breathe, I can pray
I can sleep, I can snore, I can lie, I can lay
I can love, I can hug, I can peck, I can kiss
I can ponder, I can wonder, I can aim, I can miss
I can do anything I set my mind to
YOU can do anything… what will you do?
At ten years old, I could do, have, try, and be anything that I set my mind to! My zest for experiencing joy was at its peak. If I could imagine it, I would do it. And although I had a few insecurities, I believed just about everything was possible.
But as I approached my teen years, the story I was telling myself started to change. I began listening to the well-intending adults and peers who viewed my exuberance for life as immaturity. And my desire for emotional connectedness was deemed as attention-seeking behavior. I over-hugged, over-smiled, over-expressed, over-thought, and over-shared my feelings, according to others. I felt misunderstood and awkward. Supporting my suspicion of being different from my family and friends, the catchphrase Oh, Roberta!, was coined and repeated. As self-doubt set-in, so did self-judgment; I spent the next few decades of my life dulling my emotions and quite frankly, most qualities that made me...me. Don’t get me wrong, I did allow myself to let my hair down and let my freak-flag-fly from time-to-time, but as soon as I thought someone might be watching, I reigned it back in.
In recent years, though, the spark that resided in me so long ago has been reignited. It may have taken experiencing illness and debilitating anxiety to push me out of what had become the dulled-down version of myself and my comfort zone, but I am very grateful. The efforts I put into getting well included overhauling my diet (ridding it of preservatives and additives), light exercise, deep-breathing, meditation, relaxation, mindfulness (choosing the thoughts I entertain), singing, dancing and my personal favorite, writing. These components of change have restored my zest for living. As soon as I recognize that I am falling into negative loops and self-sabotaging habits, I get back to the things that bring me the most satisfaction and joy!
At 55, I am doing the very things I had once imagined at age 10. I have written a book, relocated to a tropical locale, I am taking chances in business and my personal life, and I am giddy again for all that lies ahead! I am back to believing that I can!
How about you? Are you in touch with your inner 10-year-old self? Are you listening to him or her and following your deepest desires? Are you honoring the child who believed anything and everything was possible? If so, congratulations, and if not, I urge you to invest in yourself, at any age, you are worth the investment! I wish you joy.
Inspiration for Ten:
The Rule of Age 10, Reader’s Digest and The Kid in You, Psychology Today - written by Bruce Grierson. Links below:
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