Knowing what we want in life can be difficult. We're often not privileged with the time to take time out... a proper break... to figure out who we are and what we truly want in our lives to live authentically and freely.
This is one of the reasons why I designed our products to be easy to fit into busy routines. I understand how important it is to make use of the little breaks in the day to work on self-care and self-discovery without it becoming a chore or another pesky task on the ever-growing to-do list.
But today I want to teach you a little exercise you can do in your own time that will help you move towards being a more authentic you. To understand what is truly important in life and to fill your hours with more of the good stuff.
Let’s start at the very beginning...
Think back to your childhood for a moment, what was important to you before you grew up? Long before the stresses and fears of becoming a teenager started to creep in and the joys of innocence slipped away?
I want you to think of a happy childhood memory, anything that comes to mind. It doesn’t need to be anything big or momentous, merely a pleasant memory between the age of 5–10.
Maybe it is a memory of playing in the school playground, maybe a summer holiday springs to mind, playing with a friend, digging around in the dirt for worms… whatever it is, I want you to close your eyes and be back in that moment.
Focus on any sights, sounds or smells that might be attached to the memory. Any feelings inside the body that might be attached to that specific moment in time.
Take your time and let yourself simply ‘be’ in that moment for as long as you need, being sure to focus on any feelings or emotions that come with it.
How was that for you? How easy was it to return to that point in time and connect with the simple pleasures of childhood?
Maybe it was difficult for some of you to find a specific moment or memory, for some it can be hard to visualise particulars. It doesn’t matter, we are all different and what is important is to learn what works for you.
What came up for you whilst doing that?
Did you get a sense of the feelings or emotions connected to that moment?
What was important to that child in that instant?
I’m going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the child wasn’t thinking about the future, that they weren’t feeling stressed about what they were wearing or how they looked, that they were probably just living in that moment, enjoying whatever little task they were getting on with.
Now ask yourself this question:
What was important to that child in that moment?
Children are creative, playful, resourceful. Children have wild imaginations, they can make new worlds with pillows and empty boxes.
At what point did we lose that ability to make the most incredible fun out of nothing? Wouldn’t it be great if we could get back to that? Get back to living in the present, without needing to know what is coming next? Completely content sitting with ourselves and a crayon and paper or an inanimate doll, knowing our likes and dislikes, not embarrassed, not ashamed. Just being.
Use the learnings that this child has given you. The answer to the above question and think about how you can apply it to your life in this moment. Do you still feel as though you make enough time for what is important? What can you take from this exercise to ensure that you move to a more authentic life?
Lili x
Lili Sinclair-Williams is the Founder of LSW London