There is this common misconception that adulthood means only lackluster furniture, work-casual outfits, and serious conversations. However, a new trend on social media has arisen to prove this doesn’t always have to be the case.
There are so many simple ways you can add a dash of fun and whimsy to your everyday life; little ways to break the norm that will go a long way in making life feel more enjoyable.
Doing things like getting ready with a tiara in your hair, putting googly eyes on watercups, or giving your day a theme song seems silly and minuscule. However, continuously finding ways to make life less serious can have a major positive impact on your frame of mind.
At such a young age, people, especially girls, have pressure thrust upon their shoulders to mature.
So quickly, things like playing with dolls and believing in the tooth fairy make them “childish.” Wearing frilly pink tutus to the grocery store and playing make-believe becomes “babyish.”
We are told to grow up before we can even finish childhood.
With young girls, there are so many societal pressures placed on them to lose their sense of whimsy, to grow into the role of a mature, level-headed woman. With boys, they are told to grow into a strong man and a provider.
Usually, these pressures come from older generations with more outdated ideals of societal roles – though they persist throughout time and affect our minds more than we know.
These roles are woven so tightly into our heads as children that we forget to just be kids; we feel this responsibility from adults to stop being child-like despite still experiencing adolescence.
The beauty of childhood is that you don’t have to fit into a role in society, you don’t have responsibilities, and the worries adults face.
Yes, it is important for children to mature. Yes, we must become responsible adults. We can’t have the Peter Pan effect to keep children forever.
However, so many precious years of innocence and simplicity are lost when adulthood is constantly looming over us.
The new social media trend of making everyday life more whimsical can actually be a great method for breaking up our routines and reconnecting with our inner little kids. It can remind us that, at the end of the day, life truly isn’t that serious.
Not making the play, getting a bad grade in math, not making varsity – all of this won’t kill you. Little things like these that seem like the end of the world really aren’t.
Doing things that connect with your childlike sense of wonder helps to remind you of that.
Life inevitably has bad times, overwhelming times, times when life feels like too much. Being able to make light of these roadblocks makes them easier to overcome.
Being able to dance around your living room when you have a bad day is much better than dwelling on it. Making pancakes with edible glitter on them when you feel like life is meaningless is better than rotting in your room.
Being lighthearted is a skill that everyone can benefit from.
Older generations have set the idea in stone that being an adult means only taking life seriously and ignoring your inner desire for fun. But one of the biggest mistakes people make is taking life too seriously.
Every day life doesn’t have to be a cycle of the same things; it doesn’t have to be repetitive and uninteresting. Finding even one small thing that cheers you up when life is too dull can do wonders for your mentality.