Week 2: The Importance of Keeping our Inner Child Alive

 Throughout the 4 gospels and 3 Nephi, Christ often uses children as examples of how we should be. When you think of children in a general sense, do you associate them with having a skeptical, cynical mindset? Do you associate them with being "realistic", and behaving the way society tells them to behave? Do they lie and deceive? Maybe about eating their squash on the last one, but the answer for all of these is absolutely not. It is simply in their nature to have their imagination through the roof, and dream BIG. They are always honest, and simply just their true selves. 

A video I watched in my entrepreneur class this week truly inspired me. The video was a lecture by Randy Pausch. Now, this lecture was one of the most special and unique lectures you can ever find. It is inspired by a lecture format called "last lecture", which basically is the last lecture a professor would give if it was their last lecture they would ever give. Only in this case, it was real. Pausch, a father, only had a few weeks to live, so it truly was his last lecture. The entire time, he exuded optimism and positivity. The entire lecture was focused on dreaming big, like a child. As a dying man, he was focused on the dreams of a growing child. He even talks of viewing people from the most positive perspective. He explains how if we give people long enough, they will surprise us, and we will see the good in them. This optimistic mindset is truly inspiring to me. It is easy to judge people based on few things we know about them, but Pausch is saying that ANYONE can surprise us if we give them the time, and are patient. He ends with this gem : "It's not about achieving your dreams. It's about how you lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you." 

That last quote is what I will focus the rest of this post on. It truly inspired me. This week, in the same class, we listened to the Tim McGraw song "live like you were dying". The principle of that song is simple. Live every day like it's your last, but I think few truly understand how impactful this philosophy actually is. Pausch KNOWS this philosophy, and it's embedded in his demeanor, thoughts, and actions. He is a dying man, and where is his focus? On his childhood dreams. 

My challenge to you is to lead your life the way the best part of you, the most pure part of you, your inner child, would want you too. Be the best version of yourself as possible, and intentionally lead your life that way. If you are off and headed in the wrong way, pivot, and make the maneuvers necessary. I testify that Pausch's last words at the end of his lecture are pure wisdom, and that I personally feel inspired that they are true. If you lead your life the right way, everything will fall into place the way it's supposed to be.