channel your inner 7 year old
do what used to make you happy
the world is hard. it puts you in a box. people die. shit doesnt go your way. reality sets in. you conform. friends turn on you. the dog gets sent back. you get stressed. you get out of shape.
theres so many inputs. youve lost yourself in the chaos. youve wandered too far from the path.
you start asking yourself what happened? what happened to the carelessness? the magic? the curiosity and excitement? where did old you go?
if youre lost, fear not, you must not go far. theyre still in there.
never let the kid in you die. little buddy is still in there fighting for their life, and good news… theyve got more dog in them than you ever did.
all you gotta do is dig em out.
whats life like as an adult?
“shambles”
— trafalgar law
like it does for most young 20 year olds, there came a day where i found myself asking, “is this it?”
grinding valorant, working a boring remote job, consuming tiktok reels and jersey mikes on the regular.
shit i hope not.
i got lucky enough to ask myself the right question when i needed it most.
what was i doing when i was happiest and healthiest?
not what i was doing, thats for sure.
what was the answer? when? how old was i?
i was 7. whatd i do when i was 7? easy.
i moved my body a ton. i played sports. i got outside. i spent time with friends. i ate clean (i was fortunate to have a mom that fed me like the professional athlete i thought i was). i did good in school. i read a ton of books. i loved talking with people. i was a little fucking spaz.
how to rally
not all at once, but thats what i started doing.
i stopped gaming 15 hours a day. i started training. i went outside every day. i ate like my mom fed me. i started seeking adventure. following curiosity. i started creating. asking questions. i started to see friends (work in progress). i started reading again. i went back to my roots.
i called up old me and let his interests and desires become my boomer selves.
i started riding the back of the shopping cart again.
i started running up the stairs on all fours again.
i started doing handstands against walls for no reason.
little me was back, and he was a terror.
you know what happened?
life got colorful and vibrant.
turn to younger you
chances are, you were happiest when you were a little kid. when you didnt give a shit about what anyone thought of you.
bring it full circle. everything that you loved as a young gun is what probably what you love doing now. lean into what you gravitated towards when noone was driving the boat for you.
youre not gone forever, youve just lost your way - and you will again.
theres a permanent lighthouse in all of us. all we gotta do is ask the little rascal to turn it on.
every now and then i wonder what little me would think of how im doing now.
at one point im sure he wouldve been so sad to see how far hed fallen. how sad it would make him to see what hes got to look forward to. but not anymore.
dont let little you drown in the nonsense.
live more like the kid you used to be.
thanks for reading and godspeed.
-dante
my brain lately:
interest - interior design
article of clothing - uniqlo zip hoodie
meal - crock pot roasts full of beauitfuly collagenous slow cooked meat
Damn this is good…