My son is 15 1/2 and he is the last “baby” in the family. So it’s been a while since I spent any amount of time with a baby. Once I got to thinking about it, my son was probably the last baby I was ever “in charge” of, meaning no parents around to hand them back to.
Yesterday I got to spend 12 hours in charge of my niece and BOY IS SHE CUTE! Some may argue but I think she just might be the cutest 5 month old around! I learned, or perhaps remembered, a few things from my time with her. What was immediately evident was that it is hard to get much done with a little one in the house. So for all of you with little ones who wonder how I get so much done, remember that my “little one” is 15 and that is a whole different world!
If you read my blog often, you won’t be surprised when I started coming up with business analogies while spending time with Gillian. Here are a few lessons we can learn from babies and apply to our businesses:
- Never stop moving. That little girl is CONSTANT MOTION… her legs and feet are moving or her arms are moving or her head is moving so she can see what is going on. She doesn’t sit back and think, ‘hmm… wouldn’t it be great to get control of my muscles one day’, ‘sure would be great to move and walk like these people taking care of me’… no sir! There is no sitting back expecting others to do it for her. She is working her muscles and learning how to move, coordination, control. If you do something to build your business every day, and that doesn’t mean just thinking about doing something, your business will move and grow.
- Keep your eyes open. Talk about an observant one — my niece doesn’t miss a thing. Make a noise — she’s looking to see where it came from. She just LOVED watching cars zoom down the street behind my house. Her face lit up with delight as she soaked in all the sights and sounds where ever she was. Do you keep your eyes open to new opportunities, new ways to do business, new things to try? Don’t get tunnel vision — look around — you’ll be amazed at what will inspire you.
- Take a break if you need one. Like babies everywhere, Gillian didn’t go quietly off to sleep… she fought to stay awake until she could fight no more and then, like a rag doll, her eyes closed and she was asleep. Do you ever do that? Push yourself so hard that you feel like you might collapse? (I know I have been guilty of this one.) Schedule time to relax and recharge your battery – slow and steady wins the race!
- Get emotional! Often adults feel it is dangerous to be (or at least show) too emotional. If you get too excited, you will be more disappointed. Many people try to protect themselves by building walls and getting cautious — I say, take a cue from a baby and live life to the fullest! Gillian could be mesmerized one minute, laughing the next and crying one more minute later. But without the highs or lows… what good is it? So get excited about potential projects and feel the disappointment if it doesn’t work out because you know what? Some of them will and then you get the added THRILL of success and not just, “hey… that’s cool… I got the gig…”
- Live in the moment. Related to #4 – Get emotional, babies know how to live in the moment. I’m not sure if they are aware of past or future — I’d venture to guess “no” or why would they keep throwing things on the floor only to get upset that they can’t reach them? Adults tend to dwell on the past and worry about the future, missing a lot of good stuff going on in this moment. Buck that trend and stop RIGHT NOW… what is going right for you in this instant? Do that a few times a day and you will realize just how rich your life really is.
Now it’s time to get back to drawing since I no longer have the little darling trying to steal my pen and drool on my paper. Here is a little video so you too can see just how cute Miss Gillian is!
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Have a creative day!
Tara
P.S. Do you have any more business lesson we can learn from kids? If so… add them in the comments!
Tara,
She is beautiful! Yes, we can learn lots from watching children. They are enthusiastic, spontaneous, adventurous…things I need more of.
Thanks for the blog and the video…they brightened my evening and made me think!
Vickie
Something I learned from my 10-year old daughter was “Just start by saying ‘Hi’.”
She has this ability to walk up to strange kids at a party and say Hi. Usually they start up a conversation about American Girls or favorite books, but sometimes they just kind of shrug at each other and move on.
At networking events, I try to remember this. We’re all just people, right? Sometimes you’re gonna click and sometimes you’re not. It won’t kill anyone to just start out with that initial “Hi” and see what happens.
You don’t have to end up as soul mates every time. Just try it and relax.
Great advice from a 10 year old! Relax, be yourself and see what happens. If you don’t say hi you won’t connect.
My eleven year old always helps me move on to the next art idea. His canned answer is ‘Why Not?’. We adults have lots of ‘why not’ reasons, but to a kid, they haven’t had the same number of rejection letters, so there isn’t a reason NOT to try. Henceforth, and forthwith, I shall try each new artistic endeavor with the mantra ‘Why Not?’.
That is awesome! We all need one of those in the house!
Your Niece is ADORABLE! What I love about babies/children is that they have NO baggage, live in the moment and are open minded to the world. Thanks for your inspiring blog.
You’re a very astute observer, Tara. Cute baby…you know, as babies go :-)) (You know me & babies :-)) I like the “just say hi” thought from Sparky. When I started marketing myself in this industry those cold calls were the worst (and still are because you never stop having to do them!). Every time I have to do this, I remind myself of something I heard a long time ago ~ “All they can say is no, they can’t eat ya’.” I also try to turn it around when I am calling or meeting – more like “How do I know I even want to work with them?” (this is not an arrogant thought, just one that helps to tame the fear of rejection 🙂
I know you and babies BJ! 😉 I enjoyed my day but like being the ‘aunt’ now.
What a great smile she has! Watching the video of you 2 makes me think of another lesson from this 5 month old gal: Speak up! For only 5 months this gal is verbal. By her noises you know she loves to eat and she loves to laugh. May she never lose her voice. 😉