7 minute read

Adult life is a lot. Like, it’s really a lot. Okay, everyone knows this (especially the Millennials and Gen Z). You’ve got the bills, emails, and dishes that never stop multiplying, and that quiet pressure to be productive even during downtime. Somewhere between morning routines and late-night scrolling, the little sparks of fun and wonder start to fade. 

Joy becomes something scheduled. Sure, there are video games, and those little achievements that give that dopamine. But at the same time, relaxation becomes a reward. And happiness starts to feel like something that only happens on vacation, if there’s time for one.

But the best kind of joy is the unexpected kind. The kind that sneaks up while watching clouds, jumping in puddles, or hearing a song that used to live on a burned CD in the glove compartment. Feeling like a kid again doesn’t mean ignoring responsibilities or trying to relive the past. It just means making space for lightness. Well, it’s for delight, for those small moments of escape where everything feels a little less serious and a lot more fun.

Revisit the Things that Didn’t Make Sense but Felt Right

Just think about this for a second; childhood made room for things that didn’t need to serve a purpose. You could stare at a lava lamp for 30 minutes or pretend the floor was lava just because it felt like the right thing to do. As an adult, that instinct fades under the pressure to always do something useful. But there’s still magic in the random. No, really, it’s true!

For example, why not go ahead and swing at the park? Rewatch cartoons from your favorite Saturday mornings. Buy stickers with no real intention. It’s not about being productive. It’s about doing something that feels silly and satisfying, just because it can.

Find Your Old Favorites (Yeah, they Still Exist)

This is by far the easiest thing you can do! Some of the things that brought joy growing up are still out there, hiding in thrift shops, specialty candy stores, or old-school arcades that smell faintly of popcorn and dust. Even something as simple as finding your favorite childhood snack again can bring back a wave of comfort that nothing on a grown-up menu could match. Like, there’s nothing wrong with buying a Lunchable at the grocery store, it’s just so nostalgic.

But sure, there are video games too, like Pinball (especially if you played the Microsoft version back in the 90s or even the old-fashioned way back in the 1980s). Just going to an arcade is going to bring back so many memories, too. Besides, nowadays, there are even emulators online for playing video games if you want that.

Wear Something that Makes No Sense

Clothing as a kid meant zero concern for trends. It was all about what felt good or what looked cool in the mirror, even if it made no sense at all. Striped socks with a cape? Perfect. Dinosaur T-shirt with sparkly shoes? Ideal. Everything was a vibe.

Okay, now you don’t have to dress as a kid, but reclaiming that freedom might be as simple as wearing a graphic tee from a favorite movie or throwing on shoes in a ridiculous color that make absolutely no sense with the rest of the outfit. Really, there’s no harm in that! Besides, fashion is fun when no one’s trying to win. It becomes expressive again when the only goal is to feel good, not impress anyone.

Play Like No One’s Watching

As you probably know, kids play with everything. For example, chairs become pirate ships. Boxes turn into houses. Even a spoon could be a microphone if the vibe was right. Adults lose that sense of freedom quickly. Everything starts needing a reason or a label. Sure, it’s just a thing that happens when you’re older, even an older kid.

But at the same time, play doesn’t expire. Build a blanket fort and sit in it. Seriously, just dance badly to a song that’s too loud. Try a hula hoop in the backyard and laugh when it drops after two seconds. Being bad at something never stopped kids from enjoying it. That mindset is worth borrowing back. Sure, it sounds super cringey, but who cares? If you’re having fun, well, why not, right?

Eat the Weird Snack Combos Again

You don’t have to be pregnant in order to enjoy these things, you really don’t. Besides, chances are, when you were a kid, you had a weird palate too, right? Maybe it was something (gross) like peanut butter and pickles? Maybe it was more tame, like cereal with chocolate milk, or even spaghetti with way too much grated cheese. But childhood was full of strange snack decisions that made no sense to anyone else, but made perfect sense to the one holding the spoon.

But recreating those bizarre combos, or at least trying the snacks that once felt like a treat, brings back a kind of sensory joy that’s hard to replicate. It’s not about eating like a kid forever. It’s about honoring the version of you that once got way too excited about a freezer pop.

Bring Back the Music that Made You Feel Alive

There’s a weirdly emotional reaction to hearing a song you once played on repeat with zero shame. The lyrics come back instantly. The rhythm lives in your bones. And for those few minutes, time doesn’t exist. Honestly, this one might actually be the easiest to do of them all. 

There’s literally hundreds, if not thousands, of Spotify playlists paying homage to the 1990s, early 2000s, and well, older, of course. The same goes for YouTube, too, and there are even those old commercials and jingles on YouTube you probably remember as a kid too. But just listen to some music you haven’t heard in years, you’re going to get the biggest hit of dopamine mixed with nostalgia.

Turn Regular Stuff into a Little Bit of Magic

As a kid, even the ordinary felt like an adventure with the right spin. Chances are, as a kid, a walk became a mission. Grocery shopping meant pushing the cart like a racecar. Getting mail was a full-blown event. Now, you don’t necessary need to act like this in public, but again, it’s about those little hits of magic. Listening to an old playlist is an example, buying a kids’ meal could be one, pretending your errands for the day are little video game side quests, these can help.

Let Go of Cool for a Minute

Or you can use the word “anti-cringey.” It’s really up to you, but overall, having this filter on is exhausting. It means filtering reactions, holding back excitement, and pretending not to care too much. But kids don’t do that. They love loudly. They react big. 

They show joy without worrying about how it looks. That kind of freedom is worth stealing back. Seriously, just laugh hard, just geek out over something small. Let yourself enjoy something cringey. Cool is overrated, maybe try to be “cool” is cringey.

Visit a Place that Used to Mean Something

Everyone has one. Maybe it was a park. Maybe it was a small local diner you hung out at as a teenager. An old bookstore. It’s just that third place that you remember. Basically, it was a place that holds a memory from before life got heavy. Going back, even just once, stirs something in the heart that often gets buried under adulthood.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic. Again, just a small visit. Maybe a walk through an old neighborhood. A stop at a local arcade. A moment to say, “Yep, this is where it all started.” Nostalgia isn’t about staying stuck. It’s about remembering what made you light up in the first place.