Last week I had the pleasure of my niece’s company.  She’s four and it was a little challenging… okay, A LOT challenging.  There were moments of laughter, annoyance and pure amazement, just wondering how her little innocent and overly imaginative mind works (to all you moms with 2+ kids, I applaud you).

And throughout her visit I began to wonder, what would it be like if I ran my business like a four year old?

First off, I wouldn’t care what anyone thought of me.  I would do something simply because that’s how I want to do things, and it’s my way or the highway.  She wears hairbows with her pajamas, walks around with a laundry basket on her head and is constantly delegating tasks to me (right, wrong or otherwise!)  She dances to the beat of her own drum and just does what she loves.  May she always stay true.

Additionally, I would not be scared to ask questions. Lots of them.  Every five minutes.  Knowledge is power friends.  Sometimes I feel so scared to ask questions that I never learn what I truly need to know for fear of sounding dumb.  But this is learning at its best – and yes, it can be over the top annoying at times but humor her (and humor your colleges, peers and associates – they’re only trying to better themselves).  I think people can all learn from one another.

This little lady sings her own praises and tells me when she’s good at something.  For me, this is tough.  I’ve always been taught not to be boastful or brag.  But if I don’t do any self promotion, then my talents will never be recognized.  I can’t just expect people to want to hire me out of the blue without any prior knowledge of my creativity or if I’m not willing to share my strengths.  The key here is to keep it humble and always keep in mind where your talents came from.

I would continue to fight for what I want.  Without complete understanding of the age difference between her and Gretta (who is 15 months), she was constantly pushing Gretta forward, trying to get her to do what she wanted.  And the same goes for the cat.  Even though it was an uphill and hopeless battle, it never stopped her.  She never saw the situation as impossible, it just meant that she had to try harder, explain herself better and possibly talk louder.

And there would be breaks for playtime.  A time to rest is desperately needed.  Give your head a break and let the creative process start all over again.

The world would constantly be filled with wonder.  Comparison wouldn’t be a thief of my time.  Life would remain fresh.

Never underestimate the power of stepping back and looking at the world through someone else’s eyes.  You never know what you might see.

All photos of my adorable little niece are courtesy of Bradley James Photography.  I simply never tire of their gorgeous work.

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