Before you had a job to do. Before you worried about being productive. Before you cared what people thought. Before life became a never-ending list of things you should be doing. Think back to being a child… What could completely absorb you? What made you lose track of time? Maybe it was drawing, dancing, climbing trees, making things, reading, riding your bike, playing music, collecting things, building dens, being outside, dressing up, making up stories, exploring, getting muddy… Whatever it was, there’s something really powerful about reconnecting with those parts of ourselves. For me, it was being creative, being outside and making dens. I loved creating little worlds. Finding a space, gathering things, making something out of nothing. Being outside. Exploring. Getting lost in imagination. And when I think about what those things gave me, I realise it wasn't really about the den. It was about freedom. It was about curiosity. Creativity. Adventure. Having somewhere that felt like mine. Being present without needing to achieve anything. And perhaps most importantly… being allowed to play. As adults, we can become incredibly disconnected from those parts of ourselves. We become good at being responsible. Good at coping. Good at getting things done. Good at looking after everyone else. And somewhere along the way, we can accidentally leave behind the things that made us feel most alive. But that younger version of you hasn't disappeared. They’re still there. And sometimes reconnecting with them doesn't require some huge life overhaul. It might be as simple as: 🎨 Picking up a paintbrush again. 🌳 Going for a walk and actually exploring rather than exercising. 📸 Taking photographs just because something catches your eye. 🎶 Putting on music and dancing around the kitchen. 🌿 Making something with your hands. 📚 Reading something purely because you enjoy it. 🔥 Sitting outside and making a little den with the kids… or, frankly, making one for yourself. 😂 You don't have to justify it.