Today, I was told that I was naive. For a very brief moment, I took it as a great insult. After all, with my experience, education, upbringing (and all the other ego filled garbage that one can think of), wouldn't you take this as an insult as well? The truth is that I answered, "thanks" and "I hope to always be naive" and I could not believe the positive energy that washed over me as I said those words. Truth be told, we should all strive in being naive. Being naive requires us to view things from a child's perspective. Have you ever observed a toddler observing something for the first time? Assuming the child can talk, did you ever see that child roll her eyes or dismiss the new activity as something trite or a waste of time? Never. Children view the world with the utmost fascination and joy. They taste every second they are awake with all their senses, sometimes to their detriment.
Being naive opens the door to fascination and to one of the best ways we have of living our lives in the present moment, gratitude. When we are fascinated by something, we innately become grateful of the experience and look at the world in a more positive light. Remember the look of a child when they view something for the first time. Children become mesmerized by anything that is new. They relish in the experience and bathe in every aspect of it. When is the last time you did this? Children are able to this because they don't have to pay bills, go to work, or feel like they need to change jobs any time soon. They are focused and ready to explore the world from their naive perspective.
Today was not the first time that I was told that I was naive.
A long time ago, I was on a flight to Paris. I remember sitting next to a French gentleman who became amused at how fascinated I was that the indications on the aircraft were written in French. I remember saying something to him (in French) expressing my utter fascination at how different the signs were designed. He was almost annoyed at the fact that a grown man would find something so trivial so fascinating. Looking back on that moment, I realize that being naive is a state that we should all strive to enter and stay as long as possible.
Your assignment for the week is to explore the everyday things that you do from a child's perspective. Let yourself become naive again. See the common things that you see from a fresh and new perspective. Become grateful of the things that you take for granted by viewing them from a naive perspective. Those of you with a large ego may find this exercise difficult. However, suppressing your ego is the key to happiness and serving others.
Be naive and stay naive.
"Lean into it!"
Dr. N
For a discussion on this topic, click here to enter our forum.