Drinking From the Fountain of Youth in Chicago

When I was five, I was the “character” in my family. Being the youngest daughter of four girls, I innocently sought after (and claimed) the attention of my family with my super silly dances and crazy mismatched outfits. The crazier my moves, the more reaction I received, which I loved!

Over the subsequent 15 years, I slowly found myself growing up and becoming an “adult.” Sure, I loved the later bedtimes, but the bills and responsibilities were not cool. Life became more serious: earn the diploma, land a job, pay down debt, be responsible…yadda yadda yadda. Finding that inner kindergartner has become harder and harder over the years, which is why Jason and I do what we do. It’s a constant journey to rediscover that childlike me, fighting Adultitis every step of the way.

Well, I found “her” in Chicago on Saturday.

About three months ago, I was introduced by my good friend Lance Ekum to The Levity Project. You may have heard me talk about this. Katie West is the brainchild behind this amazing endeavor as she seeks to create global social change towards a world which unites in joy. Her vision is to design a more buoyant society through laughter, play and celebration. In order to do this, they engage in public acts of levity which create social change in a public place and for those present, which creates a ripple effect of positivity to all those they come into contact with during the moment and afterwards.

I had the opportunity to participate in The Levity Project in Chicago on Saturday. It involved three creative events – each one bringing countless smiles and laughs to not only the participants, but also the passersby. Heck, some folks even stopped to join us, without full understanding of what was going on – proving once again that laughter and happiness are seriously contagious. Thank goodness, right?!

Amidst the building momentum of each event and the giddiness of the activities, I found myself tapping into levels of silliness that I haven’t gotten to in years. Ya know when you’re little and you think you can tackle the world, you think you can do anything?! I had these same grandiose feelings sweeping through me. I was playfully confident, with more energy than I would know what to do with. I felt five — just like the good ‘ol days!

Unfortunately, there is no magic bullet for staying in this blissful state. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. It takes effort to be this buoyant, but it’s totally worth it. Need a jump start today? Here are a few ideas (inspired by Katie and The Levity Project) to help you drink from that fountain of youth, bringing out your childlike spirit once again…

• Wear a funny hat.
• Go outside with friends and enjoy the fresh air.
• Practice laughter (fake it ’till ya make it).
• Play freeze tag.
• Sport some silly sunglasses.
• Smile at strangers.
• Speak gibberish (Hat tip to Katie West’s FABULOUS blog)
• Laugh until you get someone to laugh with you.
• Wear a lei.
• Blow bubbles.
• Ride on the top of a double decker bus.
• Give someone a high five.

Thanks for the levity, Katie!! Can’t wait to see what city The Levity Project hits next!