When to Buy Yourself a Stuffed Animal

Today I was feeling grumpy and blue so I decided to take a walk. I didn’t have much of a plan, but I knew I wanted to visit the toy store. I ended up buying a stuffed horse.

Why?

Because she has a purple and pink mane, a purple leopard spot stripe down her nose, and scrunchy lime green stirrups.

Our inner child needs nourishment. 

There is something important that is tied up in lightness, play, fun, and ease: inspiration and creativity.

The first definition of inspire is “To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence”. I believe we all have a niche we are meant to fill: our purpose in life. When we are doing whatever it is that is our purpose, it’s like play for us. For me, it’s being creative with business.

When I take myself too seriously, I don’t feel inspired anymore. The world starts looking gray and dingy. I find myself watching too much television. I start wondering why my life doesn’t feel shiny anymore. If I’m supposedly doing what I love, why do I feel so gritty?

When that happens, it’s time for an injection of fun, play, childishness, silliness, etc. Or sometimes it signals that I have some emotional stuff up that I need to address. That is, I need to crawl into bed, pull the covers over my head, and cry till I feel better.  

So, I give myself permission to do that. Whatever it is I need to reconnect to my own sense of play, I affirm that it is good and right for me. This is a re-parenting thing, and something I got also from The Artist’s Way.  For me, today, it was a stuffed horse named Midnight Star with purple-silver hooves and orange tassles on her bridle. Tomorrow it might be something else. Whatever it is, I will go for it, because I know it’s what I need to stay connected. That connection to myself is vital: play and fun and joy is just the signal that I’m on the right track.

Let yourself be guided by your internal excitement.

The wondrous thing about the Universe is that there is always more magic to find. I didn’t know what I would get when I left the house this morning, but something inside me guided toward the toy store. I thought I was going to get a toy for a friend. But that horse called to me and I knew I’d regret it if I left her there. It wasn’t practical, it wasn’t something I need, and it wasn’t a gift. I walked around the store looking at everything before I came back to her, and I felt a little silly when the clerk rang me up. But as soon as I walked out the door and felt that jolt of glee I knew I had made the right decision.

I believe that the Divine is in everything, and we are supported in tiny miraculous ways every day. Believe in the goodness of your gleeful urges and follow them!

Tags: inspiration, play, spirituality