If you are finding yourself in a rut, or are missing your spark, maybe it’s time to take a cue from the littles. Sure kids can be messy, cranky, and sometimes even hard to manage, but let’s put those traits aside for a few minutes and look at all of the characteristics that make them the born optimists that they are.

1. Kids are not cynical. They have an unbridled enthusiasm which never defaults to expecting failure. Get a little bit of the “kid in you’ when you start something new or take a risk.

2. Kids stay true to themselves and are completely lacking in self-consciousness. If their pants fall down they just pull them back up again and carry on. Sometimes we are so busy worrying about what other people think that we don't enjoy the things that make us happy; worrying about rejection prevent us from doing what we want.

3. Kids use their imaginations to solve problems. They do not always have real-world context to use for solutions and are many times concocting fantastical ways of dealing with situations. Take a tip from them and add a little fairy dust to your rational self.

4. Kids love to make-believe. Whether they are jumping over the hot lava of the carpet or pretending to be an astronaut, they have no problem convincing themselves that the situation they are in is real. Adopt some of that fake-it-til-you-make-it attitude instead of focusing on how inadequate you feel.

5. Kids do things because they are fun. As adults, we do what we have to do, rather than what we want to do. Add something into your life that has no other benefit besides bringing you pure joy.

6. Kids are extroverts. They make friends quickly and can strike up a conversation with just about anyone. Make an effort to spend more time with other people and expose yourself to different places and ideas. Chances are, if you cast a wide enough net, you will find yourself feeling much more outgoing.

7. Kids do not take themselves seriously. If you ask them to dance, they dance. Fear makes adults boring. We choose to look good over taking a risk and learning something new. Ask yourself what is the worst thing that can happen and take a chance.