The Element: Rediscover Your Unrepressed Self

Twitter Summary: Remember and rediscover your child-like unrepressed self.  Be Batman.

Principle

Ken Robinson in his book, The Element, talks about how the power of children comes from their unrepressed nature.  I think this ties directly to my previous post because it is this magical unrepressed nature that allows children to come up with the most original and amazing things; they’re not afraid of being wrong.  They haven’t learned to be afraid yet!  As adults, we need to return to that childlike nature.  We need to find our inner childhood Batman.  Robinson writes:

“It was free and it was the same kind of thing that I like when I see children do art.  It is expressive; it is wonderful.  This is the kind of magic children have.”

“…they stay that way until they begin to start picking themselves apart.  Now, maybe it is because we start picking them apart.”

Speaking about children’s artwork, “…they think it is wonderful.  And I do too.  Because they are completely unrepressed where these things are concerned.”

My previous post, “Why we love kids and lead singers,” has even more thoughts on this principle.

Making Connections, Where’d My Batman Go?

I bet you can recall a specific moment or moments in your life when your unrepressed nature was replaced by fear.  I bet it was when you began to fear being wrong.  It is when we begin to doubt the value of our own actions that we start to cater to the opinions and desires of others instead of listening to the wonderful thoughts and feelings from within.  Sometimes we want to insure we keep the comforting love and approval of parents or family but other times we just want to avoid ridicule from people.

Like Robinson wrote, “maybe it is because we start picking them apart.”  I catch myself all the time telling my kids they have to stop doing something, because they’re going to break it, fall down, ruin something, or not do it right.  I try my best to hold back from doing that anymore because, who am I to pick apart their greatness?  Why should I keep them from non-fatal mistakes that could lead to amazing opportunities for my kids to do something wonderful?  I know adults who do that to friends and coworkers too.

Lastly, I think that when we find ourselves in those great moments of unrepressed magic, we are at our best.  The most amazing stage and screen actors are those who are simply commanding and revealing their real emotions.  The most effective musicians are those who channel their own souls through an instrument and great writers are those who don’t care what sells – they just want to tell a story as they feel or see it.  Amazing things can happen when we tap back into that unrepressed self and reveal what we used to know and what children already know.

Call to Action

I encourage two things.  1)  Don’t be the one who tells another person they can’t do something, just because you think they can’t or you think it’s stupid.  Just because your inner child is repressed doesn’t mean you have to destroy that of others.  2) Find a way to tap into and find the kid you used to be.  The kid who rides down the street wearing a batman mask and a cape.  The kid who goes to Target wearing an Incredibles costume.  Or whatever it is that makes your heart sing regardless of other people’s opinions.  Because if you do, I promise you that people’s lives will be better and your life will be better.  Because who doesn’t love to see a kid at a baseball game dressed up like batman?