Coping with #Adulting: 5 Adult Movies that Will Make You Think Like a Kid Again

As adulting gets harder with each day, people become more and more nostalgic for the simplicity of childhood. Nobody likes the stress and responsibility of owning a home, working a full-time job, or planning for the expenses of parenthood. In the midst of this chaos, has anyone stopped to ask why childhood was so easy and adulting is so difficult?

On the surface, the answer is quite obvious--fewer responsibilities! However, there is another, a deeper answer which is often overlooked--the mindset of the youth. Kids think differently than adults. They’re curious, imaginative, inquisitive, open-minded, carefree, funny, hopeful, and trusting. However, years of disappointment, education, and responsibility have caused adults to lose these qualities and to replace them with doubt and stress.

While adults are unable to shirk their newfound responsibilities, they can certainly strive to regain the carefree mindset of childhood. In trusting, hoping, and using the imagination, they can indulge their nostalgia and relieve stress.

This is all fine in theory, but how can people actually change their way of thinking in the midst of a hectic adult lifestyle? There are a million ways to approach this, but we’ll begin with 5 adult movies that will make you think like a kid again! Most people watch a movie or two each week anyway, so here are some films to help ditch the stress of adulting and recapture the carefree mindset of youth!

1. The Philadelphia Story - Embrace Something You Don’t Know

Children are like sponges, absorbing new words, foods, people, etc. Kids encounter a lot of “firsts” and have not yet developed regular habits of preference. Now we encourage you to behave like a kid by stepping out of your comfort zone and experiencing something new. Find an unexpected movie genre or time period! For many of you, that would include this 1940 film starring Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and Katharine Hepburn. Surprise yourself by keeping an open mind and you will feel more youthful.

2. Inception - Regain Your Sense of Wonder

Kids are easily impressed and marvel at things in a way that adults rarely do. Submerge yourself in the premise of Inception, and you will be awe-stricken by this world of dreams and the subconscious. The architectural impossibilities and non-existent technology are sure to make you think more like a child, full of wonder and awe again.

3. Crazy, Stupid, Love - Laugh and Smile More

Another thing that kids get right is laughing and smiling! Scientists say that kids tend to laugh or smile up to 400 times a day, while adults usually laugh and smile fewer than 20 times. Watch this hilarious comedy and immediately begin increasing those stats. The endorphins from smiling are sure to ease some of that adulting stress and take you back to a childlike mindset.

4. Jurassic World - Recapture Your Imagination

Day-dreaming, make-believe, and storytelling are just a few ways kids use their imagination on a daily basis. As adults, however, we forget that it is okay to escape reality into a fictional world for some relief from “real-world problems.” Watch this movie and imagine a place where humans can recreate dinosaurs. Let your childhood dreams come true for just a little while, and you’re sure to reinvigorate those youthful musings of “what if..?”

5. Iron Man 3 - Be More Hopeful (*Spoilers*)

Perhaps the most key aspect of a youthful mindset is hope. Kids always hope for a happy ending where good triumphs over evil. We recommend Iron Man 3 because you will once again root for the good guy, but you will not be disappointed. This will help you overcome the many times throughout life where the good guy doesn’t come out on top. Remember, sometimes it’s okay to think like a kid and hope for a happy ending!

Adulting is still stressful, but hopefully by adopting a childlike outlook on life, adults will overcome their stress and take care of their responsibilities. Maybe this advice will lead to the happy ending most adults have been afraid to hope for!