Cartoons, Scooby Snacks, and unapologetically oversized scoops of ice cream — that’s my vibe 😂 And honestly? Being a kid at heart is one of the greatest acts of rebellion in a world that wants us aging as fast as possible.

To stay young inside, you have to slow down.
You have to make room for wonder again.
You have to give the silly things a sacred place in your life.

Power down the phone. Turn off the news.
Grab a coloring book and let yourself get lost in purple skies and green dogs for an hour.

For those of you rushing from meeting to meeting — play that ‘90s R&B in the shower and let the water hit the back of your neck like you’re getting ready for the best house party of senior year. Relive the jams. Shake that nostalgia loose.

Simple joys are rare — and they deserve priority in your life too.


🍿 “Spooky Month” Adventures

Mr. California has reminded me how good it feels to be young again. Not just because he mailed me actual graham cracker Scooby Snacks (too adorable for words), but because he sent me hard drives filled — and I mean filled — with cartoons, silly movies, and the kind of shows that shaped my childhood and made me laugh before I ever knew what heartbreak was.

October has officially become our “Spooky Month.”
We dig through his very serious, very official folder titled:

HALLOWEEN AND SPOOKY THINGS 👻

(Yes, all caps — the commitment is real.)

I even bought myself a life-sized Scooby-Doo to watch with us, and I haven’t smiled that hard in ages. Last night we watched Spaced Invaders — absurd, ridiculous, and absolutely perfect.

And it made me think:
They just don’t make movies that fun anymore.

Now everything is gritty, hyperrealistic, and self-serious.
Where are the rubber costumes? The goofy villains? The heart?


🎮 Play Again

So I have a question for you:
What makes you feel like a kid again?

What’s something from your childhood you could resurrect?
A favorite board game?
A charm bracelet collection?
A Saturday morning ritual?

I’ve been diving headfirst into mine — I splurged on a PlayStation 2 as an early Christmas present to myself, and it has been pure JOY.

As a lifelong Tomb Raider fanatic, hearing that old menu music again?
Instant teleportation.

One minute I’m in my apartment in North Carolina —
the next, I’m 17 again, swearing at the TV as Lara Croft misses a jump for the 800th time and plummets dramatically into a pit of wolves 🤦‍♀️😂

A simpler time.
A freer time.
A time that deserves space in my life again.


✨ Why It Matters

Growing up happens automatically.
Growing old is optional.

The world will always find a reason to make you serious — bills, careers, heartbreaks, responsibilities — but holding onto that spark, that silliness, that imagination?

That’s what keeps the soul alive.

Every time I press play on a cheesy cartoon…
Every time I cuddle up with Scooby under a blanket fort of nostalgia…
Every time I laugh so hard my stomach hurts…

I’m reminding myself that wonder never expires.
Magic doesn’t have an age limit.
And joy is still a language I get to speak fluently.

So bring back the weird snacks.
Buy the game console.
Wear the pajamas with the stupid little ghosts on them.
Color outside the lines.

Let the kid in you come out to play.
You need them more than you know.


Stay young. Stay silly. Stay magical.

Stay tuned.

Daily writing prompt
What does it mean to be a kid at heart?

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