S2 C1-C2 REDISCOVERING CHILDLIKE WONDER

to relish the silly moments

to deeply enjoy lighthearted experiences

whimsy

playful, fanciful charm

to propel people into states of reverence/awe

to inspire a profound feeling of respect and admiration/wonder

to look for awe in the mundane

to find wonder in everyday things

to zero in on sth

to focus intensely on a specific detail or target

collective effervescence

the shared energy/excitement of a group

to zoom in on moments of awe

to focus closely on wondrous moments

to shrink one’s ego

to reduce self-importance; become humble

life-changing epiphany

a sudden transformative realization or revelation

at our fingertips

easily accessible

to revel in the beauty of sth

to take great joy in sth’s appeal

to ground myself

to regain emotional stability or presence

awe-inspiring

so impressive it evokes wonder

rumination

obsessive overthinking

tethered to childhood

emotionally connected to childhood

to get out of an emotional funk

to overcome unhappiness

to enter a gleeful state

to become joyfully excited

indispensable

absolutely necessary

play-deprived

lacking opportunities for indulging in play and fun

to sample various crafts

to try different creative activities casually

to muse

to reflect deeply or daydream

unbridled enthusiasm

unrestrained excitement

to acknowledge the small joys

to appreciate the little things

to combat depression

to actively fight against low mood

to plague

to persistently trouble or haunt

reinvigorated sense of playfulness

a renewed feeling of playfulness

buoyancy

emotional resilience or lightness

good riddance

an expression of happiness or relief that sb or sth is gone from your life

to bawl one’s eyes out

to cry intensely and uncontrollably

to shove aside a part of yourself

to ignore or suppress an aspect of your identity

to gloss over the more uncomfortable realities

to avoid addressing difficult truths

a feud between

an ongoing conflict or rivalry

to belt sth out (inf)

to sing or shout sth loudly and energetically

vindicating

proving sth/sb right after doubt or criticism

lack of seamlessness in life

absence of smooth transitions in life

peppered with terrible dating decisions

filled with frequent romantic mistakes

to pick up childhood hobbies

to revisit childhood pastimes

angst

deep anxiety or existential dread (often teen-associated)

aspiration

a strong ambition or goal

resentment

bitter feelings over perceived unfairness

to push feelings down

to suppress emotions instead of processing them

to flash sb back to sth

to suddenly transport sb back to a particular memory

I feel a wash of relief come over my younger self

I feel like a weight lifts off my younger self

to fortify confidence

to strengthen self-assurance

intrusive thoughts

unwanted, distressing mental images or ideas

to partake in activities for children

to engage in play or hobbies typically associated with kids

to go down the rabbit hole of

to become deeply absorbed in a topic or activity

to clock in more hours of …

to spend excessive time doing sth

to dabble in sth

to casually try sth without serious commitment or interest

to take the plunge

to finally commit to sth daunting but desired

nostalgia-pegged

deliberately tied to nostalgic appeal, often to exploit sentimental connections for commercial or emotional purposes

invested in sth

emotionally or financially devoted to sth

to tear into sb

to criticize or attack sb harshly

disposable income

money left after necessities, available for leisure

to have the means to do sth

to possess the resources (money, time) for sth

to override sth

to suppress or dominate another thing

to tap into nostalgia

to bask in sentimental memories for comfort

mental health booster

an activity that improves emotional well-being

to bolster connectedness

to strengthen feelings of community or belonging

feel-good benefits

positive emotional effects

wistful

melancholic, longing for the past

bittersweet

mixing happiness and sadness, often about memories

to foster creative benefits

to encourage artistic or imaginative growth

to whisk away time and worry

to make stress and hours pass unnoticed

solely for sheer enjoyment

done purely for pleasure, without deeper purpose

contentment

peaceful satisfaction

to seek out play

to actively pursue fun, childlike activities

curmudgeonly

grumpy or resistant to fun (often humorously)

to have a leg up

to have an advantage in a situation

reminiscent of childhood

strongly evocative of childhood

to bring out the best in us

to inspire positive behavior in us

grating

irritating or harsh in a way that wears on one’s nerves

dispiriting

causing a loss of hope or enthusiasm

lodged somewhere within us

stuck or trapped within us

buttressed (by)

supported or reinforced by

to cause psychic distress

to create deep emotional or mental suffering

seamlessly forgotten and ignored

deliberately erased from memory and dismissed without visible effort, as if never existing

restless ghosts

persistent, unresolved emotions from the past

to soothe the pains

to gently ease emotional hurt

to take stock of the sorrows

to consciously acknowledge one’s accumulated grief

overcome with compassionate tears for our former selves

overwhelmed by empathetic tears for who we once were

to register a trapped sadness

to become aware of long-suppressed sorrow

to expunge sadness

to eliminate sadness from one's consciousness