The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all children. Jim Henson
Many of us have the nostalgia of our childhood. We think of the inner child as that part of us that has been blessed with intuition, creativity, unconditional love and forgiveness. The good news is that even if we grow and change, it will always be possible to keep this connection with our innocence and untainted intuition by keeping our inner child alive.
- Reconnect with yourself as a child
Take a moment to travel back to your childhood. What was the source of your joy and curiosity? Remember how you were discovering the world day by day with wonder, gratitude and atonement? What if you did that today, too? What could support you in living your life through a child’s eyes, being astonished by all the wonderful things that are around you? Revisiting your childhood passions can help you explore that feeling of joy. Go back on the soccer field or dance, go on adventures, exploring a place in your city that has yet to be discovered.
- Write a letter to your inner child
Think about your inner child, what is its dominating feeling? Write a letter to your child and express your feelings in an authentic way. Children can sometimes be very wise and sincere, so try to connect with your inner child by being the same. Honor your inner child, cherish it, acknowledge its emotions and reassure them that you will “visit” them more often.
Image source: Peace Revolution
- Listen to your feelings
When we are very young, we are very much connected to our feelings. As a way to rekindle the relationship with your inner child, try to acknowledge your own feelings and emotion throughout the day. Keep this question in your mind “what am I feeling right now?” There is no need for understanding where they come from or judging your feelings. Just be with them, name them, recognise when you are feeling anxious or joyful or grateful.
Many of our feelings as adults can be traced back to many of the wonderful and painful experiences of our childhood. Letting those feelings breathe, frees your inner child’s fears and insecurities, as well as their joys. It is also an awesome way to recognise and heal your emotional patterns of your adult life.
- Be mindful of your inner critic
Our personal critic is often what takes space from our inner child. You might recognise those ideas that we sometimes have that we’re too old to do/wear/say this or that. This inner critic started to develop in our childhood as a way to cope with the difficult feelings that we might have experienced. Hear this critical little voice, acknowledge it as a sign that your inner child is expressing its pain and fear, without buying into your negative self-talk. This is the moment for you to soothe your inner child and reassure them they are safe, loved and fully accepted for who they are.
- Spend some time with yourself
Out inner child might be shy. After all, it has been a long time that it was silent. So, spending some quality time with ourselves will open the space for our inner child to come out and play. Meditation is an amazing way to reconnect with ourselves and what is fundamental and our true nature.
Another option is to do things that give you pleasure and bring a smile on your face, such as play with soap balloons, look after butterflies or whatever you feel would make you feel innocent as a child,
Your inner child might not always like to be visible. We need to create a safe space for our inner child to come out and shine. Be kind and gentle in reconnecting with your inner child. Cultivate calm and silence, assure your inner child that you are ready to welcome it. Reconnecting with your inner child is a way to look at your unconscious mind and start letting go of the things that have kept you from embracing and unleashing your full potential.