7 Ways To Reconnect With And Heal Your Inner Child
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Every single one of us has an inner child. Our inner child is basically a direct representation of ourselves during our early years. You might see your inner child as a symbol of all the dreams you had in your youth, a patchwork collection of different developmental changes you’ve gone through. However, for many of us out there, our childhoods aren’t associated with happiness, fun, and playfulness. Many of us have experienced various types of trauma, neglect, and other emotional pain growing up. While you might have buried the pain you experienced deep inside you as a way to protect yourself, you might find yourself feeling distressed as an adult. In the end, we are all defenseless children on the inside who are just trying to make it out in the world. Hiding your pain does not heal it; and instead, it surfaces when you are an adult. Healing your inner child takes time, and here are seven ways in which you can find and reconnect with that part of yourself:
1. Keep An Open Mind
To begin the process of healing, you need to first acknowledge that your inner child actually exists. If you are doubtful and hesitant to explore your past, you will have a tougher time beginning the process of healing. You might find it strange or even awkward having to speak to your inner child but try thinking of it as a way of discovering your true self.
2. Listen To What Your Inner Child Has To Say
After you have opened the door to the connection that you have with your inner child, you must listen to the feelings that start to enter. No matter how negative or positive these emotions you are feeling are, you must pay attention to them. If you find a way to trace these emotions back to certain childhood events, you may realize that similar situations in your grown-up life trigger the very same response. So in a way, listening to the emotions and feelings that your inner child is facing can help you validate and identify any distress that you have experienced.
3. Write Yourself A Letter
To start the healing process, you need to open a dialogue with yourself and write a letter to the child within you. You can write about childhood memories you have from your perspective as an adult and offer explanations and insights for circumstances that you might not have understood back then. Maybe you found yourself being bullied in school as a kid. Try putting yourself in the shoes of the bully and see where this behavior is coming from. Maybe the bully was being bullied by his own parents at home and hence took out his anger on you.
4. Consider Meditating
If you find it difficult to answer some of the questions that you have asked your inner child, meditation might be just the thing you need to open yourself up to answers. It has plenty of benefits for both your emotional and mental health. Meditation can boost mindfulness and self-awareness. It can teach you to pay more attention to any feelings that may come up in your daily life. It can also help you get more comfortable with any unwanted or painful emotions that you may be dealing with.
5. Bring Back Childhood Joys
One way in which people reconnect with their past self is that they try to do things that once gave them joy. This could mean photos and mementos that can help you tap into emotions; space. It could even be a hobby that you enjoyed doing as a child that you don’t get to do as much now. It could also be a specific food item or location that you used to visit when you were a young. If you were someone who kept a journal or diary, you can flip through them and try putting yourself in that moment. These activities may evoke memories and feelings that you may have forgotten completely.
6. Leave The Door Open To Change
The process of healing doesn’t have to have a definitive ending. It is a long journey and can take years, if not a lifetime, to “finish.” However, it’s important to note that we will always be in the process of healing. Even the happiest and most “sorted” person you may have met is probably struggling with their own inner child and coping with their own issues. Keeping the door open to change will ensure that you can move forward with your life in a more positive way.
7. Speak To A Therapist
It is admittedly not easy to get over your past. In fact, trauma associated with your past can cause you a lot of distress, and you may even need to see a therapist. In fact, it is recommended that you do see a therapist if you find yourself struggling mentally. A therapist can help create a safe space for you to begin to navigate the emotional turmoil and learn some helpful strategies for healing your inner child. It’s crucial to find a therapist who will prioritize exploring emotions that you have dealt with as an adult due to past childhood trauma.
Reconnecting with and trying to heal your inner child does not make you an immature person. Instead, it helps to understand your experiences as an adult and recover from the pain you may have faced in your past. You will be able to handle any challenges you face in the future with some self-compassion. We hope this article was of help to you and helped you understand your inner child better. Do let us know all of your thoughts in the comment section down below.
