Personal growth: Befriending your inner child

Have you ever had a profound moment of realization about yourself, a moment of clarity where you understood why you do the things you do, think the way you think, or feel a certain way when in certain situations? If so, then it's likely that, part of what triggered this revelation was unlocking the secret to your inner child. Your inner child is not just an imaginary friend who plays around in your dreams, it's an important part of how you think and process your emotions. When we understand and nurture our inner child, we can achieve a deeper level of psychological healing and personal growth. In this post, we will discuss how to recognize the power of your inner child, explore different strategies for befriending and reparenting them. Let's do it.

The term "inner child" refers to the part of us that remains rooted in childhood and reflects our emotional self. It is the part of us that retains both positive and negative memories, feelings, and desires from our childhood. Our inner child represents the innocence and beauty of our innermost nature, it is a source of joy, curiosity, pure love, creativity, and innocence. Even as adults, we can find ourselves holding on to ideas or beliefs we developed in childhood. We can experience feelings of shame or embarrassment when faced with situations that make us feel unsafe or vulnerable. Our inner child needs support; it needs to be heard, seen, and validated. By befriending and nurturing our inner child, we are able to heal from past traumas and live more joyous lives free from the grip of fear or shame influencing our decisions today. Connecting with your inner child can provide many benefits, including better emotional regulation and improved relationships with others. When we do not emotionally reconnect with our inner child, it can lead to negative patterns in our behavior, such as overeating or overspending and substance abuse among other addictions.

When we learn to befriend and nurture our inner child, this helps us to better understand ourselves and develop healthier coping mechanisms. It can also help us to become more compassionate and understanding of others. Additionally, it can give us an opportunity to heal unfinished business from the past and develop a more holistic sense of self. By understanding where our current behaviors stem from, through acknowledging the experiences that shaped us as children, we can slowly start to reparent ourselves and create a healthier relationship with ourselves through mindful practices such as meditation, prayer and journaling. Our diminished inner child needs to be seen and heard in order for us to feel truly connected and nourished on every level; physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

The process of befriending, nurturing, and re-parenting your inner child is an important part of healing. It involves becoming aware of what that inner child needs in order to experience healing and growth. Through this process of understanding and re-parenting, we can create a safe and nurturing environment for our inner child to flourish. Re-parenting the inner child involves understanding its needs, validating its feelings, and giving it positive attention. This can look like: Making time for activities that make you feel nurtured, Giving yourself credit for your successes, practicing self-compassion, learning new coping skills, and reconnecting with neglected passions or hobbies. The same way a child screams and throws tantrums when their needs are not met is the same way your inner child reacts when neglected making it difficult for the adult self to function effectively. By nurturing the inner child through these steps, you can create a better relationship between your childhood self and your adult identity, setting you up for success in all areas of life.

The best way to start is to be gentle and mindful of yourself. Listen to your inner child’s feelings and needs. Work on building a non-judgemental and compassionate relationship with your inner child. Spend time connecting with yourself and your feelings and accept yourself with all your imperfections. By nurturing your relationship with your inner child, you can create space for healing, restore balance in your life, and feel content and satisfied with who you are. Learning about the little person inside of you is the most profound work you will ever do so begin to do the inner work now, your future self will thankyou for it.