Click on your inner child and something interesting begins to happen: the world feels less predictable.
Children can spend ten minutes staring at a bear, turning a cardboard box into a spaceship, or asking questions that most adults never thought they’d ask.
Somewhere along the way, many of us trade with a great feeling for deadlines and endless to-do lists.
If you have ever wondered how to get into your inner child or connect with your inner child, it may be less about looking back and more about learning how to be curious again.
Related: How Childhood Christmas Affects How You Loved as an Adult
Traditional holidays usually evoke memories of our childhood. For some, these are happy times, and for others, they can be confusing.
Although for some the inner child may be a place of suffering, for others it may be a source of strength.
In any case, it is an interesting exercise to step back in time and focus on some of the happiest moments of your childhood as a way to practice self-care.
Perhaps your most memorable first memories are about giving and receiving gifts on vacation, visiting relatives or friends, watching movies, festivals, driving around your neighborhood, seeing the wonderful holiday lights, or attending other celebrations that make you feel good.
Having a relationship with your inner child is a safe way to take a break from everything that happens in the world. The inner child thinks positively and believes in the possibilities in everything.
If you put yourself in “child mode” you may find that you are more open to the wonderful opportunities that are around you.
It is also important to be grateful for your inner child.
Spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh in his book Reconciliation: Treating Inner ChildrenWhiteInhale and say “I go back to my inner child” And exhale and say “I take care of my inner child”
You can take care of your inner child by writing down some conversations from your child’s point of view.
And if your inner child has a painful memory, you may want to voice that pain or discomfort. Acknowledging your inner child means treating him with respect and love.
You can do this by saying “I love you” “I hear you” And “Thank you for being you”
In my book Write for Bliss, I also discuss the idea that if there is a painful inner child, there are seeds for change, awareness, awakening and healing.
Some studies have shown that we have a lot to learn from infants and children about penetrating our inner child. For example, these young people are open to new ideas and new ways of knowing and learning.
Adults, on the other hand, tend to be more stubborn as they get older.
It is wise to promote what Buddhists call Sosin Or “Beginner Thoughts”, which refers to keeping an open and energetic attitude towards new learning and experiences without any preconceived notions.
In fact, one of the blessings of parenting is that you receive life in the world through the lens of their magnificence. For example, consider going to the mall on your own as opposed to going with the kids.
It will be a slower shopping experience with kids because of them. Feeling of greatness And Curiosity.
If we all just stop looking through the eyes of children, we can see that we also feel happier every day. Kids are looking for everything during the day.
They have a high level of awareness that allows them to accept what we can recall, and interestingly, this increased understanding can lead us to believe that they are smarter than we think.
My father-in-law used to say that his children are smart until they go to school. They are open to new insights of all kinds until their sense of greatness is shattered as their teachers try to get everyone into the same mold.
We must also remember that the form years up to the age of 5 are important because children learn more in that period than they ever did.
A qualitative study conducted by Sjöblom, Ohrling, and Kostenius (2018) found that childhood experiences can teach us life lessons that help us adapt to our lifelong situations that reflect the content of our inner child.
Related: Self-comfort: The kind we take from childhood
10 ways to tap into your inner child.
Here are 10 ways you can get into your baby and get that feeling back:
- Keep an open mind.
- Spend time with children.
- Take a look at old photos to reminisce about your childhood.
- Take time to do what you really enjoy.
- Joking.
- Join in the fun.
- Write a letter to your inner child.
- Participate in creative play.
- Journal of special moments from your childhood.
- Join Meditation And creative vision.
References:
Hanh, T. N. (2006). Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child. Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press.Novotney, A. (2011). “Awakening the Inner Child.” American Psychological Association. Vol. 42, no. 1. p. 34.
Sjöblom, M., K. Ohrling, and C. Kostenius (2018). “Useful life lessons for health and well- being: adults’ reflections of childhood experiences illuminate the phenomenon of the inner child.” International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being. Vol. 13, issue 1. pp. 1–9.
Written by Diana Raab Ph.D.
Originally Appeared on Psychology Today
