We all have an inner child inside of us. Our inner child is the little version of us that was picking up messages before it could completely process what was happening, both mentally and emotionally. Our inner child stores past emotions, memories, and beliefs, as well as hopes and dreams for the future. It carries both childlike innocence and playfulness, but also wounds and triggers from the past. This is why connecting with our inner child can be a really powerful tool to embrace that joyful, childish energy and can also serve as a way to heal wounds that perpetuate harmful patterns that you may still carry as an adult. Ready to connect? Here are a few ways to start.
- make art
-
This is one of the ways I am practicing more and more to connect with my inner child. When we were little, we created things freely. We didn’t worry about whether or not it was “good” or if we were always coloring inside the lines, we just created. Somewhere along the way, I think a lot of us learned the idea that creating isn’t worthwhile if it doesn’t look pretty according to society’s standards. Screw that! Get out some paper and some magic markers and draw your heart out. Don’t be afraid to color outside of the lines.
- play
-
When was the last time you played just to play? Recently I reconnected with my inner child on a snow day. There’s nothing that quite takes me back to being a kid than being bundled up in big snow pants that feel a bit silly and having bright rosy cheeks that are cold to the touch. I made snow angels and snow cones and marveled at the snowflakes gently falling. Tap back into that childlike wonder and let it remind you that we don’t always have to take everything so seriously. Maybe the snow is made for us to play in, the rain falls for us to dance in and get our feet wet, and swings are just waiting for us to swing on. You’re not too old to play just to play. Enjoy life’s little pleasures.
- spend time with kids
-
What better way to connect with your inner child than to spend time with actual kids? This was one of the things I loved most about working at a daycare. I could spend the day shamelessly playing tag and getting deep into make-believe games, and along the way, I honestly learned a lot from these little humans. You can read about what kinds of life lessons working with kids has taught me here. They are a lot wiser than we give them credit for. If you can, spend some time with little family members or maybe try a babysitting gig and just follow their lead. They have a lot of funny and valuable things to say, plus, who doesn’t want to play like ten rounds of hide and seek?
- write a letter to them
-
Write a letter to yourself at different ages. If you’re looking to dig a little deeper, this can be a really powerful exercise, and can definitely bring up a lot of emotions, so be kind to yourself. It can help to get out a picture of younger you as you write this, and just let yourself talk to them. What do they need to hear? Maybe that they are loved, they are enough, that the trauma they faced as children wasn’t their fault. Talk to your inner child, comfort and nurture them as you would for a real child. This can help us to work through old wounds that cause patterns we fall into today.
Whether you are looking to heal old patterns or simply connect back to a more joyful, childlike view of the world, these are all great places to start. Whatever emotions might come up are totally normal and okay, let it flow, and be kind as you come back home to yourself.
Can’t get enough of HC UMass Amherst? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, listen to us on Spotify, like us on Facebook, and read our latest Tweets!