Written by Felya Amaraputri Andhini, Social Media Admin at Project Child Indonesia
As the number of our age adds up every year, we get too caught up in our lives. We have so many responsibilities that can be very overwhelming at times. Then, something happened. All the negative thoughts and traumas that we experienced when we were younger came like a flash flood. When this occurs, it is a sign that we have some unresolved issues or trauma from our past that are probably buried somewhere deep down in ourselves.
So, how to deal with that?
To deal with trauma from our childhood, one thing that we can try is to get in touch with a younger version of ourselves aka our inner child! The inner child is the child-like personality that will always live within us. Therefore, when our younger self didn’t meet the needs that we should’ve received, reconnecting with our inner child can be a great way to heal the wounds that we bring until now.
Other than that, embracing our inner child allows us to explore ourselves better. We are forever on a journey of self-discovery. A year is not enough to get to know or develop ourselves better. Hence embracing our inner child can make the journey more fun and enjoyable.
Now it leads us to the next question, how do we encounter our inner child and how do we take care of it?
Spend time with yourself
How many times have you had a date with yourself this week? If you haven’t got a chance yet, you should probably spare some. Sit with yourself and write down all the things that brought you joy when you were a child. Children are very easily fascinated by the little things and that is what makes them content. By doing this, you’ll get reminded of those times and this can be a sign for you to do those activities again.
Channel your creativity
It is a well-known fact that children are very creative. Their imaginations lead them to be creative in expressing themselves. Maybe some of us would think, I am not a creative person. But the truth is, everyone is creative and sometimes it’s just a matter of how to activate it. Don’t be afraid to always try new things because this will surely help you in meeting your inner child.
Revisit your childhood memories
Open a photo album that is filled with your childhood pictures. Can you recall some of the memories from those pictures? Flipping through your childhood pictures or diaries can help you reflect on your inner child. You might also want to try talking to the kid inside the picture. Research said that visualization can really help us in connecting with the kid within ourselves.
In the end, it all comes back to us. We’re now grown-ups and we have the full power to choose what we want. Rather than blaming ourselves for whatever happened in the past, we always have the option to forgive ourselves. It is also worth remembering that sometimes, whatever happened in the past is beyond our control. Saying hello to a younger version of ourselves is a brave step to overcome our past issues and trauma. This might be gonna be a very long process, but eventually, our inner child will thank us.
References:
Brown, Sarah J. (2021). 5 Self-Soothing Tips to Heal Your Inner Child. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/womensmedia/2021/09/02/5-self-soothing-tips-to-heal-your-inner-child/?sh=71dc07962f32
Raypole, Crystal. (2020). Inner Child: 6 Ways to Find Yours. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/health/inner-child#visualize
