Healing Your Inner Child

There are many ways that we hold onto our inner child without realizing. Perhaps you still sleep with your childhood stuffed animal, eat the same cereal because it reminds you of those early mornings before school, or maybe you watch the sunset every night because it was something you used to do with your dad.

Many things in life bring us this mixed feeling of nostalgia, comfort, and sadness all in one. Recently, I turned 21 and was sent a video of my older sister and me giggling, pretending to work in my uncle's office. The pureness of our laughter and embarrassment to be recorded made me smile. We were so tiny and had no idea that we'd end up on opposite sides of the country.

I spent some time on my birthday reflecting on my personal growth over the years. Specifically, from 6 months ago, while it may not seem like a long time ago, I knew how far I'd come since then. Watching a video of myself speaking and giving advice to younger college students, and knowing that it took me way too many retries made me both laugh and shake my head. I put so much weight on my own shoulders, and looking at that girl in the video, all I wanted was to reassure her and tell her how proud I was.

I didn't realize how impactful this moment would be, but I started choking up at the thought of my past self hurting so badly inside. All the pressure I carried and juggled on top of a million other things, trying to be perfect in every walking moment, and hardly ever letting my guard down. While sharing this story with someone close to me, I was asked, "What would you tell your younger self?"

My response: "I'd tell her to speak kinder to herself, to look in the mirror and love herself even when she has dark circles under her eyes from studying too much, and to accept herself even in her lowest moments. I'd tell her to be brave and to let more people into her life because chances are someone might benefit from what she has to say."

Think of all the different things you'd tell your younger self. Now, tell it to yourself in the mirror. Our inner child still lives within us, so be kind to yourself. Be gentle, give yourself some grace, and accept yourself for all your beautiful imperfections that make you unique.

Healing your inner child means forgiving yourself for all the self-inflicted pain you may have unknowingly caused yourself. It requires mourning, forgiveness, and acceptance. I wish I could go back and give my younger self a giant hug. I wish I could tell her how beautiful and brave she is. I wish I could tell her to love herself the way she loves other people. Our inner child never leaves us. It's what keeps us young.