NURTURE YOUR INNER CHILD
“Hold the hand of the child that lives in your soul. For this child, nothing is impossible.” Paulo Coelho
Your childhood forms the foundation of your mental health. It creates a blueprint for who you believe you are and how you see the world around you. Some memories will be positive and some will be difficult and challenging.
What is the Inner Child?
Your inner child is that part of you that for whatever reason maybe didn’t have their needs met as a child.
When we have a strong emotional reaction to something we’re reacting to the present moment because of our past and it’s often your inner child that’s been triggered.
For example, let’s say your boss criticises you for a project you worked really hard on and you feel flooded with emotion - this may be triggering your inner child and your limiting belief ‘I’m not good enough’.
You may be able to access some core memories to help understand your emotional reactions but most will be completely unconscious.
No parent is perfect, even the most loving parents make mistakes and of course childhood can be tough in many ways. Nurturing your inner child is a powerful way to bring inner peace to your internal world and give your mental health the boost it needs.
Tapping is a great place to start. Watch the video above to start the healing process.
HOW DO YOU CONNECT TO YOUR INNER CHILD?
"By reparenting our Inner Child, we can release and heal the pain from the past" Margaret Paul
If you’re not sure what your inner child is feeling today, follow this process:
Step 1: Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then visualise yourself as a little child sat in front of you. Notice what they're wearing, and what they look like.
Step 2: Ask that little child how they're feeling today and notice what they say.
Step 3: Open your eyes and in your dominant hand write down the question - how are you feeling today?
Step 4: Put the pen in your non dominant hand and write the answer. Notice what comes up.
Step 5: Put the pen back into your dominant hand and write down these words - I am here for you now, you are safe, you are loved.
If you're still not sure what your inner child is feeling you can gently ask yourself these questions.
* Did I feel heard as a child? Did I feel like my parents / caregivers listening to what I had to say? Or did I feel dismissed?
* As a child did I feel seen? Or did I feel ignored?
* Were my emotions always validated? Or was I shamed for expressing how I felt?
* Was it ok to be sad, angry, scared, frustrated.... as a child? Was it safe to express my emotions?
* Did I feel safe as a child? (Emotionally and physically)
* Did I feel loved by my parents?
* Was the love unconditional or was it based on outside factors? (e.g achievements or things I did?)
* Did I feel like I had to prove my worth? (with grades, achievements, being a good girl/ boy, acting a certain way, behaving in a certain manner)
* Was I ever made to feel like I wasn’t good enough?
* Did I ever feel abandoned?
* Did I ever feel shamed, criticised or judged?
* Was I ever hurt (emotionally and physically)?
Or you can try listening to the Inner Child Guided Meditation Below
AFFIRMATIONS FOR YOUR INNER CHILD
Speaking directly to your inner child through meditation, journalling, tapping or any other means is a powerful way to make them feel seen, heard and validated. What do they need to hear today?
I hear you
I see you
All of your emotions are valid
You are safe
Your are loved
You are loving
You are loveable
You are enough just the way you are
You are XXX (use the affirmation that is the opposite of your limiting belief e.g good enough, beautiful, wonderful, clever, strong, funny, kind, whole, good, talented, loved...)
I am here for you now, you are never alone
You don't need to be perfect you are human
It’s ok to make mistakes
Inner Child Support
For more support nurturing your Inner Child please get in touch kim@hapyheads.me and check out my Nurture Your Inner Child Programme I would love to hear from you.
You can also download the Tapping Solution App where I have a 4 Day Inner Child Healing Series. It’s the perfect opportunity to help you reconnect to your inner child. It will enable you to communicate with them, hear what they have to say, gain insight into their limiting beliefs and deeply nourish them in the process. Your inner child really does hold the key to reducing anxiety, overcoming your limiting beliefs, releasing self doubt, overcoming fear and so much more.
