Inner Child Work Is Intimidating: This 4-Step Practice Breaks It Down

August 6, 2023

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When you were a child, you saw the world with fresh eyes. As an adult, you see the world through the lens of wisdom gained from experience. But what if you could meet yourself as a child? What would you say to that child with so much life ahead of them? If you can, find a childhood photo of yourself, or think about what you looked like at a young age.

Sit quietly, close your eyes, and imagine taking that child’s hand and sitting together. What do you want to tell that little boy or girl? What lessons, encouragements, or warnings might you impart? Express the love and compassion you have for that little child, and for the adult they’ll grow up to be. 

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Today, you meditated on what you would say to yourself as a child. This evening, complete that conversation. Sit quietly, close your eyes, and imagine meeting that child again. This time, ask your child self what they want to say to you, as you are now.

What wide-eyed wisdom does your younger self have that might remind you of your purpose and potential? What are that child’s fears, hopes, and dreams for you? Imagine how this conversation would go, as you let your younger self speak to you. Are there things you still believe or that you’re still passionate about? Are there things you’ve forgotten or lost that you might revisit as an adult? Let your inner child speak and see what you can learn. 

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Children have an amazing intuitive sense that can be dulled along the path to and through adulthood, yet somewhere deep down, that childlike intuition remains. Today, see if you can tap into the sense of knowing that once came so easily to you. Remember what the world felt like when you were a child, and see if you can access that point of view again.

How did you think about yourself? How did you see other people? How did you feel about the place you lived? What were your most beloved things to do? Was the world a more magical place back then? Did you see and experience things differently before you felt the need to manage or try to control the circumstances that created your reality?

See if you can look back through those eyes. How does your life look different right now, when you view it from a more childlike perspective? What does your intuition tell you about what you need, or what you need to change? 

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This evening, without expectation or judgment, close your eyes and spend some time imagining yourself as a child again. Choose an age you remember at least fairly well, or an event that you recall experiencing before you went through puberty. Just remember. What details can you identify about your surroundings, the other people present, and your sense of self? What did your reality feel like? What did it feel like before you had to earn a living, before you had your own family, adult friends, and adult life filled with responsibilities?

Let yourself live inside this memory for a while and see what comes up intuitively for you. Try to identify at least one feeling related to this experience that you would like to recapture. Is there anything you feel you’ve lost, a point of view you forgot you used to have, or a feeling you could re-experience?

Adapted from Glow: 90 Days to Create Your Vibrant Life From Within by Stacie Stephenson, D.C., CNS. Copyright © 2023 Stacie Stephenson, D.C., CNS Published by Harper Celebrate. Used with permission.

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