How to Embody Your Inner Child
We all have an inner child within us. It is our younger self, the side that is free spirited, playful, curious, spontaneous, silly.
When we were children we received messages from the outside world whether our natural expression was welcomed or not. If your essence when you were a child was celebrated you may have an easier time accessing this inner child within you and embody it in healthy ways. If it was rejected then you may shut this part of you down.
I’m sure many people have their own interpretation of what the “inner child” is like so here is my perspective.
Your inner child is overflowing with curiosity, spontaneity and effervescent joy.
You inner child is blissfully happy with the little simple joys in life.
There is a lot of laughter when you let your inner child out to play.
The inner child expresses silliness, goofiness, tenderness, sensitivity, curiosity and pure open hearted connection.
When I think of the inner child it closely resembles how children or baby animals behave.
The inner child is like an excited puppy bouncing around when it gets a new toy and wags it’s tail.
It is like a kitten that just wants to curl up and take a nap right on you and insists on all the snuggles.
Or how children ask for what they want unapologetically, which is usually related to love, affection and fun.
And how children are constantly asking questions and are fascinated by the world around them.
Your inner child is important to nourish because modern day society is set up in a way that crushes this delightful, innocent, and playful side to us. Without embodying your inner child life can feel dull, lifeless, boring, repetitive and heavy.
I did some inner child work with a somatic coach a few years ago. During our sessions I healed some core wounds from childhood and tapped into what my inner little girl wanted which was reassurance she was loved, to be hugged and she lit up at the thought of the beach and ice cream! Honestly some pretty simple requests in my opinion.
The more healing work I have done, the more I feel comfortable allowing this side out in my life which has led to feeling more whole and fully expressed!
Here are some examples of ways I currently embody my inner child and express this side of myself.
Dance a lot (in the street, at home, on the beach, anywhere!)
Go to the beach and get ice cream (just want my inner child loves)
Paint & draw just for fun
Go on little adventures to explore new parts of Mexico
Adopt a puppy (and cuddle and play with her and my cat often)
Allow myself to get excited about little things
Laugh lots and not take life so seriously
Remind my younger self she is safe, loved and I am proud of her
If you want to know if you could benefit from embodying your inner child more often, ask yourself:
Do you take life very seriously and spend most of your time working or doing things on your to-do list?
Do you feel unsafe to express a range of emotions?
Do you feel your life lacks spontaneity, wonder and joy?
Do you feel it is a waste of time to go on adventures, be creative or try new hobbies just for fun?
Did you stop dreaming because it was a waste of time?
Whatever your younger self needed most, you can give to them now. You can reparent yourself as an adult in the present moment.
Ask your inner child, what do you need most in this moment?
Then take action, whether it is to:
Reclaim your playfulness.
Appreciate your innocence.
Open up to wonder, awe and gratitude.
Honour your boundaries and those of others.
Healthily express a full range of emotions.
Explore creative outlets.
Remember your awe, sweetness, spontaneous joy, and pure delight in the little things is enchanting. Start extending love, kindness and compassion to this part of you if it feels uncomfortable at first.
The benefit of embodying your inner child and letting this side out to play is it will bring some of the magic and spark back into your life!
The Inner Child is one of the five archetypes I guide my clients to embody and integrate back into their life in my 1:1 Mentorship: Artist of Life.
In 90 days you will be lovingly guided to see yourself as the visionary artist and the exquisite muse of your own breathtaking life masterpiece.
This mentorship experience is a divine blend of co-creating the life you imagined for yourself and also descending into deeper levels of self-love and wholeness.
I will guide you through 5 archetypes that we will explore in our journey together that will allow you to tap into the multi-dimensional aspects of yourself and playfully experiment with these enchanting energies.