Healing Your Inner Child

I am a huge believer in synchronicities, so it is no surprise that I had on my agenda that I wanted to write about inner child work, and then had the loveliest experience working with my own inner child recently (me as a kid with a delightful side pony pictured above as an honor to said inner child).

See, usually when we are talking about inner child work, we talk about understanding attachment styles, processing childhood wounds and trauma and doing really deep work. That type of healing is so incredibly powerful, but we forget that our inner child needs space to be carefree too.

I don’t know about you, but in reflection, I am realizing I have been making very little time for that type of activity. I have fun, yes. I travel the world. I see friends. I go on date nights. I do adult things. But until I had the incredible experience of going to an adult day camp for the weekend, I didn’t even realize how little time I was making for play.

At said camp, we did arts and crafts, we played games, we braided hair, we signed t-shirts, we even completed several rounds of light-as-a-feather; and oh my gosh, did my little heart need it.

It was an incredibly important reminder that reconnecting to playfulness and just plain innocent fun is also healing.

It is easy as hell to push that all to the side. We have bills to pay, kids to feed, work to do… sure. But let me tell you that one weekend outside, giggling with other women, doing silly things was at least as restorative (if not way more) than any trip to the spa or traditional “self-care”.

When the weekend was over, with renewed energy and spirit, I was able to show up to work with more productivity and was able to approach my life with more enthusiasm and commitment.

So I encourage you to think about the weekend ahead and make some space for the little boy or girl within you who is deeply craving some attention. Think about what you used to love to do as a kid and then make some time for it!

Here are some ideas:

* make a sandcastle

* go for ice cream

* sing a song you know all the lyrics to at the top of your lungs

* play a board game with your family

* ride a bike/ roller skate

* go to the park and swing on a swing

* make your favorite childhood meal

* color in a coloring book

* draw on the driveway with sidewalk chalk

* go swimming

There are surely a million more examples and what my little Allison needs won’t be the same as what your little-you might, so let whatever comes to mind first lead you. Do not judge it. Just let that little inner child soar.