Children are creative. When they draw, they don’t care about staying within the lines. They bring their own unique magic into this world. As we grow up, we may lose some of this fantastic, free and vulnerable part of ourselves. That’s why it’s so important that we nurture the inner child within us. Yes, we might now have bills to pay or have children of our own, our inner child remains with us and they are the source of creation and magic.
We all have an inner child. It’s your deepest innocence, authenticity, sensitivity, and beauty. Your inner child was born to play, create, love, and never wanted to hurt anybody. It’s your source of wisdom, the essence of humanity, the richest expression of life – YOU in the purest form.
Losing connection with your inner child…
By being out of touch with this inner child, we are prone to repressing them when they begin to show through. Anxieties and frustrations are considered some of the main symptoms of neglecting this inner child.
By unlocking the potential of our creative inner child, we can heal the scars they bare. There are many little things we can do every day to remind us of this important connection with our creative inner child, without having to carve chunks of time out of our busy schedules. Here are some examples:
- Yoga – but make it playful
Practicing yoga ensures that we become one, it allows bringing together our inner child and the frustrated grown up that attempts to control them. To make our practice more playful you can use the imagination – for example, you could become a fierce goddess of archery in warrior poses or add a little booty wiggle in downward facing dog.
When I give myself permission to add playfulness to my yoga routines, joy explodes through each movement and I find myself laughing throughout class. Better yet – I see my students experiencing new levels of joy AND confidence in their goofiness.
- A letter to your inner child
Be gentle with your inner child, be kind. It’s important to reassure the most intimate part of yourself and remind them that everything is ok, you are enough. Whatever your life path is or has been, you should never be ashamed for the brave choices you have made. Taking a few minutes off our busy routines and write down some kind words to ourselves can be profoundly nurturing and calming.
- Take your inner child seriously
There is never an idea too big or a dream too wild. “What if I fail?!” – that’s our parental voice trying to prevent disappointment to protect us from being hurt. To prevent disappointment, we prevent magic. Ask yourself what is the biggest, wildest thing you want to do? Say it out loud. Listen to that answer with a huge amount of respect and seriousness.
- Let your emotions flow
We all have a tendency to bottle up our emotions. Maybe the cork will stay on, maybe we won’t have to deal with the consequences of unleashing our fears, anger, worries. Negative emotions are part of life. We tend to consider happiness as the only emotion worth expressing freely, but actually ALL emotions have their own place: they are important signals showing us how attuned we are with the world around us.
Before our emotional bottle breaks of its own accord and a tantrum ensues, let the contents flow, and give space to whatever your inner child is feeling in the moment. And when it feels as if it’s getting a bit too much, don’t follow the lines… Colour within them instead.
