Embracing Your Inner Child

“The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all children.”-Jim Henson

Every one of us has an inner child, some accept that inner child while others neglect that part of their minds and spirits. Some of the most well-balanced adults that have a healthy spirituality, self-love, and a deep strength within themselves take the time to nurture and embrace that inner child. The inner child is the part of you that can be filled with belief, wonder, and magic. The part that sees the joy in everyday life, and that wants to live that life to the fullest.

How many times have you seen a child fall and yet get back up again and continue playing as though nothing happened? Or they experience a moment of complete sadness only to be smiling again in just a few minutes? That’s resilience, something that children have an abundance of. Unfortunately, with age and responsibilities many of us adults lose more and more of the capability to be resilient. Children also just have an inherent belief that all will be right and safe. Whereas as adults we look for the negative in every situation, we clock the exits, and make contingency plans just in case. While planning, forethought, and protection are never a bad thing, sometimes they push out the belief and hope we had as children. In essence, that part of you buried down deep has the capability to allow you to gain more self-awareness and harness those traits in everyday life.

There are many ways to start embracing your inner child and accepting that part of yourself. Meditation, bring yourself into the moment and just let go and allow those feelings to establish themselves rather than be ignored. Journal, get those feelings out, and acknowledge that they are real, then go back with an open mind willing to learn and reread those thoughts. Your inner child picks up on parts of you that you deny, sometimes you just need to listen and learn. Kind of like saying that some of the most honest words are those from children.

Revisit joy, don't deny yourself the pleasures in life because they are childish or not for adults. We all need joy in our lives, and there are no age restrictions on fun. Most of us focus on happiness at the end of our tasks, whereas children find joy in every act, not just at the end. Let your inner child guide you and find happiness in the small things then life’s journey won’t feel so burdened down with tasks.

Your inner child is a part of your subconscious that without realizing it will keep you from being able to fully self-actualize. Embracing your inner child grants you the ability to find contentment in the moment. Life isn’t always just about the end of each task, it's about sending delight and wonder in each moment just like children do. Your inner child is there to remind you to live your journey to the fullest, so don’t neglect them, nourish them.