How To Embrace Your Inner Child & Heal Your Wounds
Have you ever thought about what you would tell your 10-year-old self? If you have check out my latest article “How To Embrace Your Inner Child & Heal Your Wounds” Turning 10-years-old is a significant age because you’re at the crossroads of being a preteen and in an awkward start of puberty stage. Unfortunately, I had to endure that ugly duckling stage and received a lot of negative messaging from family members, friends, and classmates.
Disclaimer: I’m not a licensed therapist or doctor. I’m a simple blogger sharing her story and tools that worked for me.
Even though I’m 36 years-old know my 10-year-old girl is still with me. She is coming up in my dating life with being so insecure and shy about myself that I would rather like someone from afar than to risk the rejection of not being liked. She likes to stay hidden in dark corners and would rather please other people to make them happy rather than being true to myself. My 10-year -old self would rather stuff down her feelings with food then to speak her mind.
Why am I telling you this? I want you to know that I am not perfect and I’m still working to overcome some of the pain from my past. I’m also nurturing a part of myself that is taking over my life and keeping me paralyzed in a state of life that doesn’t feel good to me. Below I’ll share what inspired me to write this blog and hope that it might help you.
Sadness Behind The Smile
Over the weekend I got in touch with my 10-year-old girl.
My sister and I were looking through my aunt’s family photo album and this was the first time that I’ve seen pictures of myself as a baby. Kind of weird seeing your same face on a little body. As I continued to look through family photos I saw all my different phases of growth and a picture can tell a thousand words. Looking at certain pictures I knew what I was thinking at the time about myself.
From the time I was a toddler until I was about 7 years old, I had a huge personality. My sister’s said I was a ham and I remember how ashamed I felt of my playful personality. From that point on I toned down my energetic personality. When I look at my 10-year-old self, I get a little emotional. I was starting to put on weight and I remember how ugly I felt. So many people confirmed that feeling by telling me that I was fat, ugly, and needed to lose weight. I’ve been called a fat pig to my face, enrolled in basketball camps and swimming camps because I need to lose weight, and told I was stupid because I didn’t understand math. Needless to say that my childhood had some tough moments and they’re still present in my daily self-dialogue.
I went through this phase from eight to eighteen, but 10-years-old was the start of my unbalanced relationship between my true self and what the world was telling me to be.
One of the photos was when I was in 5th grade and at our high school’s homecoming football game. My aunt called me and wanted me to face the camera to take a picture. I was stuffing popcorn down my throat and put my hand up to block the photo. I knew that I was fat and I didn’t want any pictures being taken of me. There is another photo from that night that I took before we left.
I was smiling but I sure wasn’t happy or feeling good about myself. If only I knew what I know now.
Why I'm Embracing My Inner Child
I’m sharing this story to connect with any woman that felt this way growing up or feel this way now. Maybe the lessons that I share with my 10-year-old self will resonate with you. It’s important for you to embrace these painful moments in your childhood and make peace with your past. That 10-year-old girl is still apart of me and likes to take over my life. Giving love to your inner girl is the best love that you can get from anyone.. If you want to explore the topic of embracing your inner child check out this article.
You Are Enough
The first thing that I would say to my 10-year-old self is that you are enough. God made you perfectly in every way. Your personality, your appearance, and how you feel is all enough. One day someone will love you just the way you are. He will fall in love with your heart and soul and all your quirks because it makes you who you are.
You Don't Have To Be Perfect
Being perfect doesn’t make you authentic. Perfectionism only leads you to depression, anxiety, and nobody needs that in their life. Acknowledge that everyone makes mistakes and no one is perfect. All you can do is try your best and that is enough. Mistakes help us learn and grow and you are strong enough to get through anything.
Fall In Love With Yourself
Instead of looking outside of yourself for love and validation you need to be in love with you. Love your kind heart, silly sense of humor, introverted personality, bushy eyebrows, knappy hair and creative imagination. It’s so much easier to be yourself than to pretend that your someone else. You have a special message to bring into the world and only you can bring it.
Ideas To Embrace Your Inner Girl
Here are some easy ways to get in touch with your inner girl and fall in love with her.
- Write a letter to your inner girl and acknowledge her pain of being hidden away with in you.
- Write down your favorite games or activities as a child or teenager and play them with the enthusium of a child
- Meditate for 10 minutes and envision yourself hugging your inner little girl
- Parent your inner little girl when your feeling anxious or depressed and cheer her on
- Forgiving the people in your life who hurt you and know that their unkind words has nothing to do with you and that your a beautiful and amazing person
- Repeat positive affirmations about your self twice a day to overcome negative self-talk
Add A Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.