You are Never too Old to Heal your Inner Child

When reflecting on the low and high points of your life, you may feel like the same person you've always been, like the child that you used to be years and years ago still resides inside you. Have you ever felt anxious or sad over something that wasn't a "big deal"? This may be your inner child crying out to you, magnifying a situation that doesn’t need to feel as scary or bad as it is.

These subconscious wounds make you who you are, and it's important to listen to that inner child that may still be hurting. Yes, you have more wisdom now and your bones may ache, but there is that familiar presence that began from the start of your birth and has lasted throughout your lifetime. This article will discuss what that inner child means and give insight into how it affects multiple aspects of your personality, choices, and perception of self.

This concept of the inner child was studied by Luleå University of Technology. They interviewed multiple elderly people from the ages 70-91 questions about this childlike presence in their lives. The results showed that the inner child's presence appeared commonly when reflecting on how they became who they were. These reflections were both positive and negative turning points in their childhood lives. Experiences like your mom baking cookies for you, or someone bullying you at school, that felt magnified when you’re a child. According to psychologists, these experiences are what make people who they are and follow them throughout adulthood. Therefore, learning how to nurture and heal that broken inner child can make such a significant impact.

The first step to healing your inner child is recognizing the positives and negatives of your childhood. One way to do this is to just sit back and think deeply about your fondest childhood memories and practice gratitude for them. On the flip side, reflect on the hardest parts of your childhood too. For example, if you ever felt left out at school, you probably still remember how lonely that felt. As an adult looking back, you know that this was a temporary circumstance, but those insecurities of loneliness might still be present in your life. Or maybe your dad wasn't present when you were growing up and you have always felt this sense of fear over being abandoned. It could be anything, small or big, these vivid memories of your childhood never go away if we ignore them. Luckily, psychologists say listening to the hurts of your inner child is the first step of healing these issues that arise into adulthood.

Next, it's important to shift these negative ideas that you have of yourself that arose from childhood experiences. Difficult feelings of inadequacy, shame, guilt, etc. These perceptions you have of yourself stem from when you were too young to know any better. With the help of a professional, it may be easier to navigate these difficult emotions. If you are unable to access a therapist, these feelings will be easier to process through journaling and meditation. You may feel that at your older age, it's not necessary to deal with your inner child, but if you feel yourself constantly talking down on yourself or have a negative perception about the person you are, it's never too late to practice self-care for your adult self and the inner child that lives inside you.

— Madison Calhoon