Health

Top 10 Ways to Connect to Your Childhood and Inner Child as an Adult

Top 10 Ways to Connect to Your Childhood and Inner Child as an Adult

Contents

This post was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp.

After some time, we forget what we go through as children. We may have small and fuzzy memories of times full of fun and playing with our friends at school, but a lot goes missing. In some cases, we experience extreme trauma and difficulties as children, which can linger in our adult lives. 

Even when dealing with adult problems like bills, skin problems, and when to take out the trash, connecting with our childhoods again is actually an excellent way to heal inner wounds and have healthier relationships as an adult. 

Here are the top ten ways you can connect to your inner child as an adult. 

1. See a Trauma Counselor

Most importantly, if you’ve experienced childhood trauma, it’s essential to try to go to therapy for it. Even if you have pushed most of your feelings deep down, a therapist can help you. You don’t even need to speak in detail about the trauma that occurred. 

1 in 7 children experience trauma, and those children go on to be adults. These days, trauma therapy can even be held online if you’re nervous about meeting someone in person. Unresolved trauma can cause health issues if not dealt with, which is why it’s so imperative to get help. It’s never too late! 

2. Let Your Inner Child Shine Through

Try to let your inner child shine through in your day-to-day life. Remember the things that made you excited and happy when you were a kid. It was most likely simpler then, and it’s great to bring simplicity into your complex adult life when you can. Stop and smell the flowers sometimes. 

3. Don’t Be So Serious All of the Time

If you’re someone who takes your “seriousness” seriously, then you might be in need of some fun. It’s not immature to laugh and not take things seriously. In fact, people who do may be more likely to feel happiness, according to a form of therapy called RO-DBT. 

4. Be Vulnerable With Romantic Partners and Friends

Children are vulnerable and open. They approach others with a trust that can only be given by someone who hasn’t been hurt yet. Although you don’t need to trust every person you meet, being more vulnerable and trusting with the people that you do know and love can help you connect to your inner child. 

Start by making a pact to always tell the truth. Try to open up about your feelings when the opportunity arises. If you struggle with that, therapy might help you get there. 

5. Do Something to Honor Your Inner Child

We all had things we loved and cherished as kids. Whether it was Transformers or My Little Pony, or Legos, we all loved our toys and would get so excited to play. You most likely probably had a dream or hobby as a kid that became a “foolish idea” as you grew up. 

To honor your inner child, bring some aspect of your childhood passions back into your life now. If you loved a stuffed animal, give him a special space on a shelf in your room. If you loved to draw, try to start drawing again. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, but it will certainly make you feel more whole. 

6. Learn Forgiveness

If there are things in your life that you’re not proud of, one of the most critical steps of healing your inner child is forgiving yourself. Unfortunately, no amount of forgiveness from others can heal our internal wounds. 

The only person who will be with you forever is yourself, and you are the only person who can truly heal yourself, too. 

7. Laugh and Play

When we say to laugh and play, we don’t mean you need to act like a child. Adults can play too, and it can be fun and beautiful. Here are some ways that you can try to laugh and play in your life: 

  • Find a sport and play it 
  • Start a family board game night 
  • Try karaoke at your local bar
  • Watch funny videos 
  • Make jokes
  • Travel 
  • Go for a hiking adventure
  • Try a “surprise trip” where the whole trip is planned and outlined by a travel agency, and the destination is a surprise

There are so many things you can do to be more open and accepting to change and connect with your childhood. 

8. Be the Parent You Needed (For Yourself and Your Children) 

If you didn’t have a very good relationship with your parents, those wounds most likely stick with you today. If you have children yourself, the most healing thing you can do is to do better than your parents did. Be the parent you needed as a child. 

If you do not have children, being a parent to yourself is actually one of the most healing things you can do. Learning to take care of yourself when you feel down, learning to not look outside yourself for validation, and being able to make choices with complete trust in yourself are incredible skills to learn. Trauma therapy can help you learn this skill if you don’t know where to start. 

9. Find Your Creativity 

Children are extremely creative. If you’ve lost that creativity in your adult life, you may want to practice it with some new projects. Here are some ways you can be creative: 

  • Learn a bunch of new recipes
  • Start a garden
  • Create DIY furniture
  • Open a shop 
  • Draw or create art
  • Make jewelry 
  • Write
  • Sing 
  • Start voice acting

There are tons of ways to be creative, and it’s never too late to enjoy something. 

10. Pick a Hobby 

Finally, it might be time to get back into your hobbies from when you were a kid. If you used to love surfing but haven’t gone out on the waves in a while, now is the time to get out there. If you used to love to watch nature documentaries, get back into it. If you had a dream to go to university, enroll. It’s as simple as taking the first step. 

Conclusion

So much goes into healing our inner child as adults. However, it is possible with a little bit of work. Adults don’t have to reject everything that reminds them of children. In fact, children have a lot to teach us about the world and ourselves. If you’re ready to learn more about healing your childhood trauma, check out this site here. 

Share this post

Similar Posts