A letter to your younger self

Your inner child is the unconscious part of your brain that holds unmet childhood needs. They are the true ‘you’ that held an intuitive knowing about yourself and the world, before parents, society, or systems conditioned you to forget, deny or betray yourself in order to receive love. In childhood, our deepest needs are to be seen, loved and kept safe. When these needs aren’t met, we sustain Inner Child wounds. As adults, these wounds manifest as feelings of worthlessness, insecurity, judgment, shame, guilt, co-dependency, self-betrayal, lack of boundaries, people-pleasing, and difficulty regulating and expressing emotions. Healing your inner child involves identifying them, understanding their core needs and wounds, and re-parenting them so they can heal so you can fully integrate into your self.

Find a picture of yourself as a younger child, get still, then answer the following:

• What age am I here and what drew me to this age?

• What do I remember about this time of my life?

• When I look at this soul, how do I feel?

• How do your adult relationships mirror your childhood relationships with your parents, or your observations of your parents’ relationship?

• If you could write this younger self a letter, what would it say? Write to your child-hood self, addressing and consoling any of their hurt. Tell them what you now know. Encourage them in moments you can think of where you felt insecure. Forgive them in experiences you feel shame about. Take your time, this letter is sacred.