I Spoke to My Inner Child & You Should, Too.
"Inner Child" always felt like something you'd see on a cheesy self-help Instagram post or hear from someone fresh out of a weekend retreat. But, as always, life had other plans.
Honestly, I used to roll my eyes at phrases like "inner child."
It always felt like something you'd see on a cheesy self-help Instagram post or hear from someone fresh out of a weekend retreat. But, as usual, life had other plans.
Recently, I took
’s advice to actually sit down and talk to my inner child. It felt silly at first, but I gave it a shot.Answer the door.
Sitting in silence in the garage, I imagined the younger me just standing there in the doorway, waiting for something.
Before I knew it, tears were flowing, not just because I'd come a long way, but because of how disappointing some parts of my life might look to the younger me.
But the honesty felt good.
Painful, sure, but good. I finally admitted some things I'd been ignoring, forgave myself for stuff I'd been holding onto for way too long, and even confronted parts of myself I wasn’t proud of.
That night was the start of something real.
I listened to the echo.
Growing up, I was the master of brushing off anything uncomfortable.
Vulnerability felt dangerous, so ignoring tough feelings was my go-to move. But those feelings don't just vanish... they stick around, lurking in the background.
That night, though, my inner child wasn't subtle. It was loud, clear, and impossible to ignore.
Instead of pushing it away, I finally listened.
Alone, in a dark garage, I asked myself a simple but uncomfortable question:
What do you actually need right now?
Healing starts small.
The answer was stupidly simple:
I just need someone to tell me it's okay.
I almost laughed.
Me, a grown adult, needing someone to say things were okay? Ridiculous.
But my younger self wasn't laughing. So, quietly, I did exactly that:
It's okay. You're okay.
It wasn’t a magic fix, but something shifted. The tightness in my chest eased a little. I could breathe easier, literally.
Why this stuff actually matters:
Facing your inner child isn't about obsessing over the past or drowning in self-pity. We have to understand how old feelings still mess with us now.
Ignoring that younger you, the one who felt unseen or unheard, doesn't erase the hurt.
It just makes you react in ways you will never understand.
Doing the inner child work isn’t mystical or fluffy; it’s basic emotional maintenance.
It's giving yourself permission to acknowledge you deserved better, even if you didn't get it.
Give your younger self a minute.
So next time you're stuck, anxious, or just feel off, take a second and check in with your younger self.
Ask what they need, and don’t judge the answer.
Healing can start with the smallest act of self-kindness, like telling your younger self they're okay.
You reading this here today is proof that they are.
Which means you need to show yourself that same kindness today.
TLDR: Think of talking to that child whenever you get mad at yourself or your situation. I promise it will radically change the way you think about yourself and your situation.
What would you say to your childhood self right now?