With so many responsibilities in your daily life, it can feel difficult to get away from the to do list. You may struggle with feeling guilty for relaxing when there is so much left to accomplish in a day. As a result, you might spend the majority of your time working on something. This could be chores, extra projects related to work, family commitments, managing finances, and other responsibilities. This is why it can be helpful to reconnect with your inner child.
There are probably times you wish you could be as carefree as you were when you were little. Back then, you didn’t have nearly as many responsibilities. Finding time for play was much easier. In this blog, you will learn ways to reconnect with your inner child so you can experience more joy, awe, and wonder in your daily life.
Giving yourself playtime as an adult is one of many ways you can reconnect with your inner child.
Often, we assume that playtime is only for kids, but even adults need time for unstructured play. By reflecting on where you experienced the most joy as a child, you can incorporate more fun into your day to day life. Ask yourself about what your child self liked doing when the choice was yours. Maybe you’d engage in creative pursuits like drawing or making up stories. Perhaps you preferred more competitive forms of play like tag, board games, or video games. It could be that you liked being outdoors or playing dress-up.
Any of these activities can reveal various aspects of your inner child.
Reflecting on them can teach you how to incorporate play into your life as an adult. When you reconnect with your inner child, you can rediscover what brings you joy. It could be that you still want to develop your creative talents, feel more connected to nature, or that you enjoy the thrill of competition. After you’ve reflected on what your favorite childhood hobbies were, you may find it helpful to try them as an adult. It can be as simple as going for a swim, painting a picture, or spending time outdoors. You could even watch one of your favorite childhood movies. 
As you do these activities, you may find it helpful to observe your inward experience. What emotions come up for you? As an adult, what has made it difficult to embrace the things that give you joy? Make note of any memories, thoughts, or feelings as they arise. Journal about them if need be. You may be surprised how much these factors are influencing your present experience.
Your inner child represents who you were, before you heard the world telling you who you should be.
When you were little, you probably expressed yourself without a filter. Maybe you told the adults in your life you wanted to be an artist. The next day, you changed your mind. Instead of an artist, you were going to be a firefighter. It didn’t occur to you whether or not others judged you for changing your mind so fast. You were only aware of what you wanted. There may have been times that you were demanding when you expressed yourself. Whether it’s a different TV show, a later bedtime, or ice cream, most children make their wants clear. You were probably similar.
As you matured, you became more aware of what authority figures and the culture you were raised in expected from you.
Perhaps you were discouraged from unstructured playtime because you were expected to take on more responsibilities around the house, more extracurricular activities at school, or prioritize the needs of others over your own. It could also be that you were told which career path was best for you instead of discovering it for yourself. When you reconnect with your inner child, you can be liberated from the expectations of other people. It’s easy to sacrifice our true selves by doing what we are told we should do. As children, we internalize the messages we receive from those around us. Usually this occurs without our awareness, and it shapes the way we interact with others, ourselves, and the world we live in as adults.
Seeing a caring and non-judgmental therapist can help you heal and reconnect with your inner child.
When you go to therapy, much of the work you will do involves healing your inner child and releasing any internalized messages that keep you stuck. At Me-Therapy, you are provided with a safe and confidential space to talk about anything you want without being judged. Our therapists are trained to help you get to know yourself better and understand how the past has affected your present experience today. Together, we can co-create a vision for your most authentic and fulfilling life.
Ready to Reconnect With Your Inner Child and Start Therapy in St. Pete?
Ready to Reconnect With Your Inner Child and Start Beginning the journey to your best self is easier than most of the things we’re all doing right now! Therapy does not have to wait. You can get the mental health support you need with a skilled therapist in St. Pete or with online therapy in Florida. To begin, just follow these simple steps:
- Contact us to request an appointment
- Meet with one of our experienced therapists.
- Get support & begin your journey toward mental wellness & connection today!
Other Mental Health and Wellness Services at ME-Therapy
At ME-Therapy, we believe in the importance of mental, emotional & physical wellbeing. Our therapists want to help your mind but also want to feed your soul. This means we take a holistic approach to mental health. In order to do this, we offer a wide range of mental health services in our St. Petersburg office and online including therapy for women, therapy for men, trauma therapy, and holistic, spiritual therapy. For couples and relationships, we want you to know that our relationship therapists are here for you ALL. In addition to marriage counseling, we provide sex therapy, affair recovery counseling, and poly-friendly kink-aware therapy.
