What is the inner child?

_Elsa_

What’s this all about? Inner child? Elsa remembers learning about it in her psychology classes.

‘Everyone has an inner child. Everyone. Absolutely everyone on this planet has an inner child who guides them and points them toward their joy in this life. For the lucky ones, that inner child is one that was raised in safety and security. They know their boundaries, and they know how to come out and bring joy when the time is right. For the rest of us, however, we are haunted by inner children that were damaged or forgotten in a number of ways. In order to bring them out into the light, we have to teach them that it’s safe to do so.

You can think of your “inner child” as a piece of your subconscious. It’s that part of our self that picked up and learned things in childhood, before we were able to fully mentally and emotionally process what was going on. Our inner child is a bit like our foundations. When those foundations are solid, we move through life easily. When they’re rotten, we fall apart.’ (Source)

Then she comes across another article that sounds very interesting - Why It's Important to Honor Your Inner Child so she takes a few extra minutes to read it.

‘A few weeks ago, as I was riding the train home from work, I glanced up to see none other than Santa Claus himself step into my car. The man had clearly just ended a long shift at the mall, but I was impressed with his demeanor as he sat among gawking passengers. He was carrying a string of bells, which he gaily shook to the tune of “Jingle Bells” until he reached his stop. As adult passengers entered the car, they asked him about his reindeer and Mrs. Claus; he faithfully stayed in character throughout these conversations. 

What surprised me most about this incident wasn’t the man dressed in crimson garb. No, I was genuinely shocked to see each and every person on the train simply giddy with delight from this encounter. If you live in a city with a subway system, you know this universal truth: passengers generally stare somberly ahead, rarely making eye contact with their neighbors. It was unexpected yet pleasant to see these adults so excited at the sight of a perennial childhood figure, and I was left to wonder how important it is that we stay in touch with our childlike wonder. With that in mind, here are some ways to embrace your inner child. 

Tune into childhood memories - For me, nothing captures the painfully magnificent feelings of childhood quite like memories. Whenever I visit home, I’m at once filled with a strange mix of warmth and sadness; suddenly, sights, smells, and sounds are heightened, and I’m transported back to my adolescence. Nostalgia is the perfect way to tune into those raw feelings of excitement, dread, and anticipation.

Spend time with children - This might seem like an obvious tip, but its impact cannot be underestimated. Even if you aren’t a parent yourself, making an effort to invest time with youngsters is an amazing insight into your own temperament. While we take the mundane for granted, children approach everything with curiosity and unadulterated honesty. While we might approach life’s challenges with cynicism, children hold no preconceived grudges against people or things.’ (Source)

Let’s continue - So that’s why Elsa writes so many stories!

Start at the beginning – A story about childhood imagination and make believe