“The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of childhood into maturity.”
~T.H. Huxley
Was your childhood tragic enough to murder your inner child?
Unfortunately, as an adult survivor, you may have blocked bad memories enough to deny your inner child their opportunity to thrive.
Your inner child has been hiding for too long. Accept the fact that you were once a child, then give the inner YOU that’s been longing to come out permission to play.
Here Are 10 Ways To Find Your Inner Child:
1. Expand your 5 senses. Look at all the beauty that surrounds you. Take time to observe sunrises, sunsets, stars, moonlight, and nature. Listen to bird calls, children playing, trees rustling, happy music, and people laughing. Smell the aroma of food, flowers, and bubble baths. Touch finger paints, sand, the garden, and a baby’s small pink feet. Taste life.
2. Sing Silly Songs. Singing a song out loud is good for you. It is an aerobic activity that increases the oxygen flow in your body, and reduces stress. The lyrics you choose can effect your emotional well being, so grab the karaoke and make up a song. Remember, if you can’t sing well, sing loud!
3. Watch a lot of animation. Animation is engaging, filled with color and positively delightful; a terrific medium to affirm, enrich, and collect experiences that make you forget about the seriousness of every day life. Few things can touch your heart at the speed of classic Disney.
4. Go to children’s places. Family, friendly, and fun-oriented places for children are great stomping grounds to find and feel your inner child. Places like zoos, children’s museums, and parks all reflect a diversity of childhood behaviors that can trigger feelings of enthusiasm and emotion that may be missing in your daily life.
5. Create a concept board. Think about what your ideal childhood would be. Browse through child-friendly magazines or websites and cut out pictures or ideas that represent the perfect childhood. Maybe it’s a pink bedroom, toys, books, or Disneyland. Glue your pictures onto a poster board so you have a visual representation of childhood, filled with imagery and words to capture the child inside of you.
6. Play with children’s toys. When a child plays it is hands-down one of the most important activities to learn about people, the environment, and to be creative. Children have an amazing amount of energy and imagination. Toys play an important role in helping us become imaginative and confident adults. Take time out from being an adult and choose some fun toys to rediscover your inner child.
7. Read children’s literature. Children’s literature offers frivolity, colorful characters and an author’s message that can quickly capture the essence of childhood. Whether it’s a journey reading The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, The Westing Game by Ellen Rasking, or a fairy tale, you can discover great principles of life by devouring children’s literature and feeding your inner child.
8. Play games. Whether it’s video games, boardgames, or hide-n-seek, you will find everyone’s inner child comes out to play when games are introduced into a setting. There’s something magical about abandoning your inhibitions and reliving the memories of your own once upon a time.
9. Look at photos of childhood. Photos invoke a great deal of emotion. A picture’s worth a thousand words, and maybe a million memories. Even if your childhood was a cold oasis absent of laughter, you can use other people’s images of a happy childhood to cement your own thoughts of roller coasters, hot dogs and cotton candy.
10. Have a Happy Un-birthday. Birthdays represent milestones in our life. What is your idea of the perfect birthday party? Tons of presents, attention, a huge cake or a quiet gathering with friends and presents you’ve picked out? Whatever image you have in your mind, make it happen with a “Happy Un-birthday to You” and recapture the celebratory spirit only a birthday party can bring.
Allowing yourself to play without worry of your public image or guilt helps redefine the inner child that is hiding inside of you. Climb a hill or ride a Ferris Wheel with your new best friend…YOU!
