Journaling Prompts for your Inner Child
Oh, the beautiful inner child! Inner child work has become a big focus of mine in the past couple of years. Little me knew best, and at what point did I stop listening to her? I am on the journey of turning that around, and I’m taking you along with me.
Our inner child is our truest, most authentic self. Our inner child represents the wonder and awe we experience for the world, the curiosity to try new things, and the playfulness and joy we feel towards simply being alive.
Take a moment to think about what you enjoyed doing as a child. Do you picture yourself riding a bicycle down a familiar road? Or swimming in the ocean? Dancing in a class? Making art? Or finding a cozy corner to read your favorite book?
Go back to that child-like feeling, and remember that the inner child is within you. We never lose it. It’s with us all the time and actually holds a lot of wisdom. It is usually the things we enjoyed doing as a kid that gives us the most vitality as adults. And the feelings we craved as a kid that keep coming up and haunting us as well. We can’t change our past, we need to accept it. In order to move on, we usually need to go to our inner child. We need to talk to the child within us and care for it.
And how do we do that? Journaling has been an instrumental tool in my path. Whether you do all the questions at once or slowly work your way through the list, give it a go. The important thing is that you approach yourself with kindness. If any negative feelings arise as you’re doing them - don’t kick yourself. Acknowledge them and know that maybe it’s indicating something that needs to change.
What did you enjoy doing as a child? What feelings were associated with those activities?
When was the last time you did one of those activities? What did it feel like when you did?
Is there anything stopping you from starting to do those again?
Who did you do these activities with? Were you alone, with people, or with animals?
What positive feelings were most prominent to you during childhood?
What negative feelings were present for you? Did these ever get addressed?
If you could go back to your wounded childhood self, what would you say? How would you lift yourself up?
How can I cultivate awe and wonder again? What can I get curious about?
Who and what makes me giggle like a child? Where can I find a sense of playfulness?
Picture yourself as a kid, and see what comes up. What can I do right now to tend to the child within me?
Use these journaling prompts as a starting point to touch base with your inner child. We tend to approach adulthood with seriousness and intensity. It doesn’t always have to be that way. Give your inner child a voice, and see what comes out.
