What is our inner child?

A part of our psyche that retains childlike qualities, emotions and experiences from our early years. By learning to explore and nurture our inner child, we can better understand and heal from past experiences that can bring joy and authenticity to adult life.

Any little trigger can set off the ‘wounded child’ such as feeling judged, being rejected, being yelled at, looked at a certain way, not feeling safe to share feelings, etc. If we can learn to stay aware in the present, and grounded in reality we can confront the emotions that arise and work toward healing.

The narrative that comes from the wounded child.

Once triggered, our inner voice may send us a message such as:

“I am not worthy, I am less than, I am not wanted or good enough.” When we enter into the inferior mindset we allow that voice to become louder and stay loud.

From poor treatment, abandonment, neglect, and rejection, it only makes sense to revert to that way of thinking even if we have found something healthy.

Where does this stem from?

Insecure attachment styles in relationships. For example, if we are constantly in fear of someone leaving us, then when they physically or emotionally are not present we are triggered to believe “THEY MUST NOT WANT ME.” If we can stay aware of reality and what evidence is showing us, we will know that this is not true!

We feel this in our bodies– shakiness, anger, anxiety, paralysis, hyper-vigilance. These are trauma responses we have turned to for survival. In times of danger our bodies respond in ways to protect us and ensure that we are safe. It is only a problem when they become triggered in times where there is NO THREAT and no danger. Why? Because we PERCEIVE danger where there is none. We are trained to react in these ways, but we can learn to see things differently.

What can we do?

Since the familiar feels more comfortable, we tend to stay in it. We can snap ourselves out of it through awareness and action. We need to get grounded in the current healthy experience that does not resemble the past.

We all want to feel loved, desired, respected, and wanted. These can be new feelings, and because they are new they are unfamiliar, strange, scary, and off-putting. We DESERVE to feel love, and we just have to heal the wounded child who did not have this love.

Try having a conversation with your inner child and identifying what age you feel. What would you tell him, her, or them to do differently? You can provide words of encouragement, support, validation, and even soothe through deep breathing. We can learn to regulate the emotions that come up as they are happening now, and transfer those feelings to your younger you as you heal.

What is your inner voice trying to tell you? Do you find it difficult to heal from past experiences? Share below and let’s start a conversation.

Follow me on @alexagoldinglmft for more mental health related tips and educational resources.

There may be a time when you meet another person and it feels as if you can see inside their soul. The connection you feel is full of energy, which feels somewhat familiar to you. Maybe you knew one another in a past life or are supposed to meet again for a purpose. It can feel like chemistry and a comfortable bond that may grow and turn into a romantic relationship. However, overtime, just like any other relationship you see their flaws. You love them anyway, even if you recognize they are not healthy flaws that add to your life. You keep going, but eventually it all comes crashing down…but in a good way. Your eyes are now open to what you chose to ignore before. Instead of a loving connection this was leading you to learning another important lesson. Even without knowing why, deep down in your gut you can understand what you learned from this person. Sometimes all we get is silence and ignorance from another person. The trick to dealing with that? Just accept it as the answer… There is no point in digging around when you can provide that answer for yourself through learning the lesson placed in front of you. Stay strong and move on. You may then reflect and ask yourself:

Why did you attract those flaws in the first place? 

What benefit did this have on showing you how you choose partners?

When we further examine why we make some of the choices we do, we can better understand the patterns we continuously repeat. We are now even stronger than before because we see once more what we have done. We can confront ourselves and agree to make changes that will lead us to a healthy connection.

How may we do this?

You have to figure out what works for you. Can you imagine that things have reasons for why they happen the ways they do and view your life in an optimistic light? If you can truly feel happy by choosing it and knowing in your heart that there is a new healthier and better connection out there for you then allow that door to be open! Open your heart again.. Never give up. Do not let another person’s silence stop you from living out the life you desire. People who matter will fight to stay in your life and make any type of relationship work. It’s up to you to recognize a lesson in negative situations and strive to learn from what you created.

It can feel relieving when you finally work up the courage to be assertive. Being assertive is an act that can help define boundaries and voice things you are not ok with. There may be fears you have associated with being assertive:

Will I come off as mean?

Will I come off as being needy?

Will I come across as bossy?

These are crucial fears and they may create severe anxiety in voicing what you want and need. It is ok to be assertive and ask for what you want. It is also ok to say NO! when you know something doesn’t align with your values.

Being assertive helps to create healthy communication with others. If you communicate how you are feeling, others will know how you will and will not accept to be treated. Also, in revealing your true feelings (being vulnerable) you will expose your emotions for others to better see how their energy affects you as well.

Assertiveness is a two way street. It does not come off mean if you approach the other person in a calm way. The tricky part that takes long to establish is being calm and stern at the same time. When you can be stern and know you got your point across that’s true assertiveness.

Communicate your needs and create boundaries so you can always feel respected. If you love yourself enough it will come so natural because you want others to know what you are not ok with. Spread assertiveness around, add a little love and communication can flow freely and beautifully.

Sometimes when first getting to know someone, they seem to be showing you their true colors. You want to believe that certain actions they take and behaviors they portray are accurate and direct to their character. This can be difficult since we tend to look for red flags from the beginning to protect ourselves from bad treatment. However, people can be tricky and may put on a “true colors act” where they come across one way and given a week or few weeks they all the sudden really show you who they were hiding. This is extremely disappointing if you develop feelings for someone and they choose to charm you into believing they feel for you too. When this happens you must take a step back because you can only control how you react to this and how you deal with it.

Choose wisely, choose YOU. Live your life, and do things that make you happy.

Unfortunately that person did not care enough or respect you enough to want to continue having you in their life. There is nothing you can really do about this, but move forward. Life will always go on and it will go on the way you live it and feel. You control your own feeelings and you control your own happiness. Never look to another person to fill that void for you because they are just not that special.

Upon first meeting someone, it’s easy to want to quickly seek out their red flag traits and behaviors. While that is important and wise, people do unravel into a million different levels. Keep awareness and the traits you seek you will not be blinded to. After all, we are just trying to protect ourselves and be ready and strong to walk away when our gut feels something is not right for us. In this process, focus on your goal and the type of energy you wish to surround yourself with. If the person cannot at all provide you with what you deeply desire THEN you can question the situation and take proper actions toward making yourself happy. It’s ok to give people chances, but stay aware, open, optimistic and strong. We are all sensitive to this need of wanting to feel we got to show our authentic selves and must remember to allow others that gift. However, you must let go if you find that person is dragging you down and sucking away your positive energy. Spread your wings and fly far, far away… to a better place!

“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, 
in the present moment, and
 nonjudgmentally.” -Jon Kabat-Zin- founder, Mindfulness-based stress reduction program.

Mindfulness is quite a precious act- one that is acknowledged as being a positive way to bring consciousness to one’s mind in the present moment, and as a result, acting mindful toward others around you. There may be some who choose this practice with a different purpose in mind. They may be trying to increase their mindfulness, but in a way to only be mindful toward them selves.

They are extremists who need to feed compulsions and by increasing mindfulness directed at their own self it is a way they can continue to focus on the things they must do to feel in control.

Don’t be fooled by people who practice for this reason. They are not impressive or generous people who are trying to put you first. Instead, they are only teaching themselves how to put them selves first- more first than they ever have before. They may come off as confident and that they love themselves, but really they hate themselves and can’t even stand to look in the mirror at their own reflection. Mindfulness was not created for this purpose. When you are putting all of your attention in the present and really feeling the experience, that involves anyone around you in that moment. If you are only worried about yourself and doing what you think YOU need to do, you are missing the whole point.

How do we create boundaries?

Boundaries are created through a strong foundation of self-love.

First, we must be happy with who we are because we must first know how we wish to be treated by others. A lot of us may have “wishes” with how we feel we SHOULD be treated. The difference in this is when we truly respect ourselves we know that there are boundaries we WILL NOT accept and when crossed they become our deal breakers.

Looking back it can seem that things we used to accept from others are now number one deal breakers in our relationships.

Why is this?

Why do we now see that before we had self love we allowed others to just treat us how ever was convenient for them?

That it was ok not to have any hesitation or thought that there should be a boundary line drawn out?

It is important to know what behaviors you will and will not tolerate from others. If we love ourselves, we know what we deserve and what feels right versus wrong. Boundaries are very personal and vary from person to person. Knowing our boundaries can help us seek out healthy relationships we feel comfortable in. No one should ever feel that they have to force their partner to treat them how they want or with respect. If we know our boundaries and voice them we are one step closer to being treated how we desire.

“Tomorrow I will have no shame, and I will start again.”

It wasn’t long ago that you were hiding. You have been hiding behind your own skin and not allowing people to see you for who you really were.

When the time comes to be honest with someone about a certain identity you posses, it is one of the most liberating feelings you may experience. It is magical to be accepted by another loved one when you are ashamed of a certain identity you are hiding from. This can be about almost anything one is insecure about minoring from a physical feature all the way to a lifestyle, or past history. When you decide to be open and be your authentic self you win either way. Take that step and release what is holding you back. If you are rejected for that, then that person was not worthy of your special identity. On the bright side, a very negative thing can help you seek out others who treasure you and find you special with or without that and accept you for who you really are, your authentic self.