Affirmations to Honor Your Inner Child
The concept of the inner child is relatively new. Still, the idea of healing the inner child is growing in popularity as we continue to learn more about the psyche and how our childhoods affect our current reality.
If you’re anything like me, this type of healing can be a painful, complicated process – but it is essential for healing those pains and upsets we experienced when our perceptions of the world around us were just forming.
Think about those moments where you just needed validation, recognition, or a hug during a stressful, overwhelming moment – what if you could go back and hug that small person just trying to make sense of it all?
And yet, while some aspects of this inner-child healing can be painful or overwhelming, today we’re going to discuss one of the lighter healing exercises you can practice: Affirmations.
Affirmations can help us release negative thoughts, boost confidence, and, yes, heal and honor the inner child.
So, if that inner child work has thus far felt exhausting – like it does for many of us – sit back, relax, and soak in these healing affirmations to honor your inner child.
Affirmations to Honor Your Inner Child
1. “I See You & I Hear You.”
Do you remember a moment as a small child when you were filled with big, angry emotions and you were met with laughter by the adults around you? Sometimes those big feelings in such little people can seem comical to grown-ups, but you needed and deserved to be acknowledged in those moments.
Let your inner child know that you see them, you acknowledge their feelings, and you’re willing to hear them out.
2. “I Am Perfect Just the Way I Am.”
Okay, no one is perfect – but we are perfectly imperfect just the way we are. Childhood wounds or moments of rejection can leave a lasting scar on the psyche, convincing us that something is inherently wrong with who we are.
You are absolutely perfect just the way you are, and so is your inner child.
3. “I Am Worthy of Love.”
You might be thinking this one sounds a little obvious, but you’d be surprised how disconnected the inner child can feel from their own worth – especially if that child was once made to feel like they are unworthy of love. Reminding the inner child that they are inherently, inextricably worthy of love is essential.
You are worthy of love.
Read next: 6 Lighthearted Pastimes that Will Delight Your Inner Child
4. “Everything Will Work Out Fine.”
Every child experiences moments of uncertainty, some regarding the future. When life feels overwhelming, small minds can begin to think that overwhelming is a natural state of life. It’s important to remind your inner child that things will work out fine, and there’s no reason to worry.
This affirmation gives both your inner child and your current grown-up self a sense of stability in a chaotic world.
5. “My Emotions Are Valid.”
Sometimes when I have big, mind-boggling emotions, I feel like I must be wrong or overreacting somehow – which only makes things worse. And that is a pattern that began to emerge at a young age for many of us. It’s important to remind your inner child that your emotions are entirely valid, no matter how vast.
You, and your inner child, deserve to feel those emotions without guilt or worry.
6. “My Eccentricities Are What Make Me Special.”
When we’re younger, there’s immense pressure to fit in, to avoid standing out. We sometimes learn to hide certain parts of ourselves that might seem weird or eccentric to others – but these differences are precisely what makes you so special and unique, and it’s time to embrace them.
Your eccentricities are what brings out your inner sparkle, and your inner child needs to know that.
7. “It’s Okay to Ask for Help When I Need It.”
Overvaluing independence is a sign that your inner child needs healing because it’s natural to lean on and need the support of others. After all, we are pack animals: it’s nearly impossible to make it through this life without needing anyone. In fact, asking for help when you need it is one of the bravest, strongest things you can do.
Remind your inner child that they don’t have to try to do everything on their own.
8. “I Release Feelings of Guilt & Shame.”
Feelings of guilt and shame lingering from childhood can have a very negative effect on our current reality – releasing these feelings is crucial when healing the inner child. There is nothing to feel guilt or shame for any longer. Let it go and stop punishing both your inner child and your current self.
It’s time to replace these feelings with love and acceptance.
9. “I Deserve to Be Treated with Love & Respect.”
If children experience a lack of love or respect from someone in childhood, they can grow up to believe that treatment of that nature is acceptable or even deserved. This affirmation serves to teach your inner child that love and respect are requirements in adult relationships.
Tell your inner child that you will no longer be accepting subpar treatment or disrespect.
10. “I Do Not Blame Myself for Traumatic Experiences in My Life.”
When children experience traumatic moments, they sometimes grow to believe that they deserved it or somehow brought it on. (Think about how many children blame themselves for their parents’ divorce.) You did not do anything to deserve traumatic experiences, and it’s time to acknowledge your innocence.
Remind the inner child of their innocence as well.
Read this next: Meditation & Breathwork for Trauma Recovery
Let Your Inner Child Shine
Healing the inner child is a complex process that can take many years. And while these affirmations alone are not enough to facilitate that deep and complicated healing process, these affirmations can act as a head start.
Try incorporating these affirmations into your morning and evening routines to begin healing the trauma of the past and letting your inner child shine. You can also practice these mantras during moments of stress or emotional overwhelm to help you calm down and find peace.
Doesn’t your inner child deserve to heal?
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