Day 1 — What We Mean When We Say “Inner Child”

Your inner child isn’t a metaphor. It’s the part of your nervous system that formed before logic, language, and adult coping skills.

The inner child holds:

• Early emotional experiences

• Survival strategies

• Beliefs about love, safety, and belonging

If you’ve ever reacted "out of proportion," shut down unexpectedly, or felt suddenly small, needy, angry, or abandoned — that wasn’t weakness. That was memory.

Gentle Practice

Take a deep breath, close your eyes (if it feels comfortable), ask your inner child to step forward. Make sure you continue breathing.

Place a hand on your chest and ask: How old does this feeling feel? Don’t force an answer.

Remember, you can continuously work with your inner child, this isn’t a once and done practice. The reason why? Our wounded inner child can span across a few years and eventually becomes the wounded teenager. Come back to this practice as often as you need to.

Journal Prompts

• When do I feel most emotionally reactive?

• What emotions feel hardest to express?

• What did I need more of as a child?