Spend the holidays healing your inner child

We don’t have to remind you it’s the holiday season. Everywhere you look, there’s holiday cheer. The streets are wrapped with decore, every shop is brilliantly illuminated, and people you walk by on the street just seem happier. Maybe it’s the vacation days coming up, or maybe it truly is the magic of the holidays. For some of us, however, the holidays can be… not so magical. Sometimes, going home for the holidays can mean a lot of stress. What are you going to say to that one uncle? Is everyone going to ask about your love life? What about squeezing in time to see everyone you might not have seen in over a year? Yeah, it’s a lot. But even amongst the craziness of the holidays, there truly is something magical about this time of year. There’s a nostalgia in the air that reminds us of Christmas past, which is why the holiday season might just be the best time of year to heal your inner child. 

What's an inner child?

Your inner child is described as "including all of the past hidden ages that have made up one's life journey," meaning all of the past experiences you’ve had that shaped who you are today. When we talk about healing our inner child, we talk about healing the parts of ourselves that needed care as we grew up — maybe when you were a child, you weren’t allowed to express a certain part of yourself, for example, let’s say you loved Christmas carols but weren’t allowed to go caroling. Well, inner child healing is then taking this part of yourself that needs healing and acting on it — i.e., deciding as an adult to go caroling and live an experience you always wanted to as a child. Inner child healing has many benefits, including understanding yourself, your needs, and why you react to certain things the way you do. When it comes to the holidays, a time when we’re thrown into situations where we may revert back to childish thought patterns and behaviors, it’s a perfect time to start healing our inner child. Here are a few ideas for how to get the ball rolling.

Rekindle old wishes and old traditions

Think back to the holidays you had when you were younger. Was there anything you always wanted but never got? Go out and purchase it for yourself now or the adult equivalent. Was there anything you loved doing that you don’t do anymore? Like decorating cookies or going to a special place you only visited this time of year. Try picking those things up again now as an adult. Try recreating those old experiences and seeing how you feel throughout.

Acknowledge the good moments

Think back to your happiest moment during the holidays and try to appreciate what you had then and what you have now. Give yourself a moment of gratitude for how far you’ve come. Reflecting on the past can help you look ahead towards the future.

Make new traditions

Take what you used to love about this time of year and try to come up with new traditions that better fit your life now. Maybe instead of making a big dinner at home, you’d rather try going out. Or maybe, instead of decorating your house, you want to head out and wander through the decorated cities. Try to imagine your perfect holiday season and make it happen.

Embrace the downtime

When we were kids, there seemed to be neverending downtime. You have nowhere you really need to be, no work stress or pressure that follows you into your holidays, and no major responsibilities on your shoulders. This holiday, take a moment to relax, embracing that child-like state of mind of blissful leisure. The holidays can be stressful for all of us, but it doesn’t have to be. Make time for yourself and what’s important to you this holiday season. It’s the best way to get ready for what’s sure to be an eventful 2024.