hey there everybody and welcome back to week six of the codependency recovery Series today
we're talking about reconnecting with your inner child last week we talked
about abandonment fears and a lot of times your inner child is struggling with fears
of Abandonment and that's what prompts a lot of these codependent behaviors
so start by reconnecting with your inner child just get to know them if you have pictures of
a young you get them out make a scrapbook add pages in that scrapbook for what you liked to
do your pets and anything important to you start thinking back to who was I what did I like to do
get to know yourself because a lot of times people who have codependent behaviors were taught that
their thoughts wants and needs didn't matter don't talk don't trust don't feel so you may
not have ever really connected with yourself to figure out what you liked um so think back about
what did you like or do you think you might have liked put a picture of child you next to your bed
and on the fridge this can help you remember that person if you will um throughout the day
starting today you will try to be the parent to your inner child that you deserved that
means recognizing when you start feeling anxious or angry or even happy or giddy
um recognizing that acknowledging your feelings and being the parent to yourself that you deserved
envision your child uh or Envision child you going through an entire day
how do you wish your caregivers would have acted you know thinking about you know if child you did
this how would you have wanted your caregivers to act or how would you treat a child in your life
make sure in addition to the responsibilities you also have fun
and do that for yourself for the entire week spend time really getting to know your inner child
paying attention to what do I feel like right now what's my gut telling me what what does
my heart want to do and sometimes it'll want to do grown-up things and sometimes it won't
and that's okay acknowledging those things when you start to feel anxious or angry that might be
your inner child saying I feel unsafe right now okay acknowledge that when you as as a
young child felt unsafe what did you want your caregivers to do and do that for yourself now
if you're able to look at a picture of child you th um and think of a Time child you experienced a
failure rejection or loss now I say if you're able to if this is too powerful then by all means don't
do it but what you're really doing is starting to understand or identify those trauma memories and
those losses that have yet to be fully processed where younger you was left feeling scared or
depressed or hopeless or angry and that just never got resolved it was just expected to go away
when you're thinking about these things start with something that's a two or a three on a
five-point scale of intensity don't go to your worst memory ever start with something that was
mildly annoying or distressing see child U H how did you feel how did your supports respond how did
that make you feel how do you wish they would have responded and do that for a child you now
for the rest of the week simply become aware of your feelings and reactions
if you're feeling off vulnerable tired numb happy silly whatever it is just become aware
check in with your inner child to see how they're feeling you know that really means
doing a deep dive and going how do I really feel deep down inside how do I feel right now
validate how you feel and provide safety and support just like you don't pour your heart
out to someone even a therapist the moment you meet them it will take time to feel safe
your inner child the part of you that's been betrayed and abandoned is scared right now they
need to learn that you are safe and will protect them and not repeat the traumas of the past