The Inner Child Still Running Your Adult Patterns

Ever notice how you suddenly feel 7 years old in certain moments? Like when someone criticizes you… or ignores you… or you make a mistake? That’s not random. That’s your inner child taking the wheel.

What Is the Inner Child?

Your inner child is the part of you that still carries the beliefs, wounds, and emotional imprints from your early years. She learned how love worked, how safety felt, and how to earn approval. And unless you’ve intentionally healed her, she’s still influencing your adult choices.

How Your Inner Child Shows Up Today

• You avoid conflict because “being good” meant staying quiet.

• You crave validation because love was conditional.

• You panic over making mistakes because perfection = safety.

• You overgive to feel worthy of connection.

These are not flaws. They’re patterns created by a younger you trying to stay safe.

How to Begin Reparenting Yourself

1. Notice the Pattern, Then Ask: “How Old Do I Feel Right Now?”
   This shifts you from reaction to reflection. You can’t heal what you’re not aware of.

2. Offer Comfort, Not Criticism
   Try saying, “It makes sense I feel this way. But I’m safe now. I’ve got me.”

3. Give Yourself What You Needed Then
   More play? More rest? More permission to say no? Reparenting means meeting your current needs without shame.

Why This Is a Gift to Your Kids

When you heal your inner child, you parent with compassion—not projection. You stop passing down patterns that weren’t yours to begin with. You break cycles without burning bridges.

The little girl inside you is not trying to ruin your life—she’s trying to get your attention. Listen to her. Hold her. Love her back into safety. When she feels seen, you become unstoppable.