Healing our inner teenager is sometimes overlooked as we often place emphasis on dealing with traumas or events arising from when we were below 7 years old. While the early years are considered to be most crucial for healthy development, doing inner teen work can be just as important. The teenage years are a pivotal period where emotional wounds can take root, shaping our adult lives in profound ways. The following are reasons why doing inner teen work is important…
If you are in the habit of shaming your own body, stop.
Shaming your own body because of your physical imperfections can cause you to feel lousy about yourself.
Perhaps you don’t like the way your nose looks, the slant of your eyes, the shape of your face, your freckles, boob size, etc…and the list goes on.
While it may be true that they are not perfect according to some beauty standards, shaming yourself over them is not going to be helpful for your confidence. Continue reading
We may not realise at first that we have been carrying childhood wounds, so any talk about healing will be considered moot.
Childhood wounds are, after all, invisible to us.
And if we can’t see them through our naked eye, why does it matter whether we are carrying them or not?
Well, it may well explain contributing reasons behind our current day issues like
In other words, just because we can’t visually see our wounds does not mean that they don’t exist.
As I understand, according to Sigmund Freud, they are hidden in the deep recesses of our psyche, buried deep in the unconscious. We repress our pain, hurt and anger in these wounds. Because they are yet to be resolved, they can blindside us. It is why we are often in self-sabotage.
Thus, if we don’t heal our past wounds, they can bleed into everything that we do or encounter today.
“We have to listen to the child we once were, the child who still exists inside us. That child understands magic moments. We can stifle its cries, but we cannot silence its voice.The child we once were is still there.” Paul Coelho
Vulnerability hangover is the regret, anxiety and shame that you feel after having exposed vulnerable parts about yourself to others.
Enough was enough, you had said. You decided that you were quite done with hiding. And so, even as your heart raced, you proceeded with boldly sharing something vulnerable about yourself. With a trembling voice, you went through your story. You shared it from deep within your heart.
The moment you let it out, you heaved a sigh of relief. The burden of keeping it all in was lifted. It was also when you gave yourself a pat on the back for your courage and congratulated yourself for being more authentic and daring greatly.
But wait a minute!!! As the dust settled, you began to compute what you’ve just done. Filled with regret, you started to shame yourself for such a stupid move. Feeling vulnerable about being vulnerable hit you in waves of nausea. You became sick to the stomach over the thought that others might ridicule you or reject you.
Well, in case you don’t know what had just taken place, there is one apt phrase that describes the phenomena: Vulnerability Hangover.
Continue readingHow to recognise that you need self-love healing to address the needs of your inner child?
Or if your current struggles are connected to a wounded inner child?
According to psychologists, every adult has an inner child.
Your wounded inner child is that part of you that never grew up, even though you are now an adult. She may be your younger self as a newborn or a 6 year old. If she is wounded, it means that she has been holding on to hurt, disappointment, pain or any negative emotions, and her needs have not been met.
If the needs of your inner child remain unresolved, it can potentially affect your mental well-being and relationships. Thus, inner child healing is a crucial part to deep psychological work. It involves the spiritual process of reconnecting to the wounded elements of your inner child.
Here are 7 indicative signs that you need self-love healing which involves “meeting” your inner child…
How to love yourself when you don’t know how?
It’s exactly what it was like when I first started realising that I needed to love myself but have no idea where to start.
I felt embarrassed that I was clueless and that I should already know this stuff. “How to love yourself” sounded like something that everyone ought to know from young. You see…by the time I became aware about the importance of self-love, I was already an adult, married and with young children.
I even found it surprising (and even laughable) to realise that I was clueless.
Surely, I should be some kind of an expert? After all, as I recalled, relationship matters had been a key focus since my younger days. My attention was on dating, partying and looking for a potential partner. Over cups of latte, I would have long conversations with my girlfriends about relationship issues. As things turned out, I found myself failing miserably in my early relationships. I was in and out of love.
Loving yourself quotes are sayings to inspire you for practising greater self-love.
From brilliant poets to inspirational writers and the great sages of all time, each had espoused one and the same: love within yourself leads you to love for all. Self-love is the secret to living fully. Through healthy self-love, you lay the foundation to creating your best life!
(Love who you are. Love yourself through self acceptance, forgiveness and esteem. My collage illustrates Loving Yourself Quote #62 below.)
The following are 101 loving yourself quotes. I have also classified the quotes according to the sub-categories of self-love, where possible. Pick one each day to contemplate over its meaning. Enjoy!
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