It’s not possible to change your childhood, especially childhood trauma. But I think it is possible to connect to your authentic self and with the hopes and desires of your youth through patience, gentle perseverance, and Grace.
Through my previous career working with abused and neglected children, I’ve discovered little pieces of wisdom from therapists and child welfare workers and wisdom from Buddhist and Christian authors, self-help gurus and mindfulness practice.
I invite you to look at the list below, and imagine saying these words to that part of you which is your inner child. Quite possibly, these are words you may have really needed to hear during your childhood.
Words are powerful. Words can heal as much or more as they can hurt.
I invite you to sit comfortably and relax into calmness. Slowly inhale three breaths and exhale. On the in breath, breathe in peace and calmness. On the out breaths, breathe out anxiety and uncertainty. When you have settled into to the space fully, read the following words. I invited you to speak them aloud. Pause in between each group. Hear the words. Does an image come to mind which exemplifies or symbolizes the energy of the statement? If not, that is okay.
- “I am enough just the way I am.” There will always be people out there – parents, teachers, mentors, peers, enemies, even friends – who will say to you that you need to be prettier, smarter, wealthier, have it all together, etc. But YOU are enough.
- “I accept me for who I am.” Accept yourself the way you were when you came to the world and accept each day how you evolve into someone new. You do not have to be anything different for others’ acceptance and compassion.
- “I am not afraid of myself.” Determine for yourself what it means to be you. Avoid internalizing others’ opinions of who you should be.
- “I am not what others think of me.” Not everyone will like you, and that’s okay. You don’t need to seek validation from other people. Your worth is not – and never will be – based on what others think about you. Seek validation from yourself, instead of others.
- “I am so proud of you.” You have so many gifts to give the world, and when you are doing your personal best you can be proud of that. Be proud of who you are and what you do.
- “I have the right to say no.” You always have the right to voice your boundaries or disapproval, even to those that have more power than you. When something doesn’t feel right, you have the right to say “no”.
- “I have the right to say yes.” Learn to overcome your fears and say “yes” to anything that you find meaningful or are truly drawn to. Though saying yes can be surprisingly hard at times, it can be the door to your life’s most powerful moments.
- “Just because I made a mistake, doesn’t mean I AM a mistake.” Making a mistake or doing a bad thing does not make you a bad person; failing at something does not make you a failure. Failure is an opportunity for growth. You are still a good and whole – and holy- person. Get up and try again.
- “I can do what I dream . . . even if no one is doing it yet.” Our ideas of what we can or cannot do are often shaped by what others are doing. Pursue your dreams unapologetically. You are your own person with unique talents and gifts to offer – and the world will thank you!
- “I love what I do.” Keep doing whatever makes you feel joy, even if you aren’t the best at it. Be creative – paint, dance, write, do SoulCollage®, make pottery, garden and love what you do – life is too short to not do something that makes you feel alive.
- “God loves you”. However you name the Unnameable – God/Spirit/Universe, I invite you to believe this Higher Power/Spirit/Consciousness loves you. Engaging in spiritual practices and coming to know the Spirit within can be one of the most fulfilling influences in your life. Find whatever practices and beliefs work for YOU and brings you the most joy, compassion, gratitude, and meaning into your life. How you do it and with whom you do it is up to you. Find someone who will companion you on your journey!
- “I love you.” Say it again out loud to yourself. Plain and simple, we all need and deserve love and should give it freely to those dearest to us. Love is the highest form of energy and is a powerful way to manifest all that is good in your life and all that you desire.
Remember words are powerful. They can either uplift you, or weigh you down. So choose to uplift yourself – and others – with your words so you can reconnect with and freely reveal the authentic person you are and always have been.
You are gift. You are blessing. You are Loved.
Blessings – Christy
(This blog is not intended to serve as individual spiritual direction. Spiritual direction and spiritual companioning is typically done face to face in a confidential setting or can be done via Zoom or other virtual platform. If you would like to explore one on one spiritual companioning, group companioning, SoulCollage©, the Labyrinth or Reiki, please contact me. If you, your faith group, your church or your book club would like to know more about spiritual companioning, please contact me to schedule an informational workshop. In the meantime, my hope is that the photos and this blog serve as a pause in your day, food for thought, or just a reminder to breathe in and breathe out all that is holy and good. The Divine Milieu is all around us. Thank you all for prayers, vibes, positive energy and support.)