Adults Misbehaving: Inner Child Wisdom

We all are affected by the things we learned or picked up as children.

Sometimes it ruins our partnerships.

Other times, it holds us back from success.

Or being a great leader. Or friend. Or parent. Or partner.

In the past year I've spent a LOT of time (bi-weekly) with Taylar to connect with, and heal my inner child.

I refer to her as my childhood nickname, Jeni. 👧 

She is an overachiever.

She likes to be in charge.

This makes her a great leader, and businesswoman.

But the shadow of this makes her a difficult partner, and a tendency toward being a lone wolf.

The shadow means I never got to play, because I was always holding down life for my parents and siblings.

The shadow means I felt way too much responsibility as a child.

So as an adult, I'm facing issues in my relationship because I'm not naturally playful.

Or I want to explore in ways that others my age got to back in college... and it's just now something at almost - 40 that I'm feeling deprived of.

It takes an understanding and willing partner to hold us when our Inner Child wants to come out and show herself.

Sometimes that comes out as Bratty Jeni - an archetype I've never embodied before I met Scott. She acts out (playfully) in order to receive discipline.. and she enjoys it.

Other times my Inner Child comes out in a rush of emotions that aren't appropriate for the particular situation.

Like when I needed help putting together a desk for my son and got stuck on an assembly step. Instead of processing Scott's troubleshooting questions like a logical adult, I freaked out and told him not to treat me like a child. 🤦‍♀️

I was literally shaking with rage at his tone and technique.

It's time for us as adults to learn how to get in touch with our Inner Child, to listen to their concerns and fears. All the ways they were mistreated.

Then hold them, tell them it's all going to be ok, and embody what being a whole, complete human looks like.