Reconnect With Your Younger Self

There are days when we don’t know how to process our emotions, decide on our next steps or determine what is actually important. How do you answer those questions? The easy options are to simply turn on Netflix, open the fridge, cry alone, throw a tantrum at our loved ones or beat ourselves up.

But when was the last time you took a moment to sit, check-in and speak with your younger self? When it comes to the past, we tend to think of all the sage advice we wished someone gave our younger self, but have you ever tried to role-play the other way around and ask your younger self for advice? Have you tried asking that ‘less mature’ person what would they do, what do they think is important and what do they actually need to feel safe?  

Connecting with who we were before we let in fear, anxiety, confusion and self-hate is integral in our journey towards self-care. Our younger self was authentic in every sense. 

Try tapping back into an age in your life when you might have been trusting of yourself and when you were your biggest cheerleader. Your attention span couldn’t really hold grudges, your body was perfect the way it was as it allowed you to explore your surroundings and give the best hugs. Your senses were so heightened and you could appreciate every single color, taste and texture as it helped uncover new experiences, adventures and unveil new dreams.

Allow the following exercise to help you relax, reconnect and let your younger self say what it would like to say to you through words or clippings. Allow yourself to let go and have fun. Avoid overthinking about spelling, themes, or trying to make “sense.”  If you are using the visual route remember this is not a vision board. It’s just a space for your younger self to communicate what makes you happy. 

SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED:

• Printed photo of your younger self

• Journal

• Pen/Pencil

• Colorful Markers

• Magazine Clippings

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Imagine yourself younger and at an age where you loved living in the world. What’s different about the way people are treated? How did you look at the world? What would you do for fun? What was your favorite meal?  

2. Write a list of specific descriptions, images, feelings or words that describe your younger self.

3. If using visual images, start off by pasting the picture of your younger self and build out from there until your journal page is full. Remember it’s about creativity, letting go and reconnecting with yourself at a time when you didn’t overthink. 

4. Come back to these pages when you need advice. Check in with your younger self and see what would they say or do and can you take any wisdom from it?