Do you ever wish you could just be a kid again? I know I do…Recess. Cartoons. Lucky Charms Cereal. Having a chauffeur drive you everywhere you went (i.e. mom). Using your imagination…

While we often remember it fondly, the good old days weren’t always so good, were they? Time out. Bruises and scrapes. Mean girls. Eating Brussels sprouts… Sometimes as a kid, life was still hard. And as much as I’d like to believe it, the grass is not always greener on the other side. So often in hoping to be on the “other side” of a tough time, we miss life passing us by in the moment.

There’s a saying that goes, “hindsight is 20/20,” and I completely agree.Which brings me to the question: What would you say to your inner child—your former, younger self? Something you know now, that you maybe wish you knew back then. Or something you never thought about until now, as you consider speaking to your inner child?

I believe that God loves us dearly, but sometimes I fail to show myself this same compassion or see myself as beautiful, the way I know God sees me. When I stop and reflect on my inner child, however, I tend to feel more loving, compassionate and caring towards myself. Do you feel the same?

My challenge to you is to write a letter to your own inner child—the girl deep down in you that loved to play kickball in the street with all the neighborhood boys or do 200 hula-hoops in a row in your driveway. The girl who cracked up watching Bugs Bunny on Looney Toons or cried when she read “Old Yeller.” The girl who dreamed big dreams of being a veterinarian, or loved pretending to be a mom while holding her Cabbage Patch dolls.

Simply start by writing “Dear ______,” and say whatever you want to say to that little girl within you.

Talk to yourself about your mom, dad, siblings, school, insecurities, hopes, dreams, ambitions, etc. The sky is the limit! Below is an example of what I wrote to the little Lauren inside of me, my former self who fell into the traps of an eating disorder’s lies that she would be prettier, better and more liked if she restricted her food and worked out obsessively:

Dear Lauren,

How are you? I hope all is well! I wish I could be there to hang out with you more because I think the world of you! You are such a beautiful girl, inside and out. You have the best heart and spirit—so kind, loving, and caring. You are a smart girl, talented and creative, and stunning—just as you are.

You have such natural beauty and I truly believe it is because of your heart shining through those gorgeous eyes of yours and your dazzling smile that radiates within you.

I know how challenging and crazy middle school can be, and that’s why I wanted to write to you. I don’t think I would take any amount of money to go back to that time—it was tough, and kids can be so cruel. But at the end of the day, the experiences you’re going through will shape you into the woman you will become.

Do you remember one afternoon during recess during 4th grade, you were talking with the popular girls and somehow the topic of weight coming up? The most popular girl began to ask how much you all weighed—and when your turn came, you got really embarrassed to share because since you were taller than everyone else in the group, you weighed more too. So you lied and told her, “I don’t know how much I weigh”—but you did…and when you went home that day, you resolved to lose weight in order to be thin, pretty, beautiful and popular. You thought losing weight would solve all of your problems, but boy were you wrong.

Know God says to us, “You are fearfully and wonderfully made, My works are wonderful.” Lauren, you are beautiful inside and out. Don’t you forget it! I love you sweet friend.

Love,
Lauren

If I could go back to do it all over again, I would have never listened to that little 4th grade girl who made me feel inferior for just being me. That year in the 4th grade, a turning point happened: I grew up.

Somewhere along the way in life, our inner child gets lost amidst the hustle and bustle of obligations, stress, deadlines and worries. We grow up, and unfortunately there is no magical fairy dust to make us stay young forever. But today, as a young adult, I have discovered that there are many ways to reconnect with my inner child, even though birthday candles may tell me otherwise.

After you are finished writing your letter, check out these fun ideas for reconnecting with your inner-child below below. Or feel free to create some for yourself…

• Wear mis-matched socks, or a top that doesn’t match your skirt or pants. Dare to be fun and crazy—free your inner child fashionista to shine.
• Climb a tree and read a book in its branches, or do cartwheels in the park.
• Dance and sing along to songs from your youth—be it boy bands, Spice Girls, rock and roll, or 90’s hits.
• Laugh with your friends until your belly hurts.
• Go to your local library or bookstore and pick out a couple of your favorite kid books to sit and read in the store.
• Watch your favorite Disney movie from the past.
• Eat like a kid for a day—PB&J, mac and cheese, Eggo waffles, Lucky Charms, whatever you loved when you were young and carefree.

Photo Credit: A Well Traveled Woman