Remembering to play has been a big part of my healing journey when reconnecting with my inner child.
I have learned that my trauma often caused me, as a kid, to move through life quickly. This gave me little time to actually enjoy my free time, and so as an adult I decided to simply play.
I was watching my children build legos on the floor the other afternoon, and their calmness, joy, and contentment really caught my attention. I put my laptop away, and I joined them on the floor. I felt silly at first, I’m not going to lie. My adult brain immediately started to list all of the things I would not accomplish during my time spent on the floor, but when I started to let go and have fun with my kids, unexpected tears came to my eyes.
In the end, I felt rocked to my core with the realization that my little five year old self was ecstatic to be seen, reconnecting, and joyfully playing with no agenda or goals. Y’all, the healing I felt on the floor with those legos touched my soul.
So, each Tuesday this September during our 30-Day Self-Care Challenge, I have created intentional time for play! No matter how silly I may feel in the beginning, I disconnect from my adult responsibilities and get on the floor with my kids. And I’m delighted to see my own inner child join us for some unabandoned fun.