Last weekend, we took an impromptu trip up to the Central Park Zoo. Within minutes of arriving, I ran into one of my closest girlfriends from middle school. We lost touch over 25 years ago (yes, I am that old) but there she was looking the same as ever. Except now with a husband and two kids in tow. Immediately, I was transported back to my 13-year-old self as we briefly reminisced about some of the things we enjoyed doing together as kids (namely, long neighborhood walks and debate club.)
It was a fun encounter. But why am I sharing this here with you now?
Well, I guess you could say it unlocked a door to visit my younger self. Since then, I’ve been thinking about who I was at 13. Obviously, I’m the same person, but I’m also not the same person. Mulling this over inspired me to meditate on it to see what would come up for me. It turned out to be a good thought exercise for me, so I’d love to share with you here some of the questions I sat with.
If you’re the journaling type, feel free to use these prompts to get your memories flowing. And if not, that’s ok too. Just find a comfy spot in your house, maybe light some incense, turn on a relaxing playlist, and let the thoughts come.
A Meditation To Connect With your Younger Self
First, pick an age that you want to reflect on. Personally, I was inspired to revisit my 13-year-old self. I was at the crossroads of becoming a full-on teenager, but still with my childlike innocence intact.
Questions to Consider
What’s a happy memory I have from this age?
What were my favorite activities?
Who were my friends?
What was school like for me?
What sort of music, tv, movies, and books did I enjoy at this age?
What negative emotions come up for me when I think about this age?
What’s an affirmation my adult self can tell my younger self?
What words would have been helpful for me to hear?
What would my younger self think about my current self?
Have I made myself proud?
A powerful tool for personal growth and Self Discovery
Connecting with your inner child can be a powerful tool for personal growth and self-discovery. As we get older, I find that it’s not always easy to hold on to who we once were, for better or for worse. The people we meet, the experiences we have, and all of the normal life stuff that happens, shape us into who we become as adults. And depending on how your life goes, by the time you reach your 30s, 40s, and beyond, who you were at 13 (or whatever younger age you chose to meditate on) can barely feel memorable. Of course, it’s natural for us to grow and change, but reconnecting with who we were during our early years can be an enlightening experience.
How to Process Post-Meditation
My experience doing this exercise was mostly positive, but I also remembered quite a few totally cringe-worthy embarrassing stories (that I will never share, haha.) So you know what I did with those memories? I visualized my older self hugging the younger me. Then I gave myself a pep talk.
Everything you’re doing is great. You are great. It’s okay to feel everything you’re feeling. Your earnestness will continue to be seen and recognized positively by people who love you. Just keep being you because nothing beats authenticity. I continued to write myself a longer letter, but this was the overall gist.
Afterward, I felt lighter. I let go of some of the judgment I carried about myself. I gave myself grace and compassion, a concept foreign to my younger self. Now I am inspired to dig a bit more and next time around, I’ll hop to another delicate time in my life when I was 23. Not sure if I’ll write about it here, but stay tuned.
I’m curious, would you try this exercise? What would you tell your younger self?
Thinking back to my younger self reminded me of this incredible photo project by the artist Conor Nickerson pictured below. What a gift to be able to visualize yourself going back in time.
Disclaimer: revisiting the past is emotional work and it can sometimes feel uncomfortable or even emotionally unsafe to do so. Please only consider doing this exercise if you feel it’s safe for you, or consider working with a qualified professional.
Top photo is my 8th-grade school photo.
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