Self-parenting is a way to celebrate your inner child, away from addiction, trauma, and the pain of what you experienced. Knowing how your inner child feels and speaking into that is vital for maintaining sobriety. Learning how to cope with emotions and feelings as an adult will help tap into your inner child and find the fun in life again.
Sadness
Our inner child can be sad for many reasons. When feelings are not addressed and helped in a healthy manner to be developed, they lead to resentment than anger. Pretty soon, our inner child is throwing a temper tantrum. This is happening as an adult and can make you feel small, like a child, when you want to feel more grown up and in control of your emotions.
Anger
We know from experience a child whose anger is not acknowledged and addressed will likely act it out on others. Unaddressed anger often escalates to violence. If you haven’t learned how to self-parent, you may be unable to help the little boy or girl inside cope with anger as it arises as an adult.
Fear
When a child is afraid, she or he may grab a blanket or stuffed animal. This will continue as the adult learns ways to cope with difficult feelings. Food, drugs, alcohol, pornography, and more are ways adults cope. The inability to address feelings of shame and fear can lead to addictive disorders and mental health challenges as an adult. Learning to release the fear and feel healthy will bring you wholeness in your life and healing.
Happiness
The most simple of four feelings is joy and happiness. When kids are happy, we know it. They will be happy until they are not anymore. Forcing ourselves to ignore or subdue happy feelings contradicts who we are are and neglects self gratitude. This is an expression of thanksgiving for something good. An adult would never go to a child and say stop being happy. This is not normal and a child who grows into an adult who cannot be happy may end up with lots of challenges. If you want to be happy and tap into that inner child, focus on these emotions. Tap into what you feel when you are frustrated, angry, sad or happy. Figure out a way to build those emotions into a positive way of being by working with a therapist who can help you release those emotions and make some progress. You will feel better and much more joyful as you seek to have the fun you deserve in life.
Oceanfront Recovery offers a place that will help you focus on peace and rest. If you are seeking a space to recover from addiction where you are close to the ocean and can be around others pursuing the same ideals, call us. We will provide individualized programs and services designed to help you gain insight and wisdom into your addiction so you can move into a more blissful and peaceful place in recovery: 877-279-1777
