GreyBruceKids_Summer2020

Recently, many of us have been given the gift of time — and
if you haven’t, you’ve perhaps seen your priorities shift in other
ways to recognize the value of your time. How many hours are
you “wasting” on social media, or by watching TV or drinking
alcohol? One hour of scrolling on your phone each day equals
seven hours a week — almost one full working day. Multiply
that over the course of the year and you’ve spent the equivalent
of 45 eight-hour work days on your phone. Over a month-anda-half
of potential work has been wasted with mindless scrolling.
What if you could spend that time on something that enriches
your life or enhances your creativity — something that connects
you to the bliss of childlike freedom and sparks happiness and
fulfillment?
Your inner child is still here. You don’t have to go looking
for them. It’s a matter of making time to be with yourself. I
find keeping a journal to be an excellent tool to start with. It’s
important to write down whatever comes to mind, so don’t
re-read or edit your work until you’re all done. Once you get in
the flow of writing you will be amazed at where your mind took
you! I’ve included some journal prompts to help get you started.
JOURNAL PROMPTS TO RE-CONNECT
TO YOUR INNER CHILD
• As a child, I could spend hours…
• As a child, my favourite outdoor activity was…
• As a child, I loved to…
• What were my strengths growing up?
• What were my weaknesses growing up? Did I overcome
those? Do they hold me back from living my best life today?
• What did I want to be when I grew up?
• How did I want to feel when I grew up?
If journalling isn’t for you, there are other, more active ways to
re-connect to your inner child!
MORE THINGS TO TRY
• Reflect on all of the activities you loved as a child, and take
the time to try one of these again.
• Make a list of all of your favourite childhood foods and
make your favourite meal.
• Write down all of the programs, sports or activities you
participated in as a child.
• Find old photos or videos of yourself as a child, and reflect
or reminisce on who that child was, and the moments that
were captured on film.
• Ask your parents or siblings what they remember most
about you as a child – what did you spend hours doing?
Were you a happy child? What unique traits did you have,
or habits that were uniquely yours?
• Watch your favourite childhood movie, from all stages of
childhood – even your teen years!
• Put on the songs from your favourite bands growing up.
Dance and sing your heart out!
These are all starting points, and, believe me, once you start
listening to your inner child, it becomes easier to hear them.
Once you start, it’s important to actively engage with your inner
child. You could plan a day once a month, or start a new class
once a week — but know that your time is valuable. You should
spend at least some of it on activities you truly love, just because
you love them! If you lack time to do the things you wish you
could, this is an opportunity to re-evaluate. (Full disclosure — I
am by no means perfect. I spend way more time on my phone
than I would like to admit.)
It’s important to look at where you are spending your time and
see if you can make room for yourself.
If you can’t find time for yourself, please ponder this question
honestly: Is it truly because you can’t, or is it because you won’t?
There is a difference, and it’s important to acknowledge this. The
people around you can see this difference. They can tell if you
are choosing can’t or won’t. It feels counter intuitive at first, but
the saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” is so true. It’s
important to fill up your cup first, so you can overflow love and
joy into those around you.
I encourage you to step back and decide how you would like to
spend your time. If you are choosing “won’t” as your excuse, ask
yourself, is it because you simply don’t want to? That’s OK, if