Hey friends, it's Dora here.
Let's be real, bedtime can feel like a constant battle.
The tantrums, the stalling, the screen fatigue, it's a lot.
That's why we created Wiggle to Wind Down, a brand new kids sleep podcast from Headspace and Cocomelon.
Each episode helps your little one move, breathe and settle into a soothing bedtime story so they can relax and you can finally exhale.
Search for Wiggle to Wind Down wherever you get your podcasts and make bedtime a little easier for everyone.
Hi, welcome to Radio Headspace.
It's Dora.
Thanks so much for joining me today.
So I was talking to a friend who was going through a hard time a few weeks ago.
They were feeling stuck, doubting themselves, feeling like they had to have it all figured out.
And without even thinking, I said, you're doing better than you think.
You're allowed to go slow.
You're still growing.
And in that moment, something inside me softened.
Because I realized those words weren't just for them.
Those were words my younger self had always longed to hear.
Sometimes healing doesn't look like some big dramatic moment.
It looks like quietly becoming the person you needed when you were younger.
The calm voice, the steady hand, the reminder that you're enough, even in the messy in-between parts.
And the beautiful thing is, you can give that to yourself now.
You can offer what wasn't offered.
Say what was never said and be the presence that your younger you needed but maybe didn't receive.
And that's the essence of self-parenting, a practice rooted in mindfulness and self-compassion.
It's not about blaming or fixing the past.
It's about nurturing the parts of us that are still healing.
I have this memory from childhood.
I was maybe 9 or 10 and I had gotten in trouble at school for something small like talking out of turn or forgetting an assignment.
It wasn't a big deal, but I remember the wave of shame that hit me.
Not because anyone yelled, but because I was already so hard on myself.
I went home that day and sat in silence, afraid to tell anyone.
Afraid that that one mistake meant I was bad.
Fast forward to a few years ago, I had just started working in a new role.
There was pressure, lots of eyes on me, and in one moment I slipped up.
I missed a detail in an important project.
And instantly, that same old feeling washed over me.
Tight chest, sinking stomach.
The inner critic whispering, see, you always mess things up.
You're not good enough for this.
But something different happened this time.
Instead of believing that voice, I paused.
I took a breath.
I put a hand on my heart.
And, without even thinking about it, I said softly it's okay, you're learning, you're allowed to make mistakes and you're still worthy of love.
It felt awkward, but also healing.
In that moment, I wasn't just comforting my adult self.
I was speaking directly to that little girl who didn't know how to soothe herself, who thought perfection was the only way to earn love.
And I realized I didn't need someone else to show up and say the right thing anymore.
I could become that person for me.
So, if you find yourself on this journey of healing, of getting to know your inner child, Here are some gentle ways to begin.
Number one is to identify your younger self's unmet needs.
Think about what you needed growing up but didn't consistently receive.
Was it emotional safety, encouragement, playfulness, room to make mistakes?
Number two is to bring that energy into your present life.
Speak to yourself with compassion.
When you're struggling, try saying, I'm here with you.
You're still lovable even when things go wrong and you don't have to have it figured all out.
Number three is use mindfulness to help build self-awareness.
Notice when old wounds or beliefs show up.
Instead of reacting with judgment, respond with a deep sense of presence and care.
Take a deep breath.
Ground into your body.
Let your response be slower and softer than what you were taught. is let your growth be an offering.
Every time you take care of yourself, every time you rest without guilt, ask for help or try again after failing, you're building something your younger self didn't know was possible.
And that is powerful.
So remember, you're not too late.
You're simply building what you didn't receive.
Becoming the voice, the nurturer, the protector your younger self deserved.
And that is real sacred work.
So today, if no one else tells you, I'm proud of you.
You're doing beautifully.
Keep becoming, keep remembering and keep softening.
Thanks so much for being here.
We'll see you around.
