Healing the Inner-Child: Connecting with Childhood Joy to Fill Your Cup

Written By: Khadeejah Kurdi, LSW, MSW

We are taught once we enter adulthood we have certain ways of behaving we have to follow. More time for work, very little time for play. When we enter these mindsets though we begin a process of self-neglect if we don’t find a balance. Soon enough it becomes all work and “I’ll start that hobby tomorrow” or “I’ll call them back in a day.” We start to neglect our relationships then neglect ourselves. Soon enough we are left with no energy to give but there are always chances for repair. 

Impact on Identity

Burn out is the consequence of neglecting ourselves to a point of having little drive to take care of ourselves or engage in our relationships. It is directly a psychological response to prolonged stress and lack of emotional regulation. Most people overly attach themselves to their work and that becomes the sole focus in their lives. We start to attach our identity to our work identity only and in doing so we neglect who we are as a human being. The reality is when we overly give to a title we can quickly lose connection with ourselves and our own identity. They become mixed. If this process continues it can lead to further depersonalization and create a more cynical view of ourselves and the world around us (The Impact of Burnout on Professional Identity Development – I-O Psychology Articles, 2025). You deserve to exist outside of the daily tasks you have to do. Remind yourself that you are more than just a title given at work. A person exists within that as well.

A Chance For Repair and Self Connection

To heal and better connect with ourselves, we should be looking inward towards a point in our lives where we were unabashedly ourselves. Connecting again with our inner child who found joy in interests and socializing with new people. There is no harm in reconnecting with a state in our lives to find joy again as long as there is still a balance maintained to avoid full regression. No matter how old we get, we still feel some excitement when seeing merchandise for an old favorite show or subconsciously keep tabs on an old favorite actor. 

How To Start Reconnecting With Yourself

Our inner child never really leaves, they just sometimes get buried in the hustle and bustle of adulthood. Making time to reconnect, even once a week, can give a chance to recharge. Here are some suggestions on self-care practices that encourage reconnection:

• Take a moment to sit with yourself, write a letter to your inner child and acknowledge self growth. 
• Take time to account for past relationships and what has changed in the time that has passed. 
• Engage in a moment of reconnecting with yourself and find your old interests again. 

Final Thoughts

You are never too old to find joy and fun in life. Even if it means taking up a new hobby you always wanted to try, by engaging yourself in moments of honoring your creativity and inner-child you reconnect with your identity. We all deserve an opportunity to find small moments of joy again. If you need support, our therapists are here to support. 

Resources:

The Impact of Burnout on Professional Identity Development – I-O Psychology Articles. (2025). Iresearchnet.com. https://psychology.iresearchnet.com/articles/the-impact-of-burnout-on-professional-identity-development/

About the Author

Khadeejah Kurdi specializes in supporting individuals navigating burnout, life transitions, and chronic stress, with a strong focus on rebuilding self-esteem and a sense of self-worth. She tailors her approach to each client, drawing from evidence-based methods such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help clients better understand, process, and recover from emotional exhaustion.