Your inner child deserves a hug and a thumbs-up. Connect with and heal them with these inner child quotes.
We all used to be a child. The giggles, the scraped knees, the dreams as big as the sky—those were the days. But as life grows up, so do we. Responsibilities come knocking, and the simplicity of childhood often slips away.
We learn to silence our thoughts and emotions, take up responsibilities, and close those wide-eyed chapters of our lives. We call it growing up. But the kids we once were never grow with us. They live inside our subconscious mind. Every so often, they appear, influencing our emotions and decisions.
But when you connect with your inner child, you tap into the part of you that you may never know existed. If the adult version of you is the sun, driving you forward with motivation and energy, your inner child is the moon. It keeps all your dreams and wounds waiting to be uncovered.
In this post, you’ll find a list of inner child quotes that will help connect you with them. These quotes shed light on innocence, curiosity, and healing. Reflect and dig deep into these words, and you may rediscover a part of yourself that’s been tucked away for too long.
What is an inner child?
Your inner child is part of you. But it’s not exactly you. In Carl Jung’s terms, it’s the childlike aspect of your unconscious mind.
This inner child holds the memories, feelings, and experiences from your early years. It’s the version of you that felt wonder, needed care and love, and navigated the world with curiosity.
What does it mean to reconnect with your inner child?
I loved exploring nature as a kid, was not afraid of heights, and often followed the beaten tracks. I was bold and fearless, climbing trees without a second thought. My inner child is the underlying tone of my personality, the foundation that shapes my actions and patterns.
Reconnecting with my inner child doesn’t mean I should go on reckless adventures again. Instead, it’s about finding the curiosity and courage that once powered my explorations.
And for you, your inner child work may require you to reparent, giving your inner child the love and compassion they never had. Or it may involve rediscovering activities that once brought pure joy, allowing yourself to play without judgment. Whichever it is, it’s a journey of embracing vulnerability and authenticity.
Inspiring Inner Child quotes
Have you ever wondered why and how to connect with and heal your inner child? The following inner child quotes may just be the answers you are looking for.
In every real man, a child is hidden that wants to play.
– Friedrich Nietzsche
Embrace the glorious mess that you are.
– Elizabeth Gilbert
Within every person, there is a child. That child is filled with wonder, creativity, and the belief that anything is possible.
– Catia Hernandez Holm
Your inner child is waiting for a genuine, heartfelt apology.
– Yong Kang Chan
You’re not alone if you feel guilty about overlooking your inner child. Acknowledging this feeling is the first step. And when you are ready, have an honest conversation with your inner child. Let them know you are here now, ready to listen, love, and protect them.
Perhaps the only contact we’ve had with our inner child for a long time is to scold it, criticize it. Then we wonder why we are unhappy.
– Louis Hay
The child in you, like all children, loves to laugh, to be around people who can laugh at themselves and life.
– Wayne Dyer
To take care of ourselves, we must go back to take good care of the wounded child inside us.
– Thich Nhat Hanh
Healing your inner child is a journey of self-discovery, self-love, and reclaiming your power.
– Unknown
Caring for your inner child has a powerful and surprisingly quick result: Do it and the child heals.
– Martha Beck
Martha Beck’s words echo a simple truth: caring for your inner child brings quick healing. Just the act of acknowledging your inner child and tending to its needs sparks transformation.
Genius is the recovery of childhood at will.
– Arthur Rimbaud
The most sophisticated people I know – inside they are all children.
– Jim Henson
This inner child quote puts it simply: the smartest people have a childlike side. Growing up doesn’t mean losing that kid part; it’s the curiosity about life that makes them stand out.
Let us listen to the needs of our inner child that is being tamed and imprisoned by the rules of a grown-up world.
– Erik Pevernagie
What we remember from childhood we remember forever – permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen.
– Cynthia Ozick
Our inner child is a blend of childhood memories, aspirations, and experiences that shaped us.
When you reconnect to your inner child, these memories may resurface, bringing a flood of emotions and a clearer understanding of your authentic self.
Everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten.
– Hugh MacLeod
If you don’t see yourself as creative, think again. Connecting to your inner child may help you explore your creative side and tap into that unknown territory of imagination and innovation.
To simply be seen, accepted, and embraced without conditions is what the child, who is now an adult, has been obsessed with-not perfect.
– Katherine Morgan Schafler
Some day, you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again.
– C. S. Lewis.
I believe that this neglected, wounded, inner child of the past is the major source of human misery.
– John Bradshaw
When our inner child is not nurtured and nourished, our minds gradually close to new ideas, unprofitable commitments and the surprises of the Spirit.
– Brennan Manning
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.
– Pablo Picasso
It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.
– Tom Robbins
For in every adult there dwells the child that was, and in every child there lies the adult that will be.
– John Connolly
We must remain as close to the flowers, the grass, and the butterflies as the child is who is not yet so much taller than they are.
– Friedrich Nietzsche
Man is most nearly himself when he achieves the seriousness of a child at play.
– Heraclitus
We all have monsters inside of us, and we all have an inner child in us. You always think about your inner child as being the sweet and innocent part of yourself, but it’s also the part that’s all ego with the mentality of, “If the world isn’t pleasing me, it isn’t doing its job.
– Finn Wittrock
This inner child quote emphasizes another fundamental reason we should all engage in introspection – to find the root of false assumptions and limiting beliefs.
This mentality takes away the opportunity for personal growth and resilience. It’s crucial to recognize that acknowledging our inner child isn’t solely about addressing past wounds; it’s also about understanding and transforming entitled or egocentric patterns that may as well pull us back.
Think what a better world it would be if we all, the whole world, had cookies and milk about three o’clock every afternoon and then lay down on our blankets for a nap.
– Barbara Jordan
One of the virtues of being very young is that you don’t let the facts get in the way of your imagination.
– Sam Levenson
Whoever wants to understand much must play much.
– Gottfried Benn
He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.
– Albert Einstein
Above all, never let age extinguish the fire of your inner child.
– s. ajna
Adults are just obsolete children and the hell with them.
– Dr. SeussThe girl you once were, heal for her. The woman you are now, protect her. The queen you were created to be, fight for her.
– Morgan Richard Olivier
Heartfelt dear inner child quotes
If your inner child is standing right before you, what would you say to them? Will it be a heartfelt apology or a pat on the back? The following dear inner child quotes put all the complicated emotions into words.
Things to tell your inner child
Follow your heart and do what you love
It’s ok to feel how you feel
You are enough the way you are now
I support you no matter what
Your needs are validated
Dream big ; you can achieve great things
What would you say to your inner child? Imagine they are sitting right next to you. What is the first thing you want to tell them?
Having a heartfelt conversation with your inner child will help us better understand the impact our past has on our presence. Even better, grab a piece of paper and write down what you want to say to your inner child. This simple way to practice self-love will help you build a more compassionate relationship with yourself.
Dear Inner Child,
You were never supposed to be ignored. Every emotion you’ve ever felt is valid.
Dear Inner Child,
The world can be big and messy, making you feel small and unheard. But you are not alone. I will also be here for you, reminding you that you matter, your dreams are real, and you deserve love.
Dear Inner Child,
You are not a burden for being sad, scared, worried or hurt.
Dear Inner Child,
Your innocence is precious, and your curiosity is a gift. Never lose them.
Dear Inner Child,
You are not defined by your trauma, your wounds, or anything that has happened to you. You are a powerful being that can walk out of the cloud with a smile on the face.
Dear Inner Child,
I am sorry if I silenced you to have a sense of control or safety. I am sorry if I neglected you just to fit in. Now that I know it’s you, the authentic, unapologetic part of me, that makes me special.
Dear Inner Child,
It’s ok if you haven’t met all expectations put on you. You are allowed to set your own goals, be imperfect, and to grow at your own pace.
Dear Inner Child,
You are not responsible for everyone’s happiness. Stop feeling guilty about things beyond your control.
Dear Inner Child,
It’s okay to be different. Every bit of your quirkiness is something to be proud of.
Dear Inner Child,
It’s okay if you’ve built walls to protect yourself. But you can open windows on those walls to let the light in.
Which of these inner child quotes resonates with you?
Leave a comment below and share your thoughts.