12/12/2025
“…But I shouldn’t complain”
It’s easy to look at our past and dismiss it from our adult perspective.
Reflecting on the challenges and experiences you had growing up you may find yourself comparing with others and telling yourself what you went through wasn’t that bad, others had it much worse or have it worse today.
This comes up a lot for my clients, but when they give their past the recognition it deserves huge shifts can happen.
The truth is, even if from an objective view someone does look like they have gone through worse than you or are suffering more, it’s not about them – it’s about YOU.
That’s not me being harsh because the thing that gets forgotten is that:
- It’s about how you interpreted things as an infant, toddler, child or young teen.
- It’s about the messaging you took from those experiences that have shaped what you believe to be safe and possible for you now.
- It’s about what you felt at the time and the personality traits you hid because they you brought you harm or shame.
- It’s about the stress you couldn’t escape from or fully process that’s still impacting you now.
So please never judge your past through your adult eyes and never belittle your personal experiences.
They happened to you and had significance and meaning to you in your world.
They impacted you and shaped you into the person you are today.
Allow them to have the meaning they had for your younger self.
It’s only when you acknowledge those experiences, no matter how small or trivial they may seem to you now, that you can truly heal and move forward.
What do you need to acknowledge and honour for your inner child today?