#14: Conversations with my younger self 💕
This week, we're having a mild identity crisis. Also, an aesthetic that represents where I wish I was right now and some easy three-ingredient cocktails for your weekend festivities.
I’m fascinated by the concept of inner child work. This form of therapy helps you deal with past pain and trauma by “reparenting” your younger self. You talk to your younger self and teach her the lessons she didn’t know then.
Sometimes, I imagine what it would be like to talk to myself at seven years old. When I close my eyes and picture it, Little Me is wearing a hot pink dress and has wildly curly brown hair. She’s wearing socks with little beads on the ankle that clack around when she runs. Her sneakers are pink, too.
Little Me is confident and curious and pretty sure she knows what’s up. That’s a fatal flaw of mine; I tend to think that my knowledge is capped, that I’ve learned all I need to learn to form an opinion with authority.
But then I imagine talking to the younger version of myself, and I don’t know what to say. I want to impart wisdom, but Little Me is seven. What could I say that she could understand? I can't tell a seven-year-old girl to get into therapy earlier or be more vulnerable with her friends.
I don’t think I would impart any wisdom at all. Instead, I would pull out an old bin of Barbie dolls, maybe some coloring sheets, too. I’d sit on the floor with her and play. I’d let her be creative and colorful and vibrant.
And as I do, maybe I’d remember that it’s not actually two people in a room. I am her and she is me.
We are every version of ourselves all at the same time. Everything we’ve done, said, thought, created, and more are stored in our bodies and brains. We're wild combinations of our pasts and presents. Can you even imagine what it would be like to have every version of yourself in one room? The space would have to be endless.
DO’S and DON’TS:
DO: Hang fresh eucalyptus in your shower.
DON’T: Throw your used candle in the trash. Freeze the wax so it pops out easily, then recycle the jar.
DO: Sleep with your phone across the room. I promise your Slack notifications can wait until morning.
DON’T: Overestimate the power of floor time. Laying on the floor is like free therapy, especially after a good workout.
DO: Schedule that appointment you’ve been putting off. I got three cavities filled last week because I put off going to the dentist. It SUCKED. Learn from my mistakes.
DON’T: Stay inside all weekend. A taste of fresh air every once in a while can do a little good.
“Required” reading:
The most beautiful small towns in Europe (CN Traveler)
15 easy cocktails with no more than 3 ingredients (Camille Styles)
This is the book recommendation tool I didn’t know I needed (Literature Map)
90 journal prompts for when you’re in a rut (The Everygirl)
Here’s how Bridgerton is destigmatizing cleavage (Bustle)
This week’s aesthetic: seaside
The heroine recommends: Trader Joe’s Italian soda
I grabbed two bottles of Italian soda (grapefruit and blood orange) on a whim this week during my regular Trader Joe’s run. I had low expectations, but that sh*t is delicious. I pour about a cup into a rocks glass with a few ice cubes for a fancy-ish drink that’s ridiculously simple.
Pick up a bottle (or two) at your local Trader Joe’s.
Click here to submit a recommendation!
Promo corner:
On the podcast: Austen Tosone spills everything she wishes you knew about influencing
A parting thought:
Let’s be kind to ourselves today. We’ve all come so far.
xx, Annie