by Emily Kandanga
As a business owner or manager, we have to deal with a lot of stress. And you need to be strong and may not always know how to overcome your own internal worries and problems, leaving you exhausted and low on energy. But there are ways to address these issues, and a major one comes through understanding that these feelings of being overwhelmed, being stressed and making poor decisions can come from the same root cause: the inner child.
What I’ve discovered over the years is that there is such P-O-W-E-R in healing
your inner child. Your inner child is the part of you who learned “truths” in our childhood – truths that may no longer be true (hint: in most cases they’re usually not!). And when you are ready to soar and make six-figures, it’s the part of us who invisibly creates limits as a means to keep us safe. That safety can block us and in this article we are going to explore this and bring awareness to this part of you which ultimately can lead to those big breakthroughs.
Some signs of a wounded inner child:
● Frustration or irritation
● Big reactions to unmet needs
● Childish outbursts, like throwing tantrums or saying things you don’t mean
● Complaining that no one understands you or you don’t feel heard
● Difficulty explaining your feelings or why you’re upset (alexithymia)
Low self-esteem
A particularly harsh inner critic
Immaturity
Patterns of self-sabotage
Fear of abandonment or commitment issues
Challenges with setting boundaries or expressing your needs
Practising self-compassion and self-care, and developing skills in communication, assertiveness, and emotional regulation are not things we are taught as children. The good news is that it can be learned. I am living proof. Recognizing and addressing my wounded inner child has improved every aspect of my life.
Some other benefits of inner child healing can be:
Understanding how past trauma affects your present behaviour
Developing healthy coping mechanisms
Reconnecting to passions, dreams, and talents you may have put aside
Feeling empowered and in control of your life
Improved emotional regulation
Increased self-esteem, self-compassion, and compassion for others
Inner child work has important emotional benefits, but it can also make a big difference in your relationships and your work. The good news is that by working with a coach to understand and heal our inner child wounds, we can break free from these negative patterns of behaviour and build a more successful and fulfilling career. By gaining a deeper understanding of ourselves and our emotional triggers, we can learn to respond in a more productive and positive way to workplace challenges.
In addition, healing our inner child wounds can improve our relationships with colleagues, employees, and clients. By gaining a greater sense of self-awareness and empathy, we can foster a more positive and collaborative work environment, which can lead to increased productivity, job satisfaction, and business success.
So, as business leaders and professionals, it's essential that we prioritize our mental and emotional health and take the necessary steps to heal our inner child wounds. By doing so, we can unlock our full potential and achieve greater success in both our personal and professional lives.
Join my upcoming manifestation & personal development program to explore this work in greater detail. For full program details email emilykandangacpt@gmail.com
Emily Kandanga is co-founder of Sweat Fitness, a Life & Mindset Coach, and a Yoga Teacher. Emily was born in Windhoek and was raised in New York, Pretoria, and Kuala Lumpur, this exposure to various cultures & food from a young age has greatly influenced her affinity for people. She is passionate about nutrition, cooking, moving her body and engaging with her community. She holds an honours degree in Event Management, a certificate in Personal Training and a Sports Nutrition Diploma. She prides herself in the ability to leverage movement as a vehicle for inspiration to give her community towards achieving their physical and mental well-being.
More articles by Emily
As a business owner or manager, we have to deal with a lot of stress. And you need to be strong and may not always know how to overcome your own internal worries and problems, leaving you exhausted and low on energy. But there are ways to address these issues, and a major one comes through understanding that these feelings of being overwhelmed, being stressed and making poor decisions can come from the same root cause: the inner child.