Growing Older Means Saying Goodbye to Your Inner Child (Good Riddance - She Was Annoying)

I’ve been reading a lot lately about how you should “get in touch with your inner child.” You know, that sweet, little innocent version of yourself who wants to be seen, heard and holds on to our happy childhood memories and…actually…no…No, I don’t.

I’m over her. She was annoying. She carried way too much childhood trauma and anxiety, which I spent the last 40 years trying to shake off. Sometimes she was clingy and dramatic, way too rebellious, and spent too much time stuck in the past, reliving old hurts. 

So I shooed her away. I don’t need her back.

But lately, in her place, I’ve been noticing that I have an inner old person who gets disturbed by loud noises, wears ugly, comfortable shoes, talks about the weather way more than she should, tells the same stories on repeat, and makes decisions based on the availability of food and a comfortable place to sit down. 

She also keeps tissues tucked in random places (like her bra or the waistband of her underwear), carries snacks and hard candy everywhere just in case, saves bags, boxes, and wrapping paper, and falls asleep in front of the TV while insisting she was only resting her eyes. My God! She acts SO old!

But here’s the thing—she’s not a burden. She’s kinder, more understanding, and forgiving, and far less judgmental than her child version. She’s also finally learning how not to give a f*ck, and I’m really starting to like her.