Feel free to close your eyes and see if you can go inside and do a bit of a reflection on a season of life somewhere between the ages of 5 and 15 and see if you can see yourself.
Not everyone can see images in their mind,
So if you're someone who has a tricky time with images in your mind,
Just imagine the feeling of being one of those ages or if you can remember the setting that you were in,
Maybe it was your family backyard,
Maybe you were on a trip somewhere,
Maybe it was one of your favorite places that you like to go and play.
But just notice,
Bring that to mind and just notice where are you.
Sometimes it helps to kind of in your mind's eye to look down at your feet.
So if you're able to do that in your mind's eye or if you're able to feel the feelings of that age,
Whatever that age was,
And go to a time where you were really enjoying yourself.
So this is a time where you really felt like I am myself,
Not caring what other people think,
Not caring how you're perceived,
Just like having a good time.
Spend a moment with yourself as a young person,
Somewhere between the age of 5 and 15,
And see if you can remember what they feel like,
What he or she or they feel like to you.
What's their company like?
What did they love doing?
What did you love doing as a kid?
What kinds of activities,
What did you get up to?
What was it that really absorbed your attention,
Like you could do it all day?
What types of things lit you up?
How did you feel the most yourself?
What were you up to when that was happening for you?
And then in this reflection,
I want you to see yourself as a child,
Sit down on a big comfy chair.
And the chair is big enough that you're going to sit as an adult right beside yourself as a young person.
So little you sits in the chair,
And then grown up you asks little you if it's okay to sit beside you on that big chair.
And see what that feels like.
And then if it's okay,
Go ahead and sit down next to yourself and see if yourself would like a little snuggle.
Maybe she'd like to climb on your lap,
They'd like to climb on your lap.
Maybe you can just have some time close to them,
Seeing what it feels like to just be with yourself.
And looking at this amazing younger human being that you know so much about,
Just appreciate them right now for who they are.
Appreciate little you for who they are.
And then I want to invite you if there's something you want to say to little you,
That you can imagine might have been really wonderful to hear from grown up you when you were that age.
So when you were that age,
If you could have had grown up you come and find little you and say you anything,
I would want to hear as a little one that everything's okay,
And that I'm okay.
That's for me,
That's what I needed to hear.
I needed to hear that it was okay,
And that I was okay.
Is there anything that little you would like to hear from you,
You sitting close,
Being company with each other.
And then is there anything else that big you would like to say to little you,
In having this amazing little moment where time kind of overlaps with big you and little you.
Is there something that you want to say now that you're a grown up person to little you?
An encouragement or something you see in them,
Something you want to remind them of,
Maybe you want to tell them that you love them.
What is it that you want to share with the little you beside you?
And now this visit is just a little visit,
But we're going to be able to come back to this type of visit anytime we want.
We have the freedom to come back to this type of visit with ourselves anytime we want.
So if you can thank little you for spending some time with you,
And reminding you who they are,
Who you are,
Just give them a little squish,
A little appreciation,
A little care for hanging out,
Being seen,
Being known.
And then when you feel ready,
Come on back to the group here.
Come on back with us.
There's something really radical about connecting with one's self.
I feel like we live in a world that's constantly taking us away from ourselves.
And it feels really precious and rare to spend time with ourselves.
The self that belongs to us,
That belongs with us,
That is us.
And part of my interest in carving out this time is to be intentional with how we are with ourselves.
I want you to just reflect on where we've gone today.
And just consider if you've touched maybe a part of you that has felt hidden,
Or underground,
Or tender.
And if there's anything in you that has an ability to commit to befriending that part,
Being with that part of you.
Just really recognize that there's learning happening,
There's growth happening,
If that's a new part that you're spending time with.
And consider where you find yourself editing,
Or being less than you really are.
And who are you protecting?
What is that editing doing to your sense of self?
And then,
Lastly,
I would love for you to think about one action that you're taking into the week from here.
What's one small way that I can,
In a devoted,
Caring way,
Come more fully out into my life?
Into myself,
With myself,
Befriending myself.
And just really reflect on that.
