I have just recently published my first book called “The Litte One in Me”
Its a story that speaks to the fact that there is a younger part of each of us that never truly disappears.
It is the little one who laughed freely, trusted deeply, wondered endlessly, and longed to be loved just as they were.
For some, it is also the little one who felt unseen, frightened, criticised, rejected, abandoned, alone or sadly hurt.
Although our bodies grow older, those younger parts remain within us. They don’t stay trapped in the past—they quietly influence how we experience the present.
This is what counsellors refer to as inner child work.
Despite the name, it isn’t about becoming childish or living in the past. It is about recognising that younger parts of ourselves may still carry hurts, fears and unmet needs from earlier experiences.
These younger parts often show themselves through our triggers.
Perhaps someone doesn’t reply to your text message, and suddenly you feel rejected.
A friend cancels plans, and you feel unexpectedly abandoned.
Your partner seems distant, and you become anxious that you’re no longer loved.
Someone offers constructive feedback, yet it feels like deep criticism.
A noise or a smell brings a feeling of extreme overwhelm.
You find yourself people-pleasing, unable to say no because you’re afraid others will be disappointed in you.
A disagreement leaves you feeling overwhelmed, even though part of you knows the situation isn’t dangerous.
These reactions are often bigger than the situation itself because they are connected to experiences from much earlier in life.
Our nervous system remembers what our mind may have forgotten.
Inner child work invites us to become curious instead of critical.
Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?”, we begin asking,
“What happened to me?”
“What younger part of me is hurting right now?”
“What did I need then that I can begin to offer myself today?”
Healing doesn’t happen by ignoring our younger parts or telling them to “get over it.” Healing begins when our adult self learns to gently turn toward them with compassion.
We begin to notice our triggers without shame.
We learn to comfort ourselves instead of criticising ourselves.
We start responding rather than simply reacting.
Over time, those younger parts discover they are no longer facing life’s challenges alone.
That is the heart behind my book, The Little One in Me.
It is a gentle invitation to slow down, notice the younger parts of yourself that may still be waiting to be seen, and discover that healing often begins with one simple message:
“I’m here now.”
Perhaps today you could simply ask yourself:
What would my little one want me to know?