Inner Parents

 We all have these inner parents that were created when we were children to protect us from external pain. Many of these inner parents were not, (and still are not) nurturing. Their goal was (and still is) to protect you. If that means calling you names or criticizing you to get your attention, and prevent you from, in their opinion, going down a wrong path that will end in pain or more pain, they will do so. Go down this list and imagine saying these things to the child you once were. What difference would it have made in your life, if instead of the over-critical or bullying inner parent, you had had a nurturing, loving, kind and wise inner parent? Who would you be today?