The 3pm Meeting With Your Eight-Year-Old Self
She’s been waiting. That eight-year-old version of you who knew exactly what brought joy. Who created without criticism. Who rested without guilt. She holds keys to your current transformation.
Schedule a meeting with her. Literally. Block your calendar. Show up with crayons, or music, or whatever made her heart sing. Ask her: What did we know then that we’ve forgotten? What brought us alive?
Her answers might surprise you. Maybe she’ll remind you about dancing in the kitchen. About building things just to build them. About the satisfaction of sorting colored pencils. These aren’t childish pursuits—they’re portals to your authentic energy.
Integration begins with five minutes. Add her wisdom to your Tuesday. Let her redesign your workspace with something ridiculous that makes you smile. Follow her lunch suggestions. Notice how “impractical” choices create practical results—more energy, clearer thinking, genuine enthusiasm.
She knows which projects light you up because she remembers what curiosity feels like without an agenda. She knows which people deserve your time because she can spot authentic connections. She knows when you need rest because she honors natural rhythms.
Your inner child isn’t asking you to abandon responsibility. She’s asking you to remember wholeness. To create from joy, not just obligation. To trust play as a productive force. To know that delight is your birthright.
The corporate world told you to leave her behind. Your transformation requires bringing her forward. She holds half your genius—the half that knows ease creates excellence, that wonder opens innovation, that joy is the point, not the reward.
Today’s Practice: The Permission Letter Exchange
Your eight-year-old self has been holding something for you—permission slips you forgot to claim. Today, you’ll exchange letters across time.
Step 1: Ask Her (5 minutes) Sit quietly with paper and crayons (yes, crayons). Write with your non-dominant hand: “What did I need to hear that nobody said?” Let her answer. Maybe it’s “Your feelings are important” or “You’re allowed to need things” or “Taking up space is okay.”
Step 2: Respond From Now (5 minutes) Write back with your dominant hand. Give her the validation she needed: “I see you. What you felt mattered. What you needed was real. I’m here now.”
Step 3: Create One Permission (2 minutes) Based on her message, write yourself one permission slip for today:
- Permission to rest when tired
- Permission to say “this doesn’t work for me”
- Permission to choose joy over productivity
Step 4: Live It (Rest of today) Honor that permission slip. When resistance rises, remember: you’re not just healing old wounds—you’re reclaiming the wisdom that knows your worth was never in question.
This practice transforms neglect into nurture, one permission at a time. Your inner child needs consistent, small acknowledgments that her feelings—then and now—deeply matter.