5 Ways to Tap Into Your Inner Child When the Holidays Feel Like Too Much

Winter is supposed to be about slowing down, turning inward, and setting intentions for Future You. In theory, it’s all soft sweaters and reflective moments.

But let’s be honest. It’s a full-speed sprint to the holidays. Family dynamics. Social plans. Emotional landmines. And the low-key pressure to wrap up the year feeling healed, evolved, and ready to hit the ground running in January.

So instead of pushing through or powering up, we’re suggesting something a little different, especially if this time of year tends to hit old triggers. This isn’t about discipline or deep self-work. It’s lighter. More playful. A little nostalgic. And surprisingly regulating.

It’s about reconnecting with your inner child—the tender, expressive, needs-having part of you that still wants comfort, reassurance, and a little joy.

To guide us, we tapped Denise Brady, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, aka The Inner Child Whisperer, for her top tips on reconnecting with the tender, lovable part of yourself for some real-deal self-soothing this season.

“Are there things your inner child always wanted to experience but, for different reasons, never could as a child?” Denise asks.

Good news: This one is simple, and genuinely fun. 

If you’re feeling a sense of loss or longing around traditions, consider this your permission slip to create new ones. You have that power now; you make the rules! Denise reminds us it can be as easy as baking cookies, watching a movie that lights you up, playing in the snow, or even building a snowman just because you want to.

Little kids cry. They use basic, honest language to express what they’re feeling. I’m mad. I’m sad. Sure, your vocabulary has expanded since then, but the core idea hasn’t changed.

“Naming your emotions and allowing them to come to the surface, taking time to be present with those emotions, and releasing them helps emotionally regulate your brain and calms your central nervous system. It also allows yourself to be human and vulnerable,” Denise explains.

Essentially, feelings aren’t a problem. Their information. Let them move freely.

“Tap in and acknowledge there is a little person inside you that needs to be seen and heard,” Denise shares.

Your inner child didn’t disappear. You just learned how to quiet them. They’re still there, influencing your reactions, your needs, your sensitivities. So why not check in? Ask what they want. Rest? Reassurance? Play? A boundary? Sometimes the answer is surprisingly simple.

“Think of all the things they needed to hear during this season back then. There’s still time and room to tell them those things today,” Denise emphasizes.

This isn’t about rewriting the past. It’s about offering the compassion and safety that may have been unavailable at the time. Write it out, or say the words aloud, and let them land.

This season is a lot. Acknowledge that. Let feelings pass through you instead of setting up camp. Your inner child—and your adult self—both deserve to feel safe, without judgment.

Slow breath in, linger a little longer on the out breath. 

We’re here to remind you that the holidays don’t require you to be perfectly grounded, endlessly grateful, or emotionally put-together. They just ask that you show up as you are—feelings, sensitivity, softness, and all.

So if things feel a little loud or overwhelming, take a beat. Offer yourself the kind of care you’d give a kid who’s had a long day. A little patience, play, and a lot of compassion.

You don’t need to grow up any faster. You’re allowed to rest, feel, and let joy be simple. You’re doing great.