Set The Stage For Your Child’s Life

I’ve learned that childhood is simply too precious to ignore.

Have you ever stopped to think about how your childhood affects you? Childhood is the ground level in this life. It is our foundation. We simply cannot say, ‘What happens in childhood stays in childhood,’ because the truth of the matter is, it doesn’t stay anywhere.

Our childhood is our base for this life that we lead, and without a strong foundation, we struggle to navigate the waters of life. The good news is… it’s never too late to create a strong foundation for your children or yourself.

Within the first five years of our lives, our core beliefs are set. What are core beliefs, you say? Core beliefs are beliefs that we have about ourselves or life in general that are deeply engrained within us from a young age.

An empowering core belief might be, “The Universe supports me and all is well.” A damaging core belief might be, “I’m not worthy or I’m not enough.” These core beliefs are formed early in life, during childhood, as we watch, listen and learn from our parents, caregivers and teachers.

We all have some empowering core beliefs and some harmful core beliefs. Unfortunately most of us have a tendency to hold onto the negative longer than the positive in life. If you’re feeling ‘stuck’ or a bit discouraged, I can guarantee you that there is a damaging core belief at the root of that feeling.

The bright side is that there are only a few core beliefs that generally hold us back in life. Some examples are: I’m not worthy; good things don’t happen for me; or I’m just not enough. You may or may not know exactly what core belief is holding you back, but it’s truly not necessary to know in order to repair and strengthen your foundation.

All you really need are the 7 Essentials of Creating Strong Foundations for Children and Adults.

1. Love Yourself. That’s right. Love YOU. Take the time to look in the mirror and see how important that person staring back at you is. Not because others have told you how important you are, but because you see the light within. Spend time nurturing and loving yourself just like you would nurture and love a child or pet that depends on you.
2. Feel Your Feelings. Don’t let anyone tell you what you do or do not feel. Get out of your head and into your heart. Feel what’s right for you in life and allow all feelings to process through you (even the dark ones).
3. Quiet the Mind. Take time every day to be mindful. Just feel the breath in your lungs, feel the wind in your hair, or marvel at the vast and beautiful Universe.
4. Put Your Listening Ears On. Listen to that inner voice. Not the voice of fear, but the voice within that guides you based upon how something feels.
5. Remove Toxic Thoughts. Understand that we are driven by only two forces: love and fear. Release the negative thoughts and replace them with inspiration and positive thoughts.
6. Speak Your Truth. Be true to yourself. Don’t hold in your feelings. Communicate your thoughts clearly and effectively, without blame.
7. Plug In. Understand that we are all connected to something much bigger than ourselves and plug into that energy daily.

Whether you are creating a strong foundation for your children today, or repairing and strengthening your own foundation… Childhood is too precious to ignore!