The Inner Child Is Still Waiting: Stop Ghosting Yourself

Somewhere deep inside you lives a younger version of yourself who once needed someone to stay. Someone to listen. Someone to look her in the eye and say, “You matter.” That little girl may have waited for years. For comfort that never came. For validation that was never offered. For safety that kept getting postponed.

She is still waiting. And the one she has always been waiting for is you.

When You Keep Disappearing From Yourself

Ghosting yourself doesn’t always show up in obvious ways. Sometimes it sounds like “I’m fine” when you are falling apart inside. It looks like brushing off your truth to avoid confrontation. It feels like being quiet about what hurts because someone else might have it worse. It is staying in places that shrink you, tolerating behaviors that damage you, or performing your way into someone else’s approval.

These are not signs of weakness. They are the signs of someone who learned that disappearing was safer than being seen. That staying silent kept the peace. That not having needs made love more likely to stick around. You adapted to survive. You did what you had to do in homes or spaces where being fully yourself wasn’t safe. But now, these same patterns are standing in the way of your healing.

Your Inner Child Is Not in the Past

We like to think of our inner child as someone we used to be. But the truth is, they are still very much with us. Not as a memory, but as a feeling. That version of you who was abandoned, silenced, or overlooked still lives in your nervous system. Every time you feel invisible, every time you doubt your worth, every time you swallow your truth just to be accepted, that is her.

She does not need your logic. She does not need another justification. She needs your presence. Your love. Your care. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Now.

How to Stop Ghosting Yourself

1. Notice Your Disappearing Acts.

Start paying attention to the moments when you vanish from yourself. Do you freeze when things feel tense? Do you overwork so you do not have to feel? Do you soften your voice or shrink your presence to keep others comfortable? These are signs that your inner child is trying to feel safe. Acknowledge them. Not to criticize yourself, but to build awareness.

2. Reintroduce Yourself to Your Inner Child.

Pull out an old photo. Look at her eyes. Remember her laughter. Her fears. Her wonder. Write her a letter. Ask her what she needs from you today. You may be surprised by how simple the answer is. She probably does not want perfection. She just wants you to stay.

3. Choose Presence Over Performance.

You do not need to have it all figured out. You do not need to put on a brave face. You just need to stop leaving yourself when things get uncomfortable. Speak your truth, even if your voice shakes. Rest when your body asks. Ask for support. Honor your feelings. These are the ways you come home to yourself.

Healing is not about being flawless. It is about being present.

Inner Child Journal Prompts

• What did I long to hear at age seven or thirteen?

• When do I feel most disconnected from myself?

• What would make my younger self feel safe right now?

  
  

Closing Thought

You cannot heal what you keep abandoning. That little girl inside you has waited long enough. You do not have to ghost yourself anymore. Stay. Stay through the discomfort. Stay through the fear. Stay through the healing.

Because your presence is the medicine your past has been waiting for.

And if this resonated with you, take the next step. Join us on the Life’s Deceit Podcast or tune in to our YouTube channel, where we share stories, tools, and conversations that help you keep showing up for the one person who matters most. You.