Parent Yourself Again: Love Yourself the Way You Have Always Wanted to Be Loved (Self-Compassion Book 3)

by Yong Kang Chan

Overprotection includes protecting things that do not need to be protected; for example: emotions. Negative emotions such as sorrow and anger might feel unpleasant and overwhelming but they will not destroy us. Overprotecting yourself from emotions makes the nurturing job of your inner parent much harder. The nurturing role is all about validating the feelings of your inner child. If you block your emotions completely, how can the inner child express them? The key to protecting your inner child is to protect without attachment. When you are detached, you push your inner child away and avoid taking responsibility for its feelings and behaviors. When you are attached to your inner child, you cling to it and you suffer, too. It’s as though you are also a victim. But when you are not attached, you are just there with your inner child. You know how the inner child feels, but you don’t lose yourself. You are on standby mode, staying mindful and watching how the whole situation plays out and how your inner child reacts to the situation. Then you respond accordingly.