When did we start walking around puddles instead of through them?
As artists, we’re told to “grow up” and “be realistic.”
But here’s the truth: your inner child is your secret weapon for creating art that sets souls on fire.
Let’s not talk about productivity or strategy, but how to never lose your inner child. You know, that magical part of you that creates without fear or judgment just like a child. That feeling of picking up a crayon and drawing without caring what anyone thought.
When your imagination ran wild and free, and creating wasn’t about being “good enough” – it was simply about the joy of making something?
Let me show you how to not just preserve, but celebrate that spark of wonder that makes you uniquely, magnificently you. ✨
Because imagine: the key to unlocking our most authentic creativity isn’t about pushing harder or doing more, but about reconnecting with that playful, curious part of ourselves that knows how to create without fear? 🥰
Why Your Inner Child is Your Greatest Creative Asset
Children create without the weight of expectations or the fear of judgment. They don’t worry about their art being “marketable” or if it fits current trends.
They simply create from a place of pure joy and wonder. ✨
Children possess this magical ability to see possibility everywhere — and guess what? You still have that gift within you.
When we get older, we (often) get stuck in logical, linear thinking. And there’s a good reason for it! We need to learn how to negotiate salaries, calculate enough income to pay our bills, make decisions that ensure our financial, social and emotional stability.
But there’s a fluidity in creativity that accesses the imaginative, sensitive, highly attuned state that’s essential for artistic creation.
All artist’s most natural creative states is one of being moment-to-moment and truthful, with a childlike state of possibility and “what if.”
⚡️ Related: How to Recognize & Recover from Creative Burnout
The Difference Between Being Childlike and Childish
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room: being childlike doesn’t mean being childish. There’s a beautiful distinction here that’s worth understanding.
Being childlike in your creativity means welcoming back in beautiful, childlike qualities, like:
- Wonder and curiosity about the world
- The ability to be fully present in the moment
- Emotional honesty and authenticity
- Imaginative thinking and playfulness
- The courage to try new things without fear of failure
Being childish, on the other hand, involves:
- Avoiding responsibility
- Acting without considering others
- Refusing to grow or learn
- Emotional reactivity without awareness
There’s a difference! 🫶
Daily Practices: How to Never Lose Your Inner Child
Creating Without Purpose (Just for Joy!)
When was the last time you created something just because it made you happy?
Not for your portfolio, not for social media, not for anyone else – just for the pure joy of making?
The next time you create, practice, pursue your art — whatever you may call it! Consider giving yourself just one rule: to create without any purpose or expected outcome.
🎵 Write a line of a song and don’t finish it.
📝 Draw a picture that you might not want to finish.
✨ Write a ridiculous story that you’ll never show anyone.
🤸♂️ Choreograph a dance and record it, knowing you might never look at it again.
The magic happens when we release the need for our creativity to be “productive” and simply allow it to be playful.
💫 Related: Creative Healing: How to Make Your Art Feel Magical Again
Finding Wonder in the Ordinary (AKA, Romanticizing Your Lifestyle/Process)
Reigniting childlike wonder starts with opening your eyes to the magic around you.
Children have this incredible ability to find magic in everyday moments – a skill we desperately need as artists. In fact, it’s why people seek art in the first place. We want to feel something.
Think about why you turn to Netflix — specifically, shows like Parks and Rec, The Office, or movies about “real life.” We want to feel something. We want to see something special in something ordinary, whether that’s through humor, or through romanticized, heightened dramatic emotions.
This is what people mean when they say “romanticizing” something. When you look around and see —
🌞 The way the sunlight creates a pattern on your wall in the morning
💫 The perfect almond milk swirl in your tea
🌱 The peaceful sounds when you’re on a walk in nature
What rituals can you implement into your day-to-day life to help you notice these magical moments?
Making Space for Play in Your Creative Practice
Let’s explore some playful creativity exercises that can help reconnect you with your artistic essence —
- Go on artist dates
- Give yourself silly challenges or constraints (like creating using only three colors) — ask your Insta audience or an AI tool to give you a little challenge!
- Dance to at least 1 song every day — like nobody’s watching!
Tips for Inner Child Healing for Artists
Learning how to never lose your inner child is essential for artistic growth. And inner child healing for artists begins with acknowledging where we might be (creatively) blocked.
Therapy (!!!)
Can we normalize therapy for artists? Because honestly, it’s one of the most powerful tools for reconnecting with your inner child and clearing creative blocks.
A (good!) therapist can help you:
- Process old wounds that might be blocking your creativity
- Develop healthier relationships with perfectionism and self-criticism
- Learn to trust your creative instincts again
- Create safe spaces for emotional expression
Movement Movement Movement (Releasing Tension)
Your inner child knows that movement is joy – and your body holds so much creative energy!
I mentioned dancing once before, but heck, it’s one of the easiest and fastest ways to access your inner child.
There are so many ways that movement itself can free the tension inside your body that’s blocking you from accessing your inner child. Here are two more of my favorites —
- Yoga — there’s a great attitude in yoga where you don’t need to be perfect. Lots of instructors will call being at the mat “playing”
- Going for walks and listening to nostalgic music — a great combination of movement and saying heyyy to your inner child 👋
Re-Examining Your Diet
This might seem unexpected, but nurturing your inner artist includes nurturing your physical self.
The food and drinks that you put in your body is such an essential part of your day-to-day life. I didn’t think about that sort of thing in high school or a little bit of college. I didn’t look at food labels or think about organic labels.
But now, things are different. I see the difference in how my body works and feels when I eat whole foods vs. processed, chemical-filled foods. 🧘♀️
I believe organic foods should be a right, but unfortunately, it is a privilege. Healing foods, drinks and tools are expensive. So even just the awareness that food can be a great pathway to unlock your truest creative self (and most fearless inner child) can be a great start.
I personally eat plant-based (vegetarian), dairy-free and typically I don’t eat gluten. I also eat whole foods over processed foods as best as possible, and rarely eat takeout!
This specific diet works for my body and makes me feel like I have energy, possibility, flexibility, and excitement. It literally feeds my inner child!
What diets might work for you, what have you been trying to explore, and what are some ways you could be more mindful and intentional about what you eat?
🌞 Related: How to Build a Sustainable Morning Routine *For Creatives*
Keep Your Inner Artist Alive
Your inner child – that pure, creative force within you – is always there, waiting to play and create with you. They don’t care about Instagram likes or portfolio pieces.
They just want to make things that bring joy and express what’s in their heart.
Create an environment that welcomes this playful energy, like —
- Keep art supplies visible and accessible
- Display things that spark joy and imagination
- Make space for “creative messes”
- Surround yourself with people who support your artistic spirit
- Celebrate small creative victories
Your worth as an artist isn’t measured by productivity or perfection. It’s in those moments of pure creative joy, when you’re completely lost in the magic of making something new.
And inner child exercises are beautiful doorways back to your most authentic creative self. And guess what? Your inner child is always there. Even if you feel like you have to reach for her a little bit. 🤝
Want to nurture your inner artist together? Subscribe to my YouTube channel for weekly inspiration and permission to play. Let’s agree right now: never lose your inner child. Let’s rediscover the magic of creating with childlike wonder, one creative adventure at a time. ✨
