你今天照顾到自己内在的小孩了吗｜Did You Take Care Of The Little You Today?

往下拉阅读中文版。

We often say, “Be kinder to yourself.” It sounds easy, but in practice, it’s one of the hardest things to do. We know we should be more gentle with ourselves, but when things go wrong, we’re often the first to criticize, to deny our own feelings, to be harsher than anyone else ever would.

Sometimes, it feels like being kind to ourselves is harder than being kind to others. When a friend is hurting, we comfort them. But when it’s our own pain, we dismiss it: “Don’t be so dramatic. Just tough it out.” It’s like we carry a strict headmaster inside us, constantly scolding and pointing out what we did wrong.

Try this instead:

Imagine yourself as a five-year-old child. That shy little kid is still with you—clutching the hem of your shirt—facing the adult world alongside you, every single day.

Think about it.

That small child has to sit through boring meetings, make awkward small talk at business lunches, handle stressful work calls, and still attend social events at night. To adults, it’s just another day. But to a five-year-old, it’s like navigating a series of impossible challenges straight out of an adventure story.

We’ve gotten used to pushing through and telling ourselves “It’s not a big deal.”

But if you saw an actual child trying to handle all of this on their own, your heart would break: “This little one must be so scared.”

And yet, when it comes to ourselves, we forget that same compassion.

The pain and exhaustion we ignore don’t just vanish. They show up in restless nights, sudden irritation, and that heavy, unexplained feeling of burnout. We keep telling ourselves we should be stronger, but we rarely pause to ask: “Are you tired right now?”

Taking care of yourself isn’t complicated. It’s actually as simple as caring for a child:

• “We have three meetings today. Would that five-year-old feel exhausted?”

• “Another lunch with clients—would the little one feel too anxious to eat?”

• “It’s already late and we’re still working. Is the child maybe just missing home?”

This isn’t weakness. This is the most grounded form of tenderness.

Admitting that there’s always a small, vulnerable child inside you who still needs love—that’s not immaturity. That’s courage. Real, grown-up courage.

Because when we learn to treat ourselves the way we’d treat someone we deeply cherish, that’s when life finally starts to feel a little lighter.

我们常常说"要对自己好一点"，但是这句话听着容易，做起来却特别难。明明知道该多心疼自己，可一到事儿上，还是忍不住苛责、否定，对自己比谁都狠。

仔细想一下会觉得，似乎对自己好比对别人好要难。朋友受委屈了我们会安慰，可轮到自己，反而觉得"矫情什么，忍忍就过去了"。这种别扭劲儿，就像心里住了个严厉的教导主任，整天板着脸训人。

不如试试这个小方法：把自己想象成五岁时候的样子。那个怯生生的小朋友，现在正牵着你的衣角，跟你一起面对成年世界的每一天。

想想看，这个小朋友要跟着你去开枯燥的会议，要陪客户吃尴尬的商务午餐，要应付难缠的工作电话，晚上还要强撑着参加社交活动。对大人来说这些是日常，可对一个五岁孩子来说，每件事都像冒险故事里的难关。

我们早习惯了咬牙硬撑，觉得"这有什么大不了的"。可要是真看见一个幼儿园小朋友要独自面对这些，肯定会心疼得不得了："这么小的孩子，该多害怕啊！" 但轮到自己的时候，却总忘了这份体贴。

那些被我们忽略的委屈和疲惫，并不会真的消失。它们会变成失眠时的辗转反侧，会变成莫名其妙的烦躁，会变成突然涌上心头的无力感。我们总觉得自己应该更坚强，却忘了问问："现在的你，累不累？"

其实照顾自己没那么复杂。就像对待小朋友一样简单：

• "今天要开三个会，那个五岁的你会不会困？"

• "中午又要应酬，小家伙会不会紧张得吃不下饭？"

• "加班到这么晚，小朋友该想家了吧？"

这不是矫情，而是最实在的温柔。承认自己心里永远住着个需要被呵护的小孩，不是软弱，反而是最成熟的勇敢。当我们学会像对待最珍视的人那样对待自己，日子才会真的变得轻松起来。