When was the last time you felt pure joy while doing something completely unproductive—just for fun? For me, that moment came when I picked up a pen and started doodling for no reason at all.
I wasn’t trying to make “good” art. I wasn’t thinking about followers or productivity. I was just drawing like I used to when I was 7 years old—freely, playfully, without judgment.
And in that moment, something clicked:
I had reconnected with my inner child.
🧸 What Is Your Inner Child?
Your “inner child” is the part of you that still remembers how to play, wonder, and feel joy without guilt. It’s the curious, creative, and sensitive version of yourself that often gets silenced by adult responsibilities.
Doodling can become a powerful gateway to reconnect with that part of you.
✍️ How Doodling Helped Me Get There
1. I Let Go of Perfection
As kids, we don’t care if our drawings look “good.” We draw monsters with three eyes and rainbow dogs—and love them. Doodling helped me remember that creativity isn’t about outcomes, it’s about joy.
2. I Made Time for Play
I started scheduling 10 minutes of unstructured doodling before bed. No prompts. No plan. Just me and a pen. And slowly, that small habit became the most healing part of my day.
3. I Started Listening to My Emotions
Some days my doodles were bright and silly. Other days, they were chaotic scribbles. Either way, they were honest. Doodling gave me a way to listen to myself without needing the “right” words.
💡 How You Can Reconnect Too
Here are 5 simple ways to use doodling as a tool for emotional reconnection:
- Draw like a kid again. Stick figures, silly faces, sunshines. No rules.
- Keep a “feelings journal” with doodles. Draw how your day felt.
- Use your non-dominant hand. It removes control and adds playfulness.
- Turn on your favorite childhood songs and doodle to the rhythm.
- Don’t show anyone. Keep it private so there’s zero pressure to impress.
🌈 The Joy Is in the Imperfection
Reconnecting with your inner child doesn’t require therapy (though it helps), a retreat, or even deep journaling. Sometimes, it just takes a notebook and a pen.
Let yourself draw badly. Let yourself play. Let yourself feel silly.
That’s where the healing begins.
That’s where joyful doodling lives.
