Sometimes, the little fragile girl in me still believes those old stories that kept her from living her truth. She heard, over and over, that she had no power to change anything, and that life was just “God’s will” and had to be accepted as it was. And so she believed she was powerless… a victim of the story.

She grew up feeling abandoned, unseen, unheard. She was compared, mistrusted, manipulated, and punished. She learned to build layers of coping mechanisms that could keep her safe.

And for a long time, she lived fulfilling a role she never asked for: a child inside a family marked by domestic violence and abuse.

But slowly, through many moons of stumbling, trying, and beginning again, she started to love herself in the middle of the pain. She began to nurture her wounds instead of hiding them. She discovered that even when life feels uncertain, there is still a choice: to mother herself, to speak kindly to herself, and to stop repeating the old story of victimhood.

It hasn’t been a straight path. Some days, the old voices return. Some days fear wins. But now she knows - I know - that I can come back to love again and again. And that changes everything.

When we begin to set boundaries, when we choose environments and people that lift us up, when we dare to leave what no longer fits, we start to see glimpses of who we really are. Not because the external circumstances are perfect (mine are still far from it), but because inside, a new story is taking root.

And that’s where the magic begins. Serendipities happen. Connections feel lighter. We realise we don’t have to wait until life is safe or stable to claim our worthiness.

The truth is, I’m still learning. I’m still navigating financial struggles, migratory uncertainties, and moments when the little girl in me feels scared. But even in this imperfect reality, I know something I didn’t before: I am not powerless. I am not unworthy. And neither are you.

We all carry younger versions of ourselves inside, fragile, hopeful, waiting to be reminded. Some days they need a whisper, other days a firm embrace. But every time we return to them with love, they begin to remember:

You are rocking it. You always were. You always will be.

With love,

Kizzy Petit

Reflection for you

Take a quiet moment. Place your hand on your heart and imagine your younger self standing before you. Notice how she looks at you. Notice what she longs to hear.

Then, open your journal and ask:

1. What does my younger self most need to hear right now?
2. How can I nurture or “mother” myself today in a way I didn’t receive back then?
3. If I wrote her a letter, what words of love and encouragement would I offer?
4. What old story am I ready to release, so I can walk forward lighter and freer?

Let the words come without judgment. This is your dialogue with the child you once were, and with the person you are becoming.

Before you go

We all carry younger versions of ourselves inside. What’s one message of love or encouragement you’d like to offer your inner child today? Let’s create a thread of reminders in the comments, for each other, and for the little ones within us.