✨ Soft Systems Sunday: Before I Became Everything for Everyone…
A gentle return to the girl I was before the grind, the giving, and the glorified exhaustion.
Before I was “mama,”
Before I was “Kesi the fixer,”
Before I was a strategist, a coach-in-training, a to-do list assassin...
I was a wide-eyed girl with cornrows, butterfly clips, a glitter gel pen, and a deep belief that her words could change the world.
She wasn’t performing. She was playing.
She didn’t need likes, just Lisa Frank folders and a full imagination.
Somewhere along the way, she got quieter.
Not erased. Just… buried under the pressure to be everything for everyone.
But this week, I heard her again.
Not as a whisper. As a reminder.
🪞 She asked me:
“Do you still make up stories in your head?”
“Do you still believe in magic?”
“Do you still sing at the top of your lungs even if it sounds off?”
I had to sit with that.
And not with guilt, with curiosity.
Because I’m not here to go back.
I’m here to remember.
✨ The Pivot:
It’s not about becoming a child again.
It’s about letting her have a seat at your grown woman table.
Because the real flex?
Knowing how to pay bills, set boundaries, and keep wonder alive.
☕ How to Honor Your Inner Child While Adulting Like a Boss
(or at least pretending to):
1. Add her to your morning routine
Let joy sit beside the structure.
Dance in your robe.
Drink juice out of a wine glass.
Write something that’s not for school, work, or the algorithm — just for her.
2. Protect her with boundaries
You get to say “no” on her behalf now.
No to perfectionism.
No to performative healing.
No to pretending you’re okay when your soul’s been whispering “pause.”
3. Let her guide your decisions
Before the spreadsheet… ask:
“What would feel good and true, not just strategic?”
She’s got wisdom we overlook —
Because she didn’t need a 5-year plan to believe in joy.
4. Play. On purpose.
Not to check off a “self-care” box.
Not for content.
Just because it’s healing to laugh until your stomach hurts.
🎶 Vibe While You Read:
“…before we made it make sense”
(play this soft soul track while journaling your inner child prompt)
✏️ This Week’s Prompt:
“Before the world gave me titles, I was…”
Then list 3 things your younger self knew without question.
And if she feels safe, ask her:
“What do you miss most?”
“What would help you feel seen this week?”
Let the answers guide you, not as tasks, but as truth.
💡 Reframe of the Week:
You’re not losing your edge.
You’re remembering your essence.
Integration isn’t regression.
It’s strategy with softness.
It’s leadership with joy.
It’s you, but fuller.
💬 Comment below:
What’s one thing your inner child loved that deserves space this week?
I’ll go first: Storytelling, with no outline, no structure, and all the feels. She just let the magic flow. I’m ready to try that again.
PS:
If The Meantime Joy Edit was the exhale, this post is the soft return.
Next week, we’re talking “boundaries with burnout culture”, because saying “no” can be soft, strategic, and sacred.
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In softness & strategy,
Kay
-Soft Era Coaching