Why can you still remember the name of the kid who bullied you, what they said, and exactly how they made you feel, even decades later?

Childhood bullying doesn’t always stay in childhood. The comments about your appearance, the names you were called, or the ways you were made to feel different can become part of how you see yourself long after the bullying stops. Eventually, their voice can become part of your own inner critic.

In this episode, I’m talking about how childhood bullying can follow us into adulthood, how another child’s words can become beliefs about who we are, and why we may still carry those messages 20, 30, or 40 years later.

I also share my own experiences with bullying and how being made fun of for my appearance affected my self-image well into adulthood. Then I take this conversation somewhere you may not expect and look at childhood bullying from a very different perspective.

What if some of what you learned to believe about yourself was never really about you?

We’ll talk about childhood bullying, the inner critic, self-image, feeling not good enough, why children bully, and what healing can look like without excusing what happened or requiring you to forgive the person who hurt you.

By the end, I want you to ask yourself one question:

What did someone who bullied me teach me to believe about myself, and do I still believe it today?

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Childhood Bullying and Memory

01:21 Understanding Why Bullies Act Out

03:04 The Role of External Voices in Inner Critic Formation

03:27 Healing and Loving Your True Self

04:27 Connecting Bullying to Not Good Enough Feelings

05:23 The Influence of Childhood Environment

06:00 The Importance of Context in Behavior

06:38 Reflecting on Personal Bullying and Its Roots

07:29 The Power of Understanding and Compassion

08:20 Healing and Moving Forward

Resources & Links:

🌐 Visit: https://www.theinnerchildtherapist.com/

Download your FREE Not Good Enough Guide here: https://www.theinnerchildtherapist.com/free-guide-to-feeling-enough/

Connect with Me:
▶️ YouTube: @notgoodenoughstuff
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/theinnerchildtherapist
🎵 TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@theinnerchildtherapist
📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/TICT.MaryBethFox
💼 LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/marybethfox

If this episode resonated with you, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Every share helps more people begin questioning the messages they never chose to believe.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for educational and personal growth purposes only. It is not a substitute for therapy, mental health treatment, or medical advice, and listening does not create a therapist-client relationship. If you need support for your unique situation, please connect with a licensed mental health professional in your area.

Music Attribution:

Music licensed through Soundstripe

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