Is your inner child whole and happy? Is it still hurting over something that happened in the past? A child in pain is not in condition to make important adult choices — such as a partner for life.

What can you do? Learn all you can about your family and your place within that family. Find out who your inner child is so that you may discover what your inner self really believes and expects out of life.

Examine your past relationships with the idea of learning what worked and what didn’t work. Understand that many of the interactions you had with previous partners were between two children. Your adult self often stands unaware on the sidelines of your life!

Look inside and ask yourself what you really feel, what you really want. Learn to be honest in what you ask and genuine in how you respond. Ask people you trust to tell you the truth about how they perceive you. Your inner child is a powerful part of you. Above all else, learn to love, appreciate and cherish your inner child. Your inner child is the essence of you.