Do we ever fully heal from what we’ve been through, or do we just learn to move forward despite of it?
What I’ve learned is that healing isn’t linear. We have good days and we have bad days. It’s not as if one day we wake up and say, “I’m cured!” We can have long stretches of time where we have found our groove again, and then something sets us off and our bad feelings rush back.
Finding Gratitude
We need to commit to putting one foot in front of the other and not letting our scars take hold of our lives. How is this possible? We can start by finding gratitude in our daily lives. We may feel like everything is going wrong, but instead we need to train ourselves to focus on what’s going right. Waking up this morning is a blessing in itself. Simply being grateful for the air in our lungs can foster a life of gratitude.
Cultivating Self-Love
Another step toward healing is through self-love. It’s all about appreciating and taking care of ourselves, both physically and emotionally. Here are some examples:
Practicing self-care:
- Exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet
- Getting enough sleep
- Taking time to relax and have some “me-time”
- Avoiding harmful substances
Setting boundaries:
- Saying no to things that overwhelm us
- Limiting time with people who drain our energy
- Ensuring we have a healthy work-life balance
Positive self-talk:
- Replacing any negative thoughts with positive affirmations
- Celebrating our achievements, no matter how small
- Forgiving ourselves for past mistakes and regrets
Emotional care:
- Allowing ourselves to feel and express our emotions
- Journaling to process our thoughts and feelings
- Seeking therapy when needed
Mindfulness and meditation:
- Practicing meditation or yoga to stay grounded
- Taking breaks to breathe and relax
Chasing Joy
Healing can also be worked through by chasing joy. It’s important to know that we can still feel joy, even when we’re feeling sad. We can experience a mix of emotions throughout our days. There is no rule book when it comes to that. We can find joy when we seek it. We just need to think about the things that make us happy and do more of it. Sometimes it’s the simple things, like our morning cup of coffee, hugging our children, or doing that hobby that we love. Maybe life got in the way, and we stopped doing something that once brought us joy. Well, now is as good a time as ever to pick it back up.
Finding Our Purpose
We were all brought on this earth for a reason. We all have a purpose to fulfill, and God knew we were the perfect person for the job. Life is all about finding that purpose and sharing it with the world. Sometimes in life we experience tough times. It’s easy to resent what we’re going through or feel sorry for ourselves. But there is purpose in our pain and strength to be gained. But we must focus on what each situation is meant to teach us. It’s not about asking ourselves, “Why is this happening to me?” It’s about asking, “What is this meant to teach me?” That change in perspective is crucial.
Whatever we’re going through may feel like it will never end, or our luck will never change, but it’s important to have faith that it will.
“Be strong now, because things will get better. It may be stormy now, but it can’t rain forever.”
Healing is a journey, and we should be proud of ourselves for being on this path, no matter where we are in the process. Every effort we make toward healing is a testament to our strength and resilience, and each small step forward is a victory worth celebrating.
