I am learning about my interests, priorities, and values. I am learning to let go of what other people think and to honor what I think and feel. I am learning to embrace my true self, imperfections and all. I am learning to trust myself and speak my truth. I will seek help from trusted people who can give me guidance, encouragement, and love along this journey. I will try to slow down and feel my feelings.
#The journey back to self 10 steps to emotional healing how to#
I will be patient with myself and continue to take small steps forward.Īnd when I have a setback, Ill use it as an opportunity to learn more about myself and how to heal my emotional wounds.Įmotional healing is a lot of work, so I will treat myself with loving care and remember to replenish my physical and emotional energy. I will remember that its not a race to the finish line. I am learning to take it one day at a time. You can experiment with the short healing meditation Ive written below or try creating one thats specific to your own challenges and needs. If you feel discouraged, a guided meditation or mantra can help you shift your thoughts towards a more hopeful, positive outlook. And help can take many different forms depending on your needs, so I hope youll look at it as another form of self-care and ask for the kind of help that best meets your needs. But reaching out for help has so many benefits emotional support, guidance, and the ability to break down shame. It isnt easy to ask for help, especially if people have betrayed you in the past. Healing isnt meant to be done in isolation. For many people, this is quite challenging and working with a therapist can be helpful. You can slowly work on sitting quietly, allowing your feelings to surface, naming them, and exploring what theyre about. We need to feel them and give them space before they lose their power over us and truly become part of the past. This is why therapists so often talk about needing to feel your feelings. Those feelings tend to stick around, sometimes lying dormant or numbed for a while, but they eventually burst back into our consciousness with a vengeance. Trying to avoid whats happened in your past doesnt work.
So, instead of trying to avoid setbacks or relapses, accept that they are part of the process and challenge yourself to be curious about what you can learn that will help you move forward and toward greater healing and self-love. Not only are setbacks normal, but theyre also Often, we learn more from what doesnt work than what does. View setbacks as part of the process and learning opportunities.And realistic expectations coupled with patience, persistence, and self-compassion will lead to forward progress, it just may include a few detours and be slower than youd like. And, honestly, dont be surprised if sometimes its two steps backward and one step forward. Progress is more likely to be two steps forward and one step backward. Nobody just gets stronger and stronger, healthier and healthier. One of the most common unrealistic expectations that I see is expecting progress to be consistently forward. When we dont, we end up disappointed and frustrated often at ourselves, which doesnt help us heal. Im a big believer in the importance of setting realistic expectations. And we need to be persistent and keep going even when it gets difficult, be willing to try new approaches, and challenge ourselves in new ways. We need to be patient and allow for the time needed to gain new insights and skills. Take it one step at a time and you will notice small improvements in your mood, ability to cope with triggers, relationships, self-esteem, and ability to complete your daily activities. Any modest amount of healing will improve the quality of your life.
Again, this belief can be discouraging and overwhelming. Many people mistakenly believe that emotional healing is all-or-nothing.