Trauma can come at any point in our lives and harm us in ways beyond what we understand. Sometimes, we might not even realize the full extent of the trauma we faced, and only feel the repercussions of it.
Other times, we push away the trauma, telling ourselves that people have had it worse and handle it much better than we do. At some point, we have to accept that what we face is trauma and it is hampering our lives and growth.
But how do we heal from these traumas, especially once we have denied them so long? We will be discussing five tips to heal your past trauma to better become whole.
First, we must accept our trauma. We have to accept that what happened has harmed us, and it doesn’t matter if someone has faced worse. People have been in both better and worse places than you, and that is just a fact of life.
Just because someone has faced worse, doesn’t make your pain any less valid. It doesn’t make you weak. The process of learning to forgive yourself and heal makes you so much stronger than the people that try to ignore or quietly shoulder the burden. By acknowledging that something is wrong, you are making your first step towards healing.
Second, you need to learn to accept support and help when it is offered. Too many times, we try to shoulder our worries and burdens alone. But there are often people around who want to help. Family, friends, coworkers, or people in the same club as you are often all offering help in their way.
Accepting support when you feel overwhelmed is another step towards progress. You are acknowledging that something is wrong, and you aren’t able to do it alone. This isn’t a weakness. Humans are social creatures and lean on others for support naturally. Don’t let your fear or ego hold you back from healing. Even if someone is just offering you tea, a shoulder to cry on, or an ear, don’t turn it down.
A third tip is to take breaks. You don’t have to constantly be on the path towards healing. You don’t always have to be making progress. This will cause you to slow, and sometimes even go backward. Take breaks from your path. Enjoy life, find good moments, enjoy a good book. Do things that make you happy as a reward for making progress or just to take a moment to breathe.
Trauma isn’t something easy to get over, and you aren’t going to get it all done in a day. Acknowledge the patience you will have to have for yourself, and remember that your mind and body both need a rest sometimes.
A fourth key tip is to practice self-care. This means taking time to stretch, meditate, and take care of your body. Eating healthy is important. During high-stress times, you may want to drink, eat a lot of junk food, or crave something sweet. These treats are good in moderation, but remember that you need to be healthy to feel good.
My fifth and final tip is to be creative. Perhaps you like to draw, sing, write, or even color. By being creative, you open yourself up to letting out your emotions in a healthy way. Creativity can also provide you with a healthy way to work through your trauma. It doesn’t have to be anything perfect, it honestly doesn’t even have to be anything good.
If you want to start slow, write your emotions and thoughts in a journal, decorate it with stickers. Your creativity is another part of your being that is harmed during trauma, so let it grow and it will help you heal.