Traumatic experiences can leave lasting scars that can affect us for years, even during our happiest moments. Whether it’s a painful event from childhood or recent trauma, avoiding the necessary healing work can prevent us from moving on and living our best lives. It’s important to face past traumas and do the work to heal so that you can move forward with a sense of peace and empowerment. Don’t let the past continue to hold you back. Learn how to confront it head-on and begin your journey towards healing today.
Here are 10 steps you can follow to be able to fully heal from trauma:
Accept what happened
Sometimes it can be difficult to accept the things that have happened in our lives, whether they were good or bad. But it’s important to remember that dwelling on the past and wishing we could change it won’t do us any good. Instead, we can choose to see things from a different perspective and find meaning in our experiences. Perhaps what happened to us was necessary to help us grow, learn important lessons, or even discover our true selves.
Give it time
Healing is not always a linear process and it’s important to remember that it takes time. Rushing through the healing journey can be tempting, but it’s crucial to give yourself the time and space to heal properly. Whether you’re dealing with emotional or physical wounds, the healing process can be complex and delicate, and it’s important to approach it with patience and self-compassion.
Keep moving
The healing journey can be full of ups and downs, and it’s important to remember that progress is not always a straight line. There will be days when you feel like you’ve made significant strides, and there will be days when you feel like you’re back at square one. It’s important to stay resilient during these challenging times and keep moving forward, even when the road ahead feels uncertain.
Stop looking back
It can be easy to get stuck in the past, especially when dealing with traumatic events. However, dwelling on past experiences can prevent us from moving forward and creating a better future for ourselves. Instead of looking back, it’s important to focus on the present and look towards a brighter future. Accepting what has happened can be a powerful step towards healing and growth, and can help us move forward with greater strength and resilience.
Stay busy
Staying busy with self-improvement activities can be a powerful way to move forward and heal from past traumas. By focusing on personal growth, we can redirect our minds away from negative thoughts and build a brighter future for ourselves. These activities can also help us to discover new aspects of ourselves and build a stronger sense of self-awareness.
Process your feelings about the past
Processing your feelings about the past can be a difficult but necessary step towards healing and moving forward. It’s important to allow yourself to fully feel and experience the emotions associated with past traumas, rather than suppressing them. Ignoring or avoiding these emotions can cause them to fester and continue to impact your present and future. By observing and exploring these feelings, you can begin to gain greater control over them and work towards finding peace with your past.
Observe past triggers
Identifying and observing past triggers can be an important step towards healing and moving forward from traumatic experiences. Triggers can be anything that causes us to recall past traumas and can have a powerful impact on our present and future. By acknowledging these triggers and learning to distinguish between past experiences and present reality, we can take greater control over our healing process and work towards building a brighter future for ourselves.
Surrender
Surrendering can be a difficult but necessary step towards healing and finding peace after a traumatic experience. It’s important to give yourself time and space to process your emotions and work through your healing journey. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we cannot control the outcome of our healing process. By surrendering to the process, we can learn to trust that wounds will heal with time and come to terms with our past experiences. In the end, we may even gain a greater understanding of why things happened the way they did and find a sense of closure.
Seek support
Dealing with past traumas can be overwhelming, and it’s important to seek support from those around us. This can include friends, family members, or mental health professionals who can provide a safe and supportive space for us to process our emotions and work through our healing journey. Remember, there is no shame in seeking help, and it can be a powerful step towards building a brighter future for ourselves.
Practise self-care
Taking care of ourselves both physically and mentally is essential for our healing journey. This can include activities such as exercise, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and engaging in self-care practices like meditation or journaling. By prioritising our own well-being, we can build a strong foundation for our healing journey and create a brighter future for ourselves.
Final thoughts
While it may be difficult to see the silver lining in challenging situations, it’s important to remember that every experience, good or bad, can teach us something valuable about ourselves and the world around us. By embracing the struggle and allowing ourselves to grow from it, we can emerge stronger and wiser than before. So when the storm arrives, hold on tight and trust that brighter days are ahead. With patience, resilience, and self-compassion, we can overcome any obstacle and become the best version of ourselves.
Rania Souiki is a passionate mental health advocate based in Algeria, dedicated to raising awareness and promoting mental wellness through advocacy and education.
