Healing is Not Linear

There are challenges we all face in life whether it stems from childhood issues, trauma, medical or financial issues and more. The thing is, sometimes we feel we have done a good job of being self aware, discovering our gaps and we take proactive measures to ensure we don't fall down the same rabbit hole again, only to discover we are back where we started.

But are we? Healing is a journey. It has many paths and it takes us to many places. Hopefully we make healthy choices on how to cope. Unfortunately, some of us do not. That does not mean it is hopeless. Far from it.

The choices we make, the actions we take are because we are human, and we are reacting to an abnormal situation with normal responses.

Take a moment and let that sink in. We make choices and take action in different ways because of an abnormal situation. If some of those choices are unhealthy, we can change that. If other choices are healthy, we can expand upon those.

Getting to a healthy state of living, is work. If it wasn't there would be no need for counselling, therapy, or medication. Mental and physical healthy living is a choice, and it is active. We sometimes need to force ourselves out of our own way and get on with it. But it can be so frustrating coming around the spiral. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, another wave of depression or anger or grief hits you right when you least expect it. It could be triggered by a date, the weather, a holiday, seeing, feeling, or smelling something, a dream, a nightmare, a word, or an off hand remark.

This only serves to remind us healing has a timeframe all of its own. You cannot force yourself to hurry it along no matter how hard you push.

Pain is multilayered, like an onion. We peel away one surface, deal with the issue only to come around a few days, weeks, months or years and discover another pinch, and we start all over again. But the good side of this is, the second time around, it's a little quicker and a little easier.

We can repeat this cycle several times. But never give up hope. Never blame yourself that there is something wrong with you or you are not enough, or not working hard enough. You are. You are a wonderful human being with thoughts, beliefs, emotions and actions that all work hand in hand. And with all that, there is hope.

Even on the darkest days, there is hope. Be kind to yourself.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.