We can’t change the past but we can loosen its hold on us. The brain heals. New circuitry gets laid down. New cells grow. Pain eases. We thrive.
Healing is a lifelong process. Start now.
- Physical exercise. The ideal minimum is 20 minutes a day; if that’s too much, do what you can.
- Mindfulness. Be in the now. Be in the present moment. Do this by gently remembering your breath. Feel it go in. Out. Use your senses. Hear the cars going by. Look around the room and pick out all the red or blue. Feel the air on your skin or your feet on the floor. Smell the atmosphere around you.
- Meditate. A more focused form of mindfulness, this means sitting quietly; you can repeat a one-word mantra (love; peace; om) or just gently, repeatedly follow your breath. Start with three minutes a day, but start, even if you just sit on the edge of the bed when you wake up in the morning.
- Get help. If you haven’t already, ask a trusted friend or health care professional for a referral to a psychotherapist who specializes in trauma recovery.
- Ingest wisely. Honor your body’s nutritional needs. Eat moderately, and only healthy food. If there’s something you can’t stop eating once you start, don’t start. Trust me, you’ll be happier. Ditto drugs and alcohol. Don’t use what hurts you. It’s not worth it. You deserve better.
- Dare to be joyful. Just feel into delight a little at a time if that’s all that’s possible for now. For abuse survivors, happiness can feel dangerous. Dare to feel the fear and be happy anyway. It will get easier. Promise.