August 13, 2018

Emotional injuries, like physical injuries, take time to heal. However, in a culture of quick fixes (think fad diets), we often expect healing and transformation to come quickly, easily, and without much pain or discomfort. 

It’s understandable that we want a quick way to extinguish our emotional pain. Yet lasting growth comes when we commit to a process that is neither comfortable nor expedient. Here are some lessons I’ve learned about how to courageously move through your uncomfortable emotions so that you may find healing and peace. 

Give It Time

Paradoxically, the more you frantically try to fix or manage your uncomfortable emotions, the more likely you are to strain yourself or even re-open an old wound. 

There is no deadline for healing. Give yourself all the time and space necessary to process your feelings. Be gentle and patient with yourself during this time, for emotional growth also takes practice. The journey toward healing involves many emotional and spiritual challenges, but with enough practice, we will overcome and be stronger for it. 

Feel The Pain

Some people avoid processing their painful emotions in the hopes that the pain will simply dissipate. Ignoring your pain does not make it go away, however. In a previous article, I talked about how we must remain mindful of those uncomfortable emotions, so that we may grow into our own personal power. This is true of the healing process as well. 

Rather than minimize or distract yourself from your emotions, be present with them. With self-compassion, lend them your ear. By listening to and tolerating our emotions, we become wiser to ourselves and discover an inner strength we never knew we had.

Open Up

Talking about an emotional injury can be uncomfortable for those of us who like to keep our feelings a secret. Yet it is truly liberating to connect with others on this level! 

A strong and healthy support system is crucial to our transformation process. We learn valuable lessons from others who have been through a similar event. We have our feelings mirrored by those we love and respect. We also gain unwavering hope that no matter how overwhelming our emotions can be sometimes, we are not alone. 

If you’d like to connect with others on a similar healing journey, I invite you to join us at one our events. If you’d like a one-on-one, guided approach to healing, feel free to reach out to me, Belinda Haverdill, founder of Spiral Path Healing Arts Center.

I’m looking forward to meeting you!