Trauma recovery isn’t always a straight line. One day you can be sailing smooth, while the next you find yourself struggling to stay afloat. It’s what you do in those difficult moments that says the most about your perseverance. We know it isn’t easy, but it is worth it. Learning how to navigate the choppy waters and whipping winds takes practice, so don’t get discouraged if you find yourself struggling at first. Use our tips below to keep on sailing. You’ve got this.
Don’t Suppress the Negatives
You may struggle with appropriately dealing with your negative feelings. This isn’t uncommon, but it is something that people who are successful in their recovery must learn how to do. Negative feelings can come in the form of depression, anxiety, or triggers to use substances.
Your first instinct may be to push these feelings as far down as you can so that they do not see the light of day. Instead of suppressing these feelings, remind yourself that you do not have to be okay all of the time. Learn to sit with your negative feelings while treating yourself with compassion. People often tend to beat themselves up when they are not feeling well. I should be doing better, you might scold yourself.
The truth is, however, that you are allowed to not be okay. No one feels great all of the time. Don’t tell yourself it’s wrong to feel how you are feeling. Allow yourself to feel those uncomfortable feelings and work through them. Don’t rush to change them. Instead, practice your breathing while acknowledging and accepting your feelings. You’ll get through them in due time.
Listen to What You Need
Oftentimes, suppressing the negatives that you’re feeling leads you to miss signs that your inner being is sending you. Listen to what your body is telling you that you need. What you need usually comes in the form of instincts. If you’re ignoring and shutting off the parts of you that feel uncomfortable, you’ll never be able to hear what your inner being is telling you. Listen and embrace what your body is saying to you. Don’t neglect what you need and deserve.
Embrace Just Being
Because much of our world today is fast-moving, you probably don’t often embrace time with yourself to just be. You spend so much time between work, school, and other duties that you probably don’t find much time for yourself. Doing nothing is an underrated thing. Start by carving out time in your busy schedule to embrace just being. Go for a ten-minute walk or sit by your window and take in the sights of the outdoors. Let yourself have space to just be. Your body and mind will thank you later.
Pace Yourself
Part of embracing the time to do nothing is that it is acting as a reset for your body and mind. In addition to offering yourself this sacred time, learning to pace yourself throughout the day is important. You don’t want to say yes to every engagement if it means that you are left feeling burnt out by the end of the week.
Don’t be afraid to politely say no if something doesn’t work for you. By doing so, you’ll be able to say yes to the things that are more important. Pacing yourself is necessary for your recovery from trauma because trauma recovery is a long and winding road. Healing doesn’t rush for anyone, so slow down and pace yourself through it all.
Be Well
Being well encompasses all aspects of your health. Wellness comes physically from how you treat your body and extends to the mental aspect of how you nurture your mind. When it comes to the physical aspects of wellness, think about what you give your body to fuel itself. If you are constantly eating unhealthy foods, you won’t have the energy to navigate the difficult moments.
If you don’t exercise regularly, you won’t be able to endure the difficult moments. Your mental wellness encompasses everything from your self-image to self-talk and so much more. Not implementing many of the things on this list will lead to a deteriorated mental health that will leave you unable to navigate the difficult moments.
Reach Out
If you are struggling with getting through the difficult moments in your recovery from trauma or a co-occurring disorder, don’t hesitate to reach out to your support system for help. Your friends and family can be a great source of community to help you realize that you are not alone in this fight.
There’s no shame in asking for help. If you need a higher level of care to help you navigate the difficult moments, The Guest House is here for you. Don’t let your life be ruled by the difficult moments. Reach out.
If you are dealing with the aftermath of trauma, struggling with a substance use disorder, or dealing with a mental illness, The Guest House is here to help. We know that being vulnerable isn’t an easy thing. Our trained and experienced staff is ready to help you regain your life back from unhealthy coping mechanisms as a result of the trauma you have faced. Call us today at (855) 372-1079. We can’t wait to speak with you and set you up with one of our programs today. You won’t be disappointed in what we have to offer. Call us now.