Healing Isn't Linear
The truth is that the emotional healing journey is messier than we would like. But that doesn't mean we can't do it.
10/9/20262 min read
Most of us are led to believe that healing is a straightforward path. We often think of healing as an inital epiphany followed by a series of upward steps, where the one breakthrough leads to consistent improvement. But that isn't really how our emotional healing works.
The hardest part about healing is this feeling you get when you were thinking that you were doing better and then suddenly you feel like you're not.
Healing is a process filled with ups and downs. And the "downs" don't indicate failure. Actually, they are a natural and important part of the journey. The setbacks can make us rethink if we are actually healing. Suddenly we are questioning if we can ever recover from whatever pain we have suffered from. It's important to remember at this moment that without these setbacks, the recovery wouldn't be possible. Returning to feelings we thought we had overcome can be so discouraging, but it often means we are making good progress. Awareness is the first step to healing, and recognizing our feelings is a stage in healing that some people don't ever get to.
When we experience breakthroughs, it can create this constant pressure to continue improving all the time. But this expectation can do some real damage if we don't recognize it. It can make us feel really disappointed in ourselves when we get to a difficult day. It can make us feel like we're being betrayed by our own emotions. Instead of viewing these bad days as a step backwards, we should recognize them as the opportunities we need to cope and use new approaches to our feelings.
Ultimately, healing is about feeling better and sometimes that shows up initially as capacity rather than happiness. So we have to do our best to embrace that actual journey without trying to force things. That includes the dips and pauses that come with it.
As you reflect on your own healing journey, remember that it’s okay to have tough days. The goal is not to eliminate these feelings altogether but to navigate through them with more awareness and kindness.
If you want to listen to the full episode on the podcast, click here.
With love,
The Matcha Club <3