We have two options when we’ve finally broken free from trauma – to rebuild or to allow it to continue to define us. If we stagnate in a state of isolation, depression, and general unhappiness, we have to ask ourselves – what is the point? If we never disconnect emotionally from the trauma we experienced, we essentially never disconnect from our past at all. The residual effects of this trauma will linger and continue to control our lives. This is no way to live.
Pushing forward needs to be an in-progress goal of ours at all times until it feels natural, tangible, and easier to achieve than it had previously been. It may, at first, seem completely unachievable, but so do many things in life, right? If we stopped pursuing our goals every time we were met with a hiccup that made them seem no longer attainable, we would never grow. We would live in a state of idle fear and likely deplete all of life’s resources we’d attained leading up to that point.
This is what will happen if we chose to stay stuck. Eventually, our lives with become unmanageable, because we will be unable to tackle day-to-day responsibilities while feeling isolated, alone, and depressed. When we’re unable to do so, things fall apart around us and living like this is unsustainable.
If we choose to release the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and to live a more meaningful, self-reflective life, we are essentially choosing to embark on a continual growth and healing journey. Once we’ve been victimized by trauma and have unexpectedly had to carry the burden of its aftermath, these symptoms have a tendency to stick. There is no going back – so we must choose to move forward and continue on the path indefinitely.
Healing must be an all-inclusive effort, too. We must focus on our whole self – inside and out – and make a commitment to continue recovery efforts for the rest of our lives. This means, we must commit to a new perspective, a new strategy for stress management, self-care, and perhaps even a new diet and exercise routine. While it’s human nature to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, tending to everyone else’s needs but our own, we have to devote time and energy to ourselves each day to realize sustainable healing.
Being able to rein in our energy so it’s not so haphazard and scattered across multiple commitments is a big part of the process in that it allows us to evolve from traumatized to self-actualized. We have to harness what energy we’ve got left and reclaim it as our own. We need to place our needs in a prominent spot on our priorities list.
There are many tangible ways in which we can continue to heal. By making time for some of these very real strategies in our busy schedule, we will stay motivated to live happily, healthily, and productively. Eventually, making this decision, one towards continual growth, will mean restoring a lost sense of self confidence and leaving the past in the past.
You, and you alone, can either choose to live out your remaining years stagnated in the misery of what you experienced, or you can take back your life. This is your chance at a second draft. Choosing continual growth means using to break the ties of toxicity once and for all.