Identifying Areas of Healing
So, you’ve taken the first step and you’re ready for change. You’ve decided to start your healing journey and you’re asking yourself, what’s next?
Start by giving yourself credit for making the decision to change! If you need to hear it from another…great job on taking back your power! The first step is usually the hardest, but you’ve done it and now it’s time to keep going.
As you move along your journey, you'll come to realize that there may be several areas in your life where you need healing. It's important to remember that there is no "right" or "wrong" way to do things. Each person's process is unique to them. Just as each person's journey is unique, so is their timing.
Because our journeys are all different, there are many ways to approach healing and it's important that you find what works best for you.
Now that you’ve made the decision to change, it’s time to tap into the power that lies within you and take action.
One way to approach this is to start by figuring out exactly which areas in your life need healing. This can be done by taking some time for self-reflection.
Think about the areas in your life that are causing you pain or making you feel stuck. Ask yourself these questions:
- What are my triggers?
- Why do these things trigger me?
- Do these triggers point to areas of my life where I need healing?
- Where do I need to heal in my life?
- Why do I need to heal this?
- What will healing this allow me to do or feel?
You may find that you have many different areas in your life that need attention. That's okay! Don't let this overwhelm you...just take it one step at a time. Once you have the answers to these questions, find positive outlets and ways to replace harmful behaviors and responses.
Another way to approach your healing process, is to think about your life in three key areas: mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual state.
Mental State:
Start by taking a look at your mental state. Mental health is about how well our minds understand and process information and experiences. Your mental health is what allows you to process everything that's going on in your life—both good and bad—so it's important to make sure that you're taking care of your mind.
How do you feel on a day-to-day basis? Are you controlling your thoughts or allowing your thoughts to control you? You do have that power. Do you find yourself feeling stressed, anxious, or depressed? If so, why? What can you do to begin to work through these feelings? Identifying how what we feel can help us understand our thoughts and behaviors.
Ways to begin healing your mental state are:
Talking to a therapist or counselor
Identify your negative thought patterns and start to challenge them
Try stress relief methods such as meditating or listening to relaxing music
Emotional State:
Next, take a look at your emotional state. Emotional health is your ability to express and manage the emotions that come from what you have experienced or learned. This means that your emotions are a direct result of your mental state. The two go hand in hand because we often express our feelings based on how we process and understand things.
Are you reacting or acting in situations? How are you managing your emotions? Do you find yourself holding things in or lashing out in anger? If so, why? What can you do to begin to work through these emotions in a healthy way?
Ways to begin healing your emotional state are:
Consider journaling and writing things out before responding.
Try deep breathing exercises to help you calm down so that you don’t react harmfully.
Spiritual State:
Then, evaluate your spiritual condition. It is a force within us that is powerful, yet it needs to be nurtured and balanced like all our other forces. If we really listen to it, all of our questions will be answered. It will guide us to solve every problem and manifest our dreams. Are we meditating and grounding ourselves? Is our spirit receiving the proper nutrients? Do we take spiritual baths?
Ways to begin healing your spiritual state are:
Forgive yourself and others. Letting go of anger and resentment can help to clear out some of the negative emotions clogging up your spiritual state.
Be grateful. Making a point to find things to be thankful for can help to open up your heart and allow more positive energy in.
Physical State:
Last, but certainly not least, take a look at your physical state. Physical health is about how well our body’s function and feel. Oftentimes when we’re going through tough times or experiencing pain, we may see it manifest in our physical state through illness or injury. The body, mind, and emotions are all intertwined, so taking care of your physical health can also have a positive impact on your mental and emotional state.
How is your overall physical health? Are you taking care of your body by eating well and exercising? If not, why? Are you resting the body and getting adequate sleep according to what it needs? What can you do to begin to take better care of your physical health?
Ways to begin healing your emotional state are:
Challenge yourself to make healthier eating choices.
Increase your daily movement and get some exercise.
Whatever method you choose, take the time to figure out what works best for you and go at your own pace. Getting clear on what areas of your life need attention will help you to get to the root cause of your problems and begin to work on them in a more focused way. It will also save you a lot of energy in the long run because you won’t be trying to fix everything at once.
Trust yourself and know that you have divine strength within you to heal!
Stay tuned for our next article in the healing series for more advice on how to move through the process.
If you find that you are struggling to heal on your own, don't hesitate to reach out for help. You are never alone. I am here for you and can help guide you along your journey. To discuss how I can support you, send me an email by visiting https://www.war5.me/contact or call 443-414-0952.
You deserve to live a happy, healthy, and abundant life!
Heal...Balance...Breathe Ease Always.
~ Michael Rivers
