Healing isn't linear

I had a reminder in the last few weeks that healing isn’t linear. I know we toss this phrase around a lot. I see it on Instagram all the time, generally with a pretty piece of artwork. And when I read it (and I’m in a good space), I think to myself, “of course it’s not”. 

But a few weeks ago, I experienced a work shift that activated my nervous system. It wasn’t a big thing that happened, and anyone else (or even myself at a different time) would have seen it as a small bump in the day and been able to move on. 

For me, on that day, it led to a couple of weeks of increased anxiety before work, low mood, coming home from work and spending hours under my weighted blanket watching Netflix, cutting right back on exercise, increased emotional eating and losing interest in the activities that bring me joy. 

It took me a couple of weeks, but I feel like I’m finally starting to come out the other side, and it was through rest and using my nervous system tools that I was able to move through it. 

After burning out mid-last year, “moving through it” no longer looks like pushing through or forcing myself to “keep going” or “buck up” (heard that phrase in a movie the other day and keep saying it to myself, in a joking way). 

Moving through it now looks like taking the pressure off, going back to basics and allowing myself the time to rest. As my naturopath, Nikita Maddren, said today in our check-in, “even though there was this flare-up, your recovery is stunning, your resilience is amazing, and I think you're doing exactly what you're meant to be doing”. 

This is why I recommend ongoing support. You have someone there with you, cheering you on, and when things are not going so well with your own inner voice, you have someone alongside you, reminding you of how far you’ve come, that this is just a setback, and that you’re not back at the bottom of the mountain. 

So, if you’re currently moving through something, I want you to pause, look at where you could take the pressure off, and allow yourself to rest. However that might look in your life.

And if you feel you need support, I'm here, and I'm always happy to meet you exactly where you're at.

With gratitude for you (and your journey)

Claire x