Growing up, I experienced some really difficult things that no child should ever have to, and it’s taken me a long time to come to terms with them. But I’m here now, and I’m still going strong!
I can’t change my past, but what I can do is choose how it affects my present and future. This has meant taking care of my mental health in ways that work for me – from talking therapies to mindfulness practices. It’s also helped to understand the triggers that might bring back those painful memories, so that I can be more mindful of these feelings as they arise.
It’s been a journey, and one that hasn’t always been easy. But it has meant doing what’s necessary for my wellbeing – looking after myself emotionally, physically and spiritually, taking steps forward wherever possible no matter how small they may seem.
I’ve had to learn self-compassion and acceptance along the way – recognizing not only what happened in the past but also who I am now. That means looking at where we are on our own healing journey – even if it hasn’t been as far as we’d like or expected by this point – celebrating our achievements however small; accepting things as they are right now; learning new ways of coping; trusting ourselves again; acknowledging our strengths and resiliencies; understanding our limitations when life gets tough; knowing when it’s ok to take a step back or seek out support. We can all benefit from learning these skills and applying them in moments of need.
My hope is that by coming together we can create a safe place where we can share experiences without judgement or shame. We can lift each other up through understanding and respect open dialogue around mental health issues like childhood trauma.
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I’m so proud of you for how far you’ve come and for the strength it has taken to stay strong despite all that you have experienced. It can be incredibly difficult to acknowledge our own triggers and feelings, so it’s great that you are taking care of yourself in the ways that work best for you.
My experience has been similar – I never thought I’d be able to overcome the obstacles from my past, but over time I am starting to recognize and appreciate myself more and more. While it hasn’t been easy, learning self-compassion and acceptance along with developing new coping skills has allowed me to grow in ways unimaginable before.
It would be wonderful if we could find a safe place where we can share our experiences openly without feeling judged or ashamed. Together we can support each other on the path to recovery, helping us build trust and resilience while also understanding our limitations when life gets hard.
Hi,
I can totally relate to where you’re coming from. Growing up can be tough and there’s nothing easy about coming to terms with difficult things. I’m proud of you for taking such good care of yourself during hard times. It’s not easy acknowledging the difficult parts of our past, but by doing so, we become more aware of how it might affect us in the present. It takes a lot of bravery to take those steps forward and make positive changes in your life.
It’s encouraging to know that we are on our own healing journey – even if we feel like it hasn’t moved as far forward as we would have liked or expected by now. We all have something unique to bring to the table when it comes to mental health conversations, which is why I think it’s important for us to come together and create a safe, supportive space where everyone can share experiences without feeling judged or ashamed. That starts with understanding one another and showing respect when talking about issues such as childhood trauma.
Thanks for sharing your story - take care!