Trauma affects us. Period. How it affects us can be either a negative or positive experience. But, turning a negative into a positive is often easier said than done, isn't it?
Sometimes we do not realize we have "been here before" until it's over. Pain works that way. Pain is just that - PAIN. When we are in the middle of it, it feels like a new experience. Yet, it rarely is.
There are many types of pain that we experience in life. There are times when we are blindsided and experience pain on a level we had not realized we were capable of handling. When we look back at those experiences we often wonder how we made it through -- but we did. And we are stronger for it.
Pain takes on many forms in your life. Rejection, loss, physical or emotional trauma, abuse, divorce, the list goes on.
Pain and suffering we go through is much like childbirth. What? When a woman goes through childbirth, she can't stop halfway through. She does not have the choice to give up. She must go through the pain to reap the reward. Once the baby is born, the pain is rarely remembered.
The desire to move forward must be greater than the memory of past pain. If not, women would never give birth to a second child. Until you have the desire to move ahead you will never forget the past struggles.
Many of us battle with the thoughts that we could never go through something again. What we must realize is that we DID make it through and if there is a next time we have an idea of what to expect and it will be easier.
Our thoughts and attitude can make or break us during a crisis. Keep reminding yourself, many times a day, that you are STRONG, that you WILL make it through, that NOTHING can get you down.
Loss of a child
Gang-raped and left
for dead
Husband falsely
imprisoned
Uterine cancer
Husband's car
accident leaving him with permanent brain damage
The estrangement of
our son
These were stepping stones – not setbacks because I chose to be a victor and not a victim. I can identify with you on many emotional terrains of love, loss, pain, heartbreak, and ultimately renewal.
Keep like-minded people close and
How wonderful that you have triumphed over so much trauma and adversity!!! Thanks for your encouragement. I completely agree that who we surround ourselves with is very important and so is what we tell ourselves when we are in a trying and difficult situation.
ReplyDeleteBang on. Talking to ourselves is a great point.
DeleteI love your comparison to going through the pain process as a woman giving birth, Carol. No, she absolutely can't quit in the middle of things, but has to move forward. And we should know that, with God's help, we can surmount each painful time that comes.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Thank you Martha. I could never had made it without God.
DeleteWow, Carol, you have been through a lot. So very sorry. Your memoir must be so helpful to all who read it. You're a survivor.
ReplyDeleteMy memoir is certainly an encouragement but it is also a fantastic story you can't put down - written as a novel.
DeleteInspirational, Carol! I love the saying: My record for making it through bad days is 100%.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane
DeleteThis is a good reminder! Support is so important when dealing with painful issues.
ReplyDeleteGlad you could appreciate it. Thank you.
DeleteWhat a powerful article! Thank you, Carol. Resilience and hope go together.
ReplyDeleteThank you Flo.
DeleteThis article is good. Drama and trauma come into our lives and we need to learn how to deal with trauma in a good way. We need to do more than just survive it.
ReplyDeleteThat you -- very well stated.
Delete