“Healing isn’t linear.”
We’ve all heard this line before. But what does it mean?
The way I take it is that we continuously circle around issues that need deeper and deeper healing.
I envision healing to be like an ascending and descending spiral. The Instagram account @lizandmollie illustrates this point perfectly:
Sure, it might feel like you are circling around the “same issue”, but you have a different perspective of that issue. You are still you- but with a new perspective.
The blessing inside of the “curse”.
Each time the issue arises, you have the potential to be the version of you with the most experience in dealing with it. You have the opportunity to see it with new eyes.
While every new day provides a new opportunity, you don’t wake up one day a completely different person- you are still you. You have the same family, the same friends, live in the same place and have the same hopes, dreams and desires. The same will be true for the challenges you face in life.
Flexibility – Not Just For Gymnastics!
It is easy to love all the good things in life. But what about the challenges? Is it possible to allow challenges to be an arena to learn valuable life lessons?
This is an area that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) calls “Psychological Flexibility“. As humans, we are gifted with a high-level thinking brain that allows us to make meaning of our lives. When we can access psychological flexibility, we are able to best show up for the moment we are in and work towards our core values as people, using our executive functioning to help us.
What is the point of healing, anyway?
Yes, it’s painful to have to face the same issues. And, as humans, we are a goal-oriented species.
Our pain can sometimes be a great source of motivation. Healing our pain can be a guide to where we want our lives to go.
With self-awareness, tangible goals to work towards and perhaps a trusted therapist (ahem!), you will be making progress, climbing up that spiral staircase to healing in no time!
