When you are hurting from trauma, whether recent or in your childhood, your focus is often on what you can’t do, or what you do that you consider bad. There is rarely any focus on your strengths.
But to survive and be able to function, even for a little while, you have strengths.
What if you were to stop and consider your strengths? Right now.
I have a pack of strength cards I often use with people and myself. I find it useful to draw a card and consider how that strength manifests in my life. Other people find that useful too.
Here are 5 strengths that I drew before I started writing.
How do these strengths help you on your healing journey?
- ENTHUSIASM
It may not seem much. But your enthusiasm for the world gives you the motivation to get moving each day.
We all have enthusiasm. But sometimes life hides it from us.
How can you find that enthusiasm today?
Look at the things you do that you enjoy, or feel pride in. It is enthusiasm that allows you to do those things. It may be getting out of bed in the morning, going out for a walk, talking to someone. It may be painting some furniture, painting a picture, dancing to a tune you love.
Find something that you enjoy or feel pride in achieving. What does that feel like? What do you notice in your body when you do that, or think about having done it? What thoughts are in your mind?
Those feelings in your body and thoughts in your mind are what enthusiasm feels like for you. Maybe you only feel them slightly. You will not always feel the same level of enthusiasm every time you use this strength.
What are things you can do that will amplify that feeling?
Enthusiasm allows you to do things. It can pull you out of the drowning overwhelm of trauma memories. It can show you how to move forward in life and heal.
- PATIENT
Healing from trauma takes a long time. It is easy to get fed up and want to rush things. But healing can not be rushed.
Patience is your greatest strength when you are fed up with the way trauma derails your plans and throws you off balance.
Allow patience to soothe you.
Allow patience to lead you to reflect on the many ways you have made progress in your trauma healing.
Draw strength from that progress.
- ENCOURAGING
Encouragement is a very important strength in your healing journey.
It is encouragement that allows you to identify the progress you have made when you reflect patiently on your healing.
It is encouragement that soothes the hurt parts of you.
It is encouragement that shows you that the things you have done in reaction to your trauma are not as catastrophic as you think.
It is encouragement that positively reflects on your progress and keeps your enthusiasm in your healing journey high.
- HOPEFUL
This gentle strength is a truly rare and valuable gem.
Hope allows you to continue to believe that you can and are healing.
Hope underpins enthusiasm, patience and encouragement.
Hope keeps you alive, keeps you moving forward, gives you the encouragement to try again.
Never lost hope, it keeps you alive.
- DIFFERENT.
You are a unique individual.
You will never be the same as other people.
You are different.
That is a great strength.
The trauma you have suffered has given you strengths that are incredibly valuable. Those strengths keep you going and allow you to heal.
Celebrate those things that make you different.
See the beauty in your difference.
Know how special you being different makes you.
There will be days when you are massively triggered by life and feel you are drowning and overwhelmed.
But know that those are the days to look after you and seek a place of safety.
Allow your strengths to minister to you on those days.
On the good days, your strengths will allow you to make progress on your healing journey.
If you would like to talk to me about how I can help you with your healing journey, please contact me on 0409396608 or nan@plentifullifecounselling.com.au
If you would like to learn more, I write a regular newsletter with interesting information, tips, information on courses, and the occasional freebie. At the moment I have a free mindfulness meditation for anyone who signs up to my newsletter. This meditation offers a way to safely explore your feelings and learn to be okay with them. If you would like to subscribe please click on the link here: http://eepurl.com/g8Jpiz