You’re on the road to recover from trauma.
It hasn’t been an easy journey, but you are starting to heal from trauma and begin a new chapter in your life. The gains that you have made have been great.
However, it’s the day-by-day that can still be tough.
That’s why seeking gratitude and positive self-talk can be so effective when healing from trauma.
They do not have to be big, complicated affairs. Rather, they are simple, little moments that you can do every day to promote healing and closure.
Consider then these six ways to seek gratitude and use positive self-talk to heal from trauma.
1. Keep a Journal
Journaling is a tried-and-true method for both seeking gratitude and using positive self-talk. A great time to journal is in the morning, before your day really gets started. Sit down at the kitchen table with a warm tea or your coffee and start writing. Think about what your day will be like, the hopes as well as the challenges. How can you be grateful for both? Jot down your thoughts, both negative and also positive. Perhaps create a theme for the day that’s positive and uplifting. Even when you put your journal down, you can still return to the theme throughout the day. It will help keep you grounded and present.
2. Give Back to Others
Volunteering is another great way to seek gratitude and promote positive self-talk. It feels good to give back to those in need and to be useful. Also, it can be a way to help others along who are on a journey similar to your own. However, you don’t have to volunteer to work with others affected by trauma if that’s too triggering. Sometimes the best therapy to heal from trauma is hammering a nail into a 2 x 4 or working with the elderly. Find something that resonates with you and go for it!
3. Say Thank-You, to Others and Yourself
A simple way of showing gratitude is too simply say thank-you. It could be to the bus driver as you hop off at your stop. Or, it’s expressing your gratitude to the people in your life who have been so helpful in your recovery journey. Crafting a letter or thank-you note makes it more personal and creative. Plus, it’s something that they can refer back to later. Additionally, show gratitude for yourself. You deserve it! No really, you do. It takes fortitude, determination, and bravery to heal from trauma. Give yourself the credit that you deserve.
4. Accept the Struggle
It may be difficult to understand at first, but accepting the struggle is also a way of healing from trauma. Shouldn’t that be the opposite? Life’s struggles can be very hard and sometimes more than you can or should bear. Yet, they are also opportunities to learn who you truly are. Instead of fighting against the struggle, learn to accept it. Acceptance is an important mindset when recovering from trauma in general.
5. Meditate to Heal from Trauma
Meditation and mindfulness is a useful tool for trauma recovery. By focusing on your breathing you can also repeat in your mind a phrase or saying that is supportive and positive. Mindfulness practice allows you to be, over time, more open and accepting. Thoughts that once troubled you bother you less. You are able to stay calm and present even when there are triggers present. Consider then adding mindfulness to your daily routine.
6. Gratitude, Positive Self-Talk, and Therapy
Finally, therapy can help promote both gratitude and positive self-talk. When you walk into a session, you might not feel much of either in the moment. However, by talking to your therapist you can get those feelings out into the open. Your therapist can help you see situations from different perspectives, especially those that you might not have realized. They will be able to remind you of what you do feel grateful for and the things that are positive in your life.
Finally,
Practicing gratitude and positive self-talk is useful for everyone, including those who are trying to heal from trauma. There are several techniques that you can add to your daily life in addition to trauma therapy. All together recovery is entirely possible. Click to learn more about trauma counseling and treatment and schedule a consultation soon.
