POST 10: WHAT I WISH I KNEW ABOUT HEALING

Looking back, one of my first thoughts is, Why did I carry all this weight alone for so long? I wish I’d started working with a therapist sooner, instead of letting shame and guilt fester for years. But now, I realize that everything happens in its own time. Maybe I wasn’t ready to face those things before, but when I was, the help I needed was there.

If I could go back and give advice to my younger self, I’d have different things to say at each stage. To the little girl, I’d say, ‘You are loved.’ Just a simple reminder that even in the darkest moments, she was worthy of love. To the teenager, ‘It’s not your fault.’ A message I wish I’d understood before the guilt took hold. And to my twenty-something self, ‘Don’t worry. You are strong, and you can do this. Make sure to love yourself—you are worthy.’

These are the things I wish I’d known about healing. That it’s okay to ask for help, that you don’t have to carry everything alone, and that healing isn’t always a straight line. It’s a journey that unfolds in its own time, and sometimes, we just need to trust that we’ll find our way when we’re ready.

---