The Biggest Obstacle To Overcoming Your Trauma -- And How To Wrangle It
One of the major negative influences you own is your internal dialogue. How often, for example, do you tell yourself you won’t be able to overcome your traumatic past? How often do you tell yourself you don’t have what it takes, won’t be able to figure out how to release the past, and don’t have the skills or resources necessary for success? If you start writing down your daily negative thoughts and count them up, you may be shocked to find you have an entirely negative outlook on yourself and the future.
The good news is, you can immediately turn things around. Here are five ways to fight the foe:
1 -- Be aware when doubt comes calling. After trauma you may hear the constant white noise of fear and anxiety. When you tune in to the chatter in your head you become aware of all of the doubtful thoughts you carry around all day— and you can begin eliminating them. When you hear these thoughts: a) interrupt the thought and replace it with an opposite and positive statement, and b) deliberately shift your attention to taking some small, positive action.
2 -- Develop a meditation practice. The more you tune in to inner peace the more grounded and full of faith in yourself you become. Meditation does not have to be a lengthy process. A simple rejuvenating meditation of 5-10 minutes of concentration on your breath can be all you need to put you in touch with your deeper, confident self. Remember, 97% of what you do every day is out of habit; if doubting has become a habit, you need to replace it with a more positive habit. Meditation can do this by refocusing your mind on feelings of peace and control.
3 -- Lather, rinse, repeat. The hair care industry has hit on a very simple (very Zen, really) method for cleansing: Slather yourself in the good stuff; wash it off; do it again. Healing is like this, too. Craft your healing intention (what you want + why you want it) in a positive statement and then, when you feel the slightest creep of doubt: a) repeat your intention over and over until the doubt crawls back from whence it came, and b) if you’re on the go and need a quick fix, repeat the word intention over and over. This will cue your subconscious to make the connection between this single word and the intention you have built.
4 -- Put your feet on the floor! Don’t be surprised to realize that doubt is fear and anxiety in another form. That good old ego voice (whose power is threatened by your healing) will whisper doubt night and day in an attempt to maintain its power; even more so when you make any kind of progress. Don’t let it win! When you feel anxiety or doubt try this: Sit on the edge of a straight-backed chair. Straighten your back so that it is upright and straight-spined. Place both feet on the floor parallel to each other and approximately a comfortable foot apart. Now, place your hands, palm down, one on each knee. Breathe in deeply and slowly. This posture grounds your inner self in a position of strength and power. The beauty of this exercise: it can be done in a crowd of people, in the middle of a meeting, in a doctor’s office, at the family dinner table— no one will notice; it is silent, and completely private. You can hold the pose as long as it takes for the anxiety/doubt to subside.
5 -- When you doubt, shout it out. There’s an enormous benefit to having a partner on your healing journey. Here’s a perfect place for his or her support: Like other infectious things, doubt has trouble surviving in the outside world. Get it out of yourself. Telling your healing partner/coach/buddy about the doubt you feel brings it out of the dark and into the light where you can see how small it is, how powerless it is; how much bigger and more powerful you are. Through conversation you will hear another voice—that of a trusted friend—assuring you that you have what it takes to achieve your goals. Together, you can create an anti-doubt campaign.
On the topic of doubt, Wayne Dyer says, "By banishing doubt and trusting your intuitive feelings, you clear a space for the power of intention . . .”
What does this mean in your post-trauma recovery? When you banish doubt you clear the space for the power of you, which is inherent, supreme and limitless. You just have to create a habit of embodying the opposite of doubt—faith—in yourself, in the healing process, and in the ultimate ability you possess to release the past.
© 2012 Michele Rosenthal, author of Before the World Intruded: Conquering the Past and Creating the Future
About Michele Rosenthal
Michele Rosenthal, author of Before the World Intruded: Conquering the Past and Creating the Future, is a trauma survivor who struggled with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for over 25 years. Today, Michele joyfully lives 100% free of PTSD symptoms. The host of "Your Life After Trauma" on Seaview Radio, Michele is a mental health advocate, public speaker, award-winning blogger, writer, workshop/seminar leader and Post-Trauma Identity Coach. For more information please visit http://www.yourlifeaftertrauma.com, and follow the author on Facebook and Twitter.
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