My Blog

At one point or another we will all face some kind of trauma. Here are some of the things that I have found to be super helpful when coping with a traumatic experience:

Keep positive affirmations handy: When something traumatic happens it can be very easy to slip in to negative self talk. Write out affirmations that challenge the negative things you hear yourself say internally and keep them in your wallet, your planner pad or your cell phone. That way whenever the negative self talk starts up, you can challenge it right away. For more information on making your own positive affirmations, check out Jamie Ridler's article on Creating Your Own Powerful Affirmations.

Journal: When something traumatic happens, there are a lot emotions that come out. Journalling provides a safe space to write out and process these emotions. Writing to Heal in an excellent book that provides exercises and tools for writing about trauma.

Read/Watch/Listen to Inspiring Stories: Surround yourself with films and books about individuals who have survived through similar experiences and come out shining on the other side. This week I have been finding inspiration by reading Blisschick's blog, watching the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and reading the book Eat, Pray, Love.

Write A Gratitude Journal: After a traumatic experience it can sometimes be really difficult to focus on the positives in your life. Last week when I could not get to sleep, I decided to write out a gratitude list. Writing this list had quite a profound impact on me because it allowed me to see that although negative things were happening, there were still many positive things in my life that I could focus on.

Reconnect with your body: No matter what kind of trauma you have been through, your body is surely impacted. Yoga, meditation, dancing and massage are all great ways to reconnect with your body.

Reach out for support to loved ones: Ask those in your life for the emotional and physical support you need. Maybe you need someone to sit with you in silence or need your partner to hold your hand until you fall asleep. I have found the more specific you are with loved ones, the better they are able to support you.

Keep a comfort object handy: Find something that bring you comfort and keep it around for those times when you need something to hug, touch or hold. Your comfort object may change depending on the situation. When you lose a loved one, you may find comfort in one of their objects like a sweatshirt. If you have been assaulted, you may find comfort in having a stuffed animal to squeeze and hug.

What about you lovelies? Do you have any tried and true tips for dealing with traumatic experiences?