5 Surprising Signs You Really Are Healing
In most cases, healing is not easy. It’s not done with a spa treatment, yoga class, weekend getaway or even reciting affirmations. While those can be helpful, true healing requires deep work.
Healing is a challenge that asks us to journey deep within ourselves to take a good, long look at our shadow parts we might have buried to save us from exposure and vulnerability. The process can range from mildly comfortable to undeniably messy, which is why so many people avoid truly healing themselves. They just don’t want to go there.
Those who do dedicate themselves to healing — because they recognize it’s the way to inner peace — often wonder why they experience such a roller coaster of emotion. The truth is those ups and downs are normal — but they can make it very difficult to see progress.
It’s very common for people who are walking the path to be unsure of how far they’ve come. So to make it easier to tell, here are five surprising signs you really are healing:
Crying. It’s probably the most misunderstood symptom of healing. On a physiological level, crying indicates that the nervous system is attempting to soothe and calm itself.
On a spiritual level, experiencing spontaneous bouts of crying over a few days or weeks, especially after a healing session, usually means you are opening. Your energy is circulating more and becoming less restricted.
This can lead to releasing thoughts and feelings that no longer serve you and/or finally accepting the shadow parts you have not fully incorporated into your being. (You need both your light and shadow to be whole.) In this way, crying is a means for returning to your true self.
Cleaning. Our space, either at home or work, is often a reflection of our mental and emotional health. If you find yourself decluttering or going through your stuff and getting rid of what you feel you no longer need — or what doesn’t bring you joy (thank you, Marie Kondo) — you are most likely on your way to healing.
Clearing and cleaning your space is like when someone who’s expecting a baby begins nesting. Like they are awaiting new life, you are preparing for the rebirth of who you are becoming, the new, healed you.
Spending time alone. People who aren’t ready to sit with and listen to their thoughts and feelings often drown out their own inner voice and distract themselves with busy schedules.
People who have done their work and are well on their way to healing aren’t afraid of spending time by themselves. They aren’t uncomfortable with their thoughts and feelings. They have found a new sense of confidence and peace. They use this time to get in touch with themselves and reset. They might even look forward to time alone as an opportunity to think deeply about their wants and desires for the present and the future.
Holding steady. A very positive sign is when you are no longer triggered by what used to trigger you. People and situations that trigger us can be the greatest indicators of where we need healing, and when they no longer have the same effect on us, they can be the greatest indicators that we have healed.
Maintaining your peace during these encounters means you are on the right path. This experience might be coupled with you expressing or standing up for yourself in healthy ways. Maybe you’ve learned how to process and handle things differently. Maybe you understand things better. If your reactions have changed, then you know you have changed as well.
Feeling ready. Feeling ready to shed our old selves, let go of our old way of being, is just as important as feeling ready to embrace what’s ahead. And how do you know you feel ready? You are excited! You are excited to move forward in a way that feels right and authentic for the person you’ve become on your healing journey.
When we aren’t ready, ideas of the future can make us feel overwhelmed, drained or hopeless. But when we are ready, it’s what we look forward to and work towards.
It’s also important to remember that there is no rush. There is no timeline for healing. This is your journey. You get to decide when you feel ready. And when you do, it’s a great sign.
In many spiritual communities, it’s believed that our healing is never complete, that it is a journey we are on our entire lives. But it is worthwhile to take as many steps as we can. The more healed we are, the more whole we are, the more peace and joy we experience, the richer, fuller lives we have. In the end, we know best where we are on that path.