The Difference Between Pushing Yourself and Staying Safe in Healing

Healing requires both courage and safety, and knowing the difference between the two is essential.

Every person’s healing journey is unique. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, and that’s exactly why I never use a cookie-cutter program with my clients. While I rely on foundational principles, the work is individualized because each person’s experiences, trauma history, and nervous system are different.

Healing does require you to push yourself. Growth happens when you choose to lean in, especially on the days you don’t feel motivated. For example, pushing yourself to journal when you’d rather avoid your thoughts can be a healthy form of stretching your comfort zone.

But pushing yourself should never mean putting yourself in harm’s way.
There’s a difference between discomfort that leads to growth and danger that retraumatizes or overwhelms your system.

Your intuition, your gut, plays a major role here.
If you feel unsafe, uneasy, or sense that something isn’t right, you must listen to that. Examples include:

• Going somewhere you don’t feel comfortable

• Being around someone who gives you a bad feeling

• Entering an environment that feels unpredictable or unsafe

As someone who has survived sexual abuse and now works with clients with similar histories, I can tell you this with complete certainty:

We never push into danger. Ever.

The primary goal of healing is to create safety, internally and externally.
And as you continue to heal, you will become more attuned to what safety feels like, what danger feels like, and where your boundaries truly are.

Even then, the rule remains the same:

Always trust your intuition. Always.

Stay positive and take action!

Thank you for your support!

Resources: For resources, my programs, or to schedule a 30-minute discovery call, visit my website by clicking here.

NEW: I’ve started a private Facebook community called Survivor to Thriver Community: Healing, Support, and Growth. This community is by invite only. I want it to be a place where survivors can go to receive support from others that understand what they’re going through. If you’re interested, please send me an email at [email protected] and let me know you want to join and I’ll send you an invite.