Exercising Choice & Past Trauma
Saying “no” when you would typically say “yes”; replying to a friend or coworker: “let me think about it” instead of immediately deciding; leaving a stressful situation for a few minutes to find your center. These are all examples of choices you can make to promote your well-being when feeling cornered by circumstance. Choosing to place your needs first can have profoundly positive effects upon your life; it has the power to loosen old patterns that don’t serve you anymore.
What is more, if you have experienced any type of trauma in your lifetime, choosing to do something to take care of yourself in a moment when you are feeling “stuck,” can counteract the feeling of being “frozen” in your body. Feeling as though you cannot or should not move in a moment of distress is often a by-product of having experienced trauma and is very much related to the automatic “fight, flight, freeze” response you are probably familiar with. Making practical choices to take care of you when you think you cannot, can help to replace the constant replay button of trauma with a renewed sense of self-confidence and safety.
What choices can you make today to take better care of you?
Speak Your Mind