There will be times in your healing journey that challenge you to reflect on your growth. Are you going to act out in a moment of anger, or are you going to choose your reaction wisely? There can be times where we choose to stand up for ourselves, to pick the battles we care deeply about that are rooted in our values. There can also be times we decide it's best not to act, and even times we may act out of emotion and impulse. But when we're actively choosing a path of growth, we're able to reflect on situations that test us in order to evaluate the best response.

Again, there may be instances where we might allow our triggers to dictate our reaction, but acknowledging that and accepting that to do something differently in the future is part of growing. And growing doesn't mean that, when you do something wrong, you know to immediately change the next time and each time thereafter - it's understanding that mistakes will be made, extending yourself grace, and allowing yourself to learn lessons in your own time. Growing is reflecting on our mistakes, accepting the fact that we mess up and sometimes react from a hurt place, but still consciously choosing to try again the next time with what we've learned.

In these times, it can feel like a challenge to stay true to yourself. If you're in a situation where someone is trying to push you and bring out an old, un-healed side of you, it can be hard to remain calm and kind. I was in this situation last week: I felt the anger rise in my chest and I had the impulse to say something really mean and petty. I took a few seconds to myself to think of how that person would feel and how I would feel if I said that horrible thing on my mind. And I decided that the repercussions weren't worth it. That those feelings weren't indicative of my growth or how I truly viewed the person. 

So there will be times in your healing journey that test you to see how much you've grown. If these moments (or people) ever try to get the best of you, take a few seconds to think about the situation and reflect on your growth. Sometimes the situation calls for you to stand up for yourself; sometimes it calls for you to keep it to yourself. But healing will teach you when each reaction is warranted. Your growth and intuition are your guides in each situation. 

- JS

Watch the accompanying YouTube video here: https://youtu.be/oocnummLaWY