Anita Parker

Don’t Just Feel Better. HEAL!

Have you ever wondered how you kept landing in the same valley time after time? Do you ponder on how could be doing great, then, out of nowhere, you are back in the same rut? An even greater question is, have you even realized that this is a reoccurring theme in your life?

Having experienced this very thing, I have uncovered some details as to why this is. Let’s begin with a natural ordeal that most of us have encountered. I’ll use my own plight as an example. I have sinus and allergy flare ups throughout the year. There are certain symptoms that alert me that I have a sinus infection that over the counter medicines cannot cure. Every visit, the drill is the same – antibiotics, a possible steroid pack, nasal spray, and antihistamines. The directions on the antibiotics and steroid pack clearly say, “take for xxx days.” Because I am not a fan of taking medications, even if it’s only for seven to ten days, I have a tendency to stop taking the medication when I start feeling better. Nowhere in the doctor’s orders did any of the medications say, “take until you feel better.” I, and others like me, get overwhelmed with the process and make the decision to abort healing for temporary relief.

Too often, we mistake the temporary absence of symptoms for restoration. Feeling better is an indication that we’re on the road to recovery, NOT that we are healed. When you have suffered trauma in life, it is imperative that you take all necessary steps to wholeness rather than being complacent with intermittent bouts of normalcy. Anything not dealt with properly has the propensity to resurface. And, if I may add, suppression is not healing. Suppression is only effective until a trigger presents itself, awakening the sleeping giant within you. Stopping this cycle is only possible by healing, followed by preventative maintenance.

The first step to healing is identifying the ailment. Pinpoint the root of what is causing the issues that you are having. You have to be apprised of the exact issue in order for a course of treatment to be devised. Once the culprit has been determined and a course of action is established, the work begins. A commitment has to be made to see the treatment through to completion. It is common for one to become frustrated with the process, pushing them to settle for feeling better and moving on rather than putting a stop to future relapses. I would admonish you to do the work. If healing is your goal, be it now or in the future, you will have to undergo the process anyway. If it is a path that has to be traveled, why not do it upon onset of initial symptoms rather than after years of cyclic trauma?

The journey to wholeness does not lie solely in the preliminary healing stage. It is accompanied by the intentional act of remaining healed. Develop a self-care regimen to combat the reoccurrence of the breakdown and practice it regularly. Be proactive rather than reactive. Take charge of your physical and emotional health. Don’t just feel better. Heal!

“Being proactive means you shape circumstances and they do not shape you.” ~ Robin S. Sharma