Healing Prepares You to Be Comfortable With The Uncomfortable.
I had this vision that if I healed myself I would leave behind any remnants of pain behind. That I would wake one moment and all I would feel is happiness and inner peace. I guess I thought fear, anxiety, and sadness would no longer be experiences of the present. Self-discovery in my own healing journey has taught me different and I’m so glad it has because what I’ve gained instead has truly inspired a feeling of authentic aliveness.
What healing isn’t: letting go of the myths
Healing is not intended to make you immune to feeling or immune to the realities that life might bring your way. Healing prepares you to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. Sometimes I hear things like I want to heal so I don’t have to feel ________ anymore or so I don’t ever have to worry, feel sad…. There is this idea that when you heal you develop armor that will protect you from every feeling hurt again. To be honest, a part of me wishes that could be true. But the reality is that if we armor up we armor against everything. Joy, pleasure, happiness,… all the good stuff gets dimmed too. Not my idea of healing.
Untangling the past to connect to the present
Through healing work you heal old emotional wounds, the stuff that was left unattended for years and continues to create both pain and challenges in the present. You heal these so that you can more easily tend to the ups and downs and pain you may experience now. You become untangled from the past so you can be more connected to the present. Feeling, beautiful souls, is still a requirement.
Somatic practices for staying with yourself
This is where my beautiful work, somatic therapy and somatic coaching, comes in. Somatic practices invite us to stay present with discomfort rather than numbing out or shutting down. They teach us to breathe through challenging emotions and feel safe in our bodies again.
Healing allows us to reconnect to the present moment and rediscover who we are, as I explored in my post A Journey Back to Self
Learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable
What I have learned is that healing, deep healing, prepares you, teaches you, how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. How to feel, really feel, and be able to stay with yourself rather than numb out, space out, check out. Healing builds your capacity to experience the ups and downs of life and still be here. To still be you. But a different you.
A you who is in her body. A you can experience a depth and range of emotions. A you who can emote without completely losing herself, her footing, her senses.
Healing: a path to true aliveness
So heal not to avoid ever feeling, but to feel more deeply. This is the path to a life that is full of aliveness.
Somatic practice
Consider how you might tend to yourself in moments of discomfort.
What would it feel like to pause, breathe, and listen to your body’s needs? Taking a somatic pause can help you reconnect to the present moment and create space for healing. In moments of discomfort, these simple actions can help you ground yourself and soothe your nervous system:
Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly while breathing deeply. This simple touch can help you feel more anchored in your body and create a sense of safety during moments of emotional intensity.
Notice your breath as it expands and contracts with each inhale and exhale. By slowing down and focusing on your breath, you can reconnect with the present moment, allowing your body to process emotions without rushing or suppressing them.
Tune into your sensations. Are you feeling tension in your shoulders? A tightness in your chest? Allow yourself to be curious about these sensations without judgment. By staying present with these feelings, you can begin to release the grip they may have on you.
These small, grounding practices help you stay present with your emotions instead of avoiding them, which is a key part of healing and growth.
To dive deeper into reconnecting with yourself, read [A Journey Back to Self](insert link). For insights into using words as a healing tool, check out [Words as Medicine](insert link)
Begin your healing journey
Are you ready to explore what somatic coaching could look like for you? My Embodied Mentorship program provides personalized support to help you feel aligned and empowered on your journey. Learn more here Embodied Mentorship Program
If you're ready to explore how somatic coaching can guide you through discomfort and empower you to grow into your fullest self, let's connect!
Con amor, Marisela
