I want to make one thing clear: healing is not about going from physically unhealthy to physically healthy. That’s one thing I’ve learned after living with a chronic illness diagnosis for 8 of my 22 years of life.
Until recently – around the time I wrote my Confessions of a Health Perfectionist post – I believed I failed at this thing called healing. After all, I had made immense progress in restoring my health through nutrition, but I still was challenged with some lingering symptoms. And then, as Chicken-Soupy-For-The-Soul as it sounds, I experienced the epiphany that healing is not a destination. Healing is an ongoing transformation.
So I’ve been sitting with the question, “How would I describe the big picture of healing from an illness? What would have been encouraging, truthful, and nurturing to hear when I was first diagnosed with my disease?”
I was inspired by Liz Wolf’s Good Nutrition in 100 Words to write a definition of healing in so many words.
These 100 words describe my view of healing
The sustained dance of true healing means negotiating self-compassion and self-endurance. Gather conviction in the face of uncertainty – know that courage feels like fear, and the strength of your body fails to reflect the strength of your spirit. When positive change appears daunting, channel your soul’s tenacity to patiently and persistently abide in the moment. Ardently express lavish gratitude to your body: unconditional love nurtures the healing journey. Converse gently with the Inner Critic, quieting the accusatory chatter with understanding compassion. Adamantly reject the enticing fantasy of perfection – perfectionism antagonizes transformation and obscures the clarity of your intuition.
Have you grappled with these aspects of healing on your journey?
Thank you for this. I’ve been following your blog since shortly after discovering Paleo last November. You’ve been an inspiration as I find my way through my own healing journey. I’ve seen a lot of improvements in my body but often feel frustration over the things I can’t seem to heal. I sometimes feel like that variety show act where they try to keep a bunch of plates spinning. If I focus too much on one area 3 plates fall off, so I shift my focus to those and a different plate falls off… I keep thinking: “I just want my body to LOOK as healthy as I treat it!”.
Anyway, this post was encouraging and I wanted to say thank you. I appreciate your blog.
PS — thanks for recommending Morrocco Method. I’ve been using those products since February — thanks in part to your posts about it. I LOVE MM and so does my hair.
Hi Lauren!
Just wondering what you thought of the documentary “cowspiracy” on Netflix and was hoping you would make a post about it. Is it possible to be a thriving vegan?! I would love if you could share your thoughts.
Love your 100 words, Lauren. And your blog! Thanks as always.
“Adamantly reject the enticing fantasy of perfection – perfectionism antagonizes transformation and obscures the clarity of your intuition.”
Yes. Yes. Yes.
What we believe is incredibly powerful. I am finding that being GRATEFUL (instead of focusing on what needs to improve ) for all the healing I have made in regards to Ulcerative Colitis makes a big, big difference. Waiting for all to be “perfect” causes us to miss the happiness and peace we can have right now in the midst of healing. It causes us to miss the little victories. It causes us to miss the big picture that – as you allude to in your post – healing is a journey and not a destination.
Best!
Lauren G
This brought tears to my eyes. You got it xx
Really great thought provoking post.
I found this during a difficult time. If I knew then what I know now, I would have memorized it. What turned out to be a “routine” surgery (on my shoulder) has turned into a very long recovery with drastic weight loss and……my once-beautiful hair falling out…as in, I’m almost bald. I went from being an enthusiastic work-out freak to a chronically tired, underweight, bare-headed mess. This passage is boldy encased in my daily binder now and I read it constantly to remind myself that giving myself the time and permission to rest, to heal, and to treat myself kindly.
Thank you.
Lisa, my heart goes out to you as you struggle and I’m glad these words can be supportive to you. I know your healing journey is leading you to your incredible inner strength.
love it
beautiful
from the bushcraft doctor