We don’t often talk about the valor of being an abuse victim. But it’s an important silver lining that I think is good to remind ourselves of every once in a while.
We know that repeated exposure to trauma doesn’t actually make you stronger. But that doesn’t mean that we are left defenseless against what comes next.
Trauma doesn’t come with the assurance that it may not strike again but if we let it, it can help us foster the resiliency needed to get through it and the rest of life too. I would say that this is because those who’ve suffered have had more opportunity to develop their coping mechanisms more acutely.
Growth begins with healing from trauma—it is not a free pass to avoid suffering.
But we have the capacity to do far more than just heal. Given the right environment and mindset, we can change, using the trauma, the suffering and struggle that ensues, as an opportunity to reflect, to search for meaning in our lives, to ultimately become better versions of ourselves.
🤍B