The wound is the place where the light enters you

We all have been hurt at some point in our lives. We have felt pain, been let down, disrespected, been lied to, and felt broken. I know my past relationships have not been perfect, I have been deeply hurt by the ones I love most.

Lately, I have been reflecting on my past experiences and relationships, realizing the struggles, pain and heartache has lead me to where I am at this very moment and made me the person I am today. I feel I can finally look back and be grateful for the challenges that have come into my life and the growth I have had over the years.

A quote that I heard recently was “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” This could not have hit closer to home.

When we are in the midst of feeling pain and hurt, it is so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I remember thinking I will never feel whole again, but remembering this wound is an opportunity to go deep, grow and transform ourselves, allows us to look at the situation from a different perspective.

And how do we heal these wounds? When we are feeling emotions we are not normally used to, we must take actions we normally do not take. That means changing what we do on a daily basis and adding more self love into our lives. The below ways are how I slowly healed my pain and added more light into my life.

Surender each minute: Surrendering is the first step. By surrendering our past hurt, fear, anger and pain to a greater power, we are allowing God to work miracles into our lives. The need to forgive is one of the hardest life lessons to accept, so when we surrender to God, we know we are not in this alone. We have the guidance and strength to let go.

Write down five things you are grateful for: A gratitude journal is not a new concept, but its impact on your outlook is incredible. Write in your journal by splitting the page: one side says “Thank you” and the other “You are welcome” (For example, “Thank you for my family”—“You are welcome”). This format creates an inner dialogue and cultivates a deep gratitude that you can carry with you throughout the day and reminds you of all the amazing reasons to be grateful.

Plan something special for yourself each day: When you are feeling low and vulnerable, adding extra ways to feel self love are so important. Going on a long walk, ordering in dinner, starting your day with a delicious smoothy, meditate a few minutes longer - whatever you need to feel a little more light and love each day, is what you need to add to your daily routine. Remember you are number one, so be sure to set aside time dedicated to you.

Think “I hear you, ego, but I don’t believe you”: Our ego is that little voice in our heads that starts telling us; we need to be fearful of being alone, we are not good enough, we deserve the pain we received, or we are not worthy of love. By saying “I hear you, ego, but I don’t believe you,” we acknowledge and then dismiss that negative voice that keeps us tied to our wounds.

It has taken a lot of surrendering, prayers and forgiveness to get to where I am today. I can’t say it was easy, but looking back I am so proud of the person I have become. I didn’t let the pain and struggle overcome me, I surrendered to the light.

I would love to hear your stories of how you healed past wounds and grew from the struggles.