How Do You Know You Are Healing?
If you’re anything like me, you've probably been on what feels like a lifelong healing journey. Just when you think you’ve made huge strides, something comes along to slap you back to an outdated version of yourself—triggered and flustered. Ugh, how annoying! So, how do you actually know if you’re making progress in healing? Healing isn’t always a straight path, but there are subtle shifts and little markers that show you’re moving forward.
How Do You Know You Are Healing?
You’re Developing Self-Awareness
One of the clearest signs of healing is the growing awareness of yourself. You start to have more “lightbulb moments,” where you catch yourself reacting in old, familiar ways and realise that those reactions are based on outdated patterns. This awareness, this ability to spot your own triggers and understand what’s really going on inside, is a huge marker of growth. Being able to see your unconscious behaviours and recognise them as such means you’re breaking free from autopilot and stepping into more conscious living.
You Notice How You Show Up in Different Situations
As you heal, you become more mindful of how you show up, even in tough or triggering situations. It’s easy to feel like you’re doing great when life is going smoothly—those are our “vacation days” from our inner work. But when things get sticky and challenging, that’s when we can see our progress in real-time. If you notice yourself pausing, reflecting, or responding differently in hard situations, that’s a clear sign of healing. Even if it’s a small change, it’s still a shift.
You Feel More Self-Acceptance
Healing doesn’t mean life will always feel amazing. But it does mean you’re learning to love and accept yourself through all seasons—good, bad, and ugly. When adversity hits, if you’re able to hold yourself with love, presence, and acceptance, that’s a powerful indicator of growth. You start to feel more compassion for your past self, more love for your current self, and more hope for your future self. Embracing all parts of who you are, even when it’s messy, shows that healing is happening within.
You Find Lessons in Tough Times
The rough times and uncomfortable moments are often the best teachers. They show us how far we’ve come and where we still have work to do. If you’re able to approach challenging moments as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks, you’re on the right path. Each difficult experience becomes less about suffering and more about self-discovery. This perspective shift alone is a sign of healing, as it shows you’re beginning to see life through a lens of growth and transformation.
You Stay Centred and Grounded More Often
A huge marker of healing is the ability to stay centred and grounded, no matter what’s going on around you. Life will always throw us curveballs, but when you’re able to remain calm and hold onto your inner peace in the face of chaos, you’re showing real resilience. Healing doesn’t mean never feeling triggered; it means knowing how to come back to yourself and find balance after those moments.
You See Others as Mirrors for Your Own Growth
As you heal, you start to understand that other people are often mirrors reflecting back to us what we need to see within ourselves. Instead of reacting with frustration or defensiveness when someone irritates you, you can begin to ask, “What is this showing me about myself?” This practice helps you turn each interaction—positive or negative—into an opportunity for self-reflection. When you view your triggers as teachers, you transform them from sources of stress into tools for growth.
You’re Embracing the Journey with Lightness
Healing doesn’t have to be a serious, gruelling process! The journey can be playful, light-hearted, and even fun if you let it. You can approach each challenge as a “level-up” for your avatar (aka, your human self) and each moment of joy as a reward for all the work you’re doing. Letting yourself laugh at the ups and downs, celebrate the wins, and learn from the lows with grace is a sign that you’re truly integrating healing into every part of your life.
Healing is a journey, and it doesn’t always move in a straight line. But as you continue to check in with yourself, notice these shifts, and celebrate every bit of progress, you’ll start to see how far you’ve come. Remember, every challenge is a lesson, and every joyful moment is a reward for your hard work.
If you’re looking for support on your healing journey, don’t hesitate to reach out for a 1:1 session. You’ve got this, and together, we’ve got this!