Rebooting To Heal

As July comes to an end, it’s time to review my Word of the Year for 2023 and see how my theme for the month – Rebooting To Heal went.

The wounded mind must be reset like a fractured bone. It cannot heal itself without spiritual realignment.

― Anthon St. Maarten

What I Wrote At The Start Of July 2023

Someone just brought to my notice that the 2nd of July is exactly midway in the year – 180 days gone by and 180 to go. What a great day to take stock and reboot. Looking back on the 180 days gone by, I realize that for one reason or another my practices have taken a bit of a backseat. And by choice, I was writing and connecting less.

In the 180 days ahead my number one priority is my practices. I feel a breath of fresh air and blowing through my life . I feel myself yielding more to the process of healing:

1. Rediscovering my dreams – restoring my dreams – dusting them off and starting over.
2. Serving others by sharing my own journey.
3. Feeling more and more secure in my person.
4. Allowing God’s voice to make its presence felt in my life.
5. Trusting my intuition.

Intention for July – I reboot mindfully and positively in July – recommitting to my healing, my dreams, my relationships and my work in a more organized way.

Rebooting To Heal

I have to keep reminding myself that healing is a process, and it’s perfectly normal to encounter ups and downs along the way.

Here is some of what I learnt while embracing the process of healing that might be useful to you:

Self-Reflection: Take time for self-reflection and introspection. Assess the areas of your life that feel imbalanced or unfulfilling. Understand your emotions and feelings without judgment. Identify the sources of stress and negative emotions.

Set Clear Intentions: Clearly define your intentions for this new phase of healing. What do you want to work on? What specific areas of your life or self do you want to address and improve? Setting clear intentions will help guide your actions during the reboot. I will be writing a couple of posts about this soon.

Seek Support: Surround yourself with people who uplift and support you. Share your intentions with those you trust, and let them be part of your support system. This is something that I consciously worked on in July and I’m happy to report that I made some very meaningful connections/ reconnections.

Disconnect to Reconnect: Unplug from the constant barrage of information and digital distractions. Engage in activities that foster a deeper connection with yourself and the world around you.

Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind and understanding to yourself. Acknowledge that healing is a process, and it’s okay to take your time. Treat yourself with the same compassion you would show to a friend.

Build Healthy Habits: Focus on nurturing your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. This includes getting enough rest, eating nutritious food, exercising regularly, and engaging in activities that bring you joy.

Explore Healing Techniques: Investigate different healing techniques that resonate with you, such as meditation, mindfulness, journaling, or creative expression. These can help you process emotions and reduce stress.

Practice Gratitude: Cultivate a practice of gratitude by regularly acknowledging the various gifts of your life. This can help shift your focus away from negativity.

Set Realistic Goals: Start with achievable goals and celebrate your progress along the way. Remember that healing is not a linear process, and setbacks are normal.

Stay Patient and Persistent: Healing takes time, and there might be times when you feel stuck or overwhelmed. Be patient with yourself and keep moving forward, even if it’s in small steps.

Learn from the Past: Reflect on past experiences and lessons learned. Use them as a stepping stone for growth and positive change.

Stay Open to New Opportunities: As you progress in your healing journey, be open to trying new things, meeting new people, and embracing opportunities that align with your growth.

Our approach to modern health care focuses so much on removing symptoms, that we’ve learned to equate immediate relief with healing. But healing is much more than simply feeling better in the moment; it requires true transformation, and transformation is rarely comfortable.

― Jessica Moore

If you’re active on TikTok or Instagram, I’m sure you’ve come across Lily Williams’ song – July. Did you know she was inspired by a beautiful poem by one of my now favourite creators – Morgan Harper Nichols? Sharing both the poem and the song for your reading and listening pleasure.

Let July be July 

Even here, you are growing.
When August is approaching
and you feel a little restless
thinking about how
this month might end
and how
this year might end
and how you are supposed to
start again,
you are growing,
you are growing,
in grace
courage
strength.

And it is okay
if it does not feel like it.
It is okay if there are moments
where you cannot see
the way you have grown,
because far beneath the surface
the seeds have still been sown.
The ground beneath your feet
is still a bed for new beginnings.

So much is changing around you 
but you are changing, too.

You are so much more than the brokenness
that you were certain would define you.

It has not been easy for you.
You have worked so hard
to be the positive one.
You have given your best
in areas of your life
where the effort was not returned. 
And this has made it so hard
for you to keep going,
and there have been days
where you were not sure
if it was even possible.
But after everything,
here you are,
just a little stronger,
holding on a little longer,
and you still found room for hope. 

So take heart
breathe deep
you are still becoming
who you were meant to be.

Let July be July.
Let August be August.
And let yourself

just be
even in
the uncertainty.
You don’t have to fix
everything.
You don’t have solve
everything.
And you can still
find peace
and grow
in the wild
of changing things.

Taken from Morgan Harper Nichols’ debut collection How Far You Have Come

Have a fantastic August!