The Importance of Healing on Your Journey

Mar 6

One thing I’m realizing on my journey of stepping into wholeness and rediscovering who I am beyond my cherished roles is that healing—deep, intentional healing—and shadow work are parts of this journey that cannot be bypassed.

A couple of months ago, I found myself facing things I thought I had already dealt with—the pain, hurt, and trauma I had neatly boxed away, locked up, and labeled “Do Not Open”. But suddenly, everything began resurfacing, as if the work I had done in the past had somehow come undone.

At first, I questioned it all. Why now? Why was this happening at a time when I felt ready to step fully into my purpose—to live the life I was placed on the Earth to fulfill?

After weeks of sitting in this emotional turmoil, trying to understand why past wounds were reopening, I began to see the lesson: In order to truly step into my purpose, I have to heal—deeply. The healing I had done before was surface-level. I had only addressed what felt manageable at the time. But since the beginning of my journey in 2011, there were things I had yet to confront—things I hadn’t been ready to process until now.

I’m realizing, even as I write this, that everything I’ve experienced up until this point has equipped me with the strength and wisdom to embark on this deeper healing journey. It’s time to release the emotional pain, trauma, and neglect I’ve carried for so long—pain I buried beneath a people-pleasing mask, sacrificing my own well-being to keep others comfortable.

To be honest, I’ve been a people-pleaser my entire life. I did it to keep the peace, to avoid conflict, to prevent being misunderstood, rejected, abandoned, unseen, or undervalued. But now, I refuse to dim my light any longer. (That rebellious streak I’ve been feeling lately? We’ll get into that in another post.)

What I’m learning in this part of my journey is that I cannot fully walk into my purpose until I commit to doing the inner work. And as I do, clarity is slowly revealing itself. I’m receiving divine nudges to keep going, even when I feel like I’m at a breaking point.

When Healing Feels Overwhelming

If you find yourself at this stage of your journey, know that old wounds will resurface—but only when you are capable of handling them. And when it feels like too much, it’s okay to seek support.

For me, my spiritual team and personal practices (which I’ll share in another post) keep me grounded. I also lean on my sister, my spiritual advisor, and, most recently, a therapist. Building a support system is essential, but it’s just as important to make sure that your support is in divine alignment with what you truly need.

Healing will leave you vulnerable in ways you’ve never experienced before, and this is where discernment becomes crucial.

I’m learning to check in with myself regularly, to ask how I’m feeling, and to provide myself with the emotional support I once sought externally. This shift is helping me reclaim my power.

There will be times when healing feels isolating, like you’re walking this path alone. But remind yourself why you’re doing this. The process will get tough—it’s supposed to—but you are not alone.

Give yourself grace when the journey feels overwhelming. Healing is work, and it will drain you. So, allow yourself rest when you need it.

Intentional Healing Practices

Healing is an act of self-love. It’s the process of pouring back into yourself and releasing what no longer serves you. Not everyone will understand your journey, and that’s okay. The past may resurface unintentionally, but your healing must be intentional.

Here are some practices that have been helping me navigate this season:

When a trigger arises, I allow myself to feel it instead of pushing it away. I ask, Why is this coming up? Then, I grab my journal to process my emotions. By the end of my journaling session, I often have the clarity I need.
Sometimes, I write a letter—to myself or to the person involved in my pain—expressing my emotions. Then, I burn the letter, visualizing the fire as a form of release. There is something deeply relieving about watching the flames consume those words. Afterwards, I sit with my spirit team and thank them for guiding me through that release.
For me, daytime spiritual baths work best since the only energies present are mine and my dog’s. I treat this as a self-care and a nurturing practice during my healing journey.
Cleansing, activating, and balancing my chakras through affirmations, mantras, and crystal healing is also part of my practice. For each “trigger” that arises, I correlate it with the appropriate chakra and start working with that energy center. This is also the “root” cause of an energy blockage, and that accompanying chakra is imbalanced.
Meditation is a crucial part of my practice and I dedicated time to each and every day. One morning during meditation, I received a powerful download from my spirital team. They revealed the root cause of my pain—the mask I’ve been wearing, why I’ve worn it, and what I need to do to remove it. They also made it clear that I must be okay with people not accepting the person I am becoming. This process has uncovered aspects of my shadow self that are afraid of change (something I’ll expand on in another post).

Words of Inspiration

Give yourself love, grace, and compassion as you walk this path—because healing isn’t for the faint of heart. This stage of your journey will one day become your testimony.

I know I covered a lot in this post, and I plan to dive deeper into specific healing methods in future entries. But for now I hope these insights help you get started—or encourage you to go even deeper.

You don’t need an abundance of tools for your healing to be effective. What matters most is that you follow what resonates with you and speaks to your heart.