Chronic illness can wear you down, making you feel hopeless, lonely, and intolerant of life. The decision to embark on a healing journey from chronic illness and dis-ease can be scary, and the path to healing often feels confusing, frustrating, and overwhelming. Trust me when I say, I've gone through ALL the feelings under the sun on my journey but let me also tell you, it’s not a path you have to walk alone!

As we each tread our unique paths, we can share our stories, lessons learned, and experiences to inspire others and show them that this difficult journey is worth it. Our healing journey can provide a compass for the next person following a similar path.

Looking back on my own healing journey, there are lessons I had to learn that I wish I’d known from the start. They weren't easy but looking back, these lessons taught me acceptance, brought me comfort, and provided me with breakthroughs in my own healing.

Today my friend, I want to share that wisdom I’ve come to learn the hard way with you, so you don’t have to...

9 Truths I Wish I’d Known When I Started my Healing Journey

1 HEALING ISN'T LINEAR

Healing isn’t something you can cross off your to-do list. You can’t achieve it overnight or do it through sheer force of will and by pushing. Instead, healing is like traveling from point A to point B with no clear route to follow. The journey unfolds when you allow, accept, and surrender to your path, taking the time to show yourself love and compassion. At times you will have to dig deep to find your trust, but know, that the Universe always has your back and you will get there.

2 IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT, BUT IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Chronic illness isn’t something anyone asks for - I certainly didn't - and no one deserves to suffer. Don't blame yourself for decision or choices you have made in the past. You simply didn't know better at the time! Yes, there will be good and bad days, but the decision to continue on your healing journey and show up every day for yourself instead of giving up is your responsibility. Others may show you the way and encourage you, but only you can pick yourself up and persist.

3 YOUR JOURNEY IS AS UNIQUE AS YOU ARE

We can look to other people’s journeys so we have an idea of where to go next and what to expect, but your healing journey will be as unique as your fingerprint. We all have different life experiences and layers of healing to go through. We all heal at different times! While it’s helpful and inspiring to learn from the journeys of others, never compare!

4 HEALING CAN BE A LONELY PATH

Healing from any illness is a lonely experience. You may find that your relationships with others change and people won’t always understand you. Your true inner balance, wholeness, and connection will emerge once you deeply align and connect with yourself, those who empathise with your journey and those who understand, since they've been there themselves.

5 YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO THINK “ME FIRST THAN YOU”

Healing can feel selfish, especially if you’re used to putting other people’s needs before your own (hello, maybe that's one of the reasons that got some of us to where we are in the first place). Slowing down, prioritising your own needs and setting boundaries with others no matter how uncomfortable it might be at first is essential, or every step of your journey will take twice as long.

6 HEALING ISN'T ALWAYS ABOUT “DOING”

We live in a society that is very tangible - we expect to be able to do something and get an obvious result. But healing from chronic illness, mental-emotional struggles, and trauma is so often about learning to be comfortable with not doing but simply learning to “be”. Being present with yourself and looking inside, even when you feel uncomfortable, can ease so much pain we cause ourselves simply through resistance to where we currently are in our journey. We are human BE-ings after all.

7 TRIGGERS AND SYMPTOMS ARE YOUR MESSANGERS

They're your internal guidance system and the way your body speaks to you! When triggers and symptoms surface, they are often in response to experiences you had in your past that are resurfacing and want to be seen, felt and let go all over again. Choose to see them as a roadmap to help you uncover, learn and embark on deeper healing...beyond just the physical sensations. They can be your shining star if you allow them to be.

8 THE BODY IS DESIGNED TO HEAL

The body is designed to heal, it’s a scientific fact, but you’ve got to learn to believe this for your own body. You need to deeply understand and believe that the body - when provided with the right environment (mentally and physically) - is designed to heal, recover, and restore itself. Cultivating this belief will not only lift your spirits and provide you with the hope and motivation to continue, but help you find healing and growth.

9 YOU ARE A TRAILBLAZER

By healing yourself, you become the motivation, inspiration, and hope that others need to understand and believe that they can heal too. Your healing journey contributes not only to your own well-being but also to the wider collective. It's a ripple effect that you send out into the world!

As you navigate your healing journey, I want to encourage you to feel inside which of these truths may help you find acceptance, comfort, and growth. Return to these truths when you feel low or hopeless and remember you are never alone on your journey!

Also, ask yourself: what thoughts and perspectives can I try and maybe shift today to find relief? Often, it’s our own expectations and past experiences that create the pressure and frustration that set us back. Learn to let go and be present, and the way forward will become clearer....I promise you a light will appear.

REMEMBER MY FRIEND, YOU ARE A TRAILBLAZER TOO. I’d love to hear about your experiences, lessons you’ve learned, and any other insights you’ve gathered as you navigate your own healing journey.

With love,

Cornelia x