Allow yourself time and self-compassion when recovering from trauma, recognizing that healing is a long process and not linear. Validate your difficult experiences by acknowledging they ‘suck’ rather than forcing positivity.
Clearly articulate your specific needs to your support system when dealing with trauma or significant life changes, asking for what genuinely helps you feel whole rather than accepting generic comforting phrases.
Offer direct, empathetic support to others experiencing trauma or loss by validating their pain and offering a non-judgmental space to talk, affirming that their situation ‘sucks’ without pushing for strength or positivity.
Prioritize self-care and protect your energy by pausing and disconnecting when you feel overwhelmed from giving too much of yourself, allowing for ‘selfish’ time to recharge and setting firm boundaries around work and personal time.
Recognize and respect your own emotional bandwidth, choosing coping strategies that genuinely serve your well-being, even if they differ from what others suggest or find helpful (e.g., compartmentalization instead of public sharing).
After trauma, re-evaluate and adjust personal priorities and self-expectations, allowing for self-compassion and embracing activities that genuinely bring joy or relaxation, even if they were previously deemed ‘unproductive’.
If you have visible differences, proactively engage with people who stare by initiating conversation, taking control of the interaction, and humanizing yourself to redirect attention from your appearance to genuine human connection.
Coach children on how to express curiosity about visible differences or disabilities politely, encouraging direct and respectful questions rather than staring or whispering, and teaching them it’s okay to ask.
Channel personal trauma or difficult experiences into a renewed sense of purpose and impact, particularly in professional settings, to help others avoid similar hardships or to create positive change.
Reflect on past challenges and traumas to understand how they built your resilience, recognizing that your ability to overcome current difficulties is often a result of a ‘muscle’ developed over time, and drawing strength from past triumphs.
Understand that true vulnerability and healing may take a long time, and initial public sharing or coping mechanisms might serve as a defense rather than genuine processing, so be patient with your own journey.
Prioritize your own healing and grieving process, understanding that others’ discomfort with your trauma or its expression is their issue to address, and can be an opportunity for their own self-reflection.
Adapt how you communicate about trauma or difficult experiences based on the age and understanding of children involved, protecting them from overwhelming details when they are very young, while being open to more conversations as they mature.