Have you been going through a tough time? Are you in a place of hurt and retreat? How is your mental health? Does it feel battered and bruised? And are you exhausted all the time?
If the answer is yes then I am so glad you are here because this blog post is all about these very things. And, as the title says, we’re going to address overcoming hurt and beginning to heal with quotes and prompts.
I first started this blog thinking of the lines of ‘inspirational quotes if you don’t heal what hurt you’ type of blog post.
However it took on a life of its own and rather than simply providing you with a list of inspirational quotes (which I do) I created a set of prompts for you to work through in your journal. Thinking about hurts which have been inflicted on me over the years I found this a really useful process to work through and I hope you will too.
There are two sets of quotes. The first set is quotes about healing from hurt and the second set is concerned specifically with quotes to help you understand your hurt and start to navigate your way to healing and wholeness. And then there is the set of prompts that you can use in your journal. Let’s start there, with your journaling practice.
Journaling your way to overcome your hurt
This section will help you to create a healing journey in your journal by addressing your hurt.
This blog post is aimed to help you deal with hurt and pain that is of a manageable level, that is to say you are able to live a normal life and ‘manage’ the pain. I know for myself that the pain I experienced was quite traumatic but I managed to get through each day, albeit with not necessarily healthy coping mechanisms of a large glass of wine and withdrawing from other people.
However, if your hurt is of a really serious nature, if you have experienced events that are very traumatic then by all means use this blog post and I really hope it helps. I am not a therapist and my writings are not therapy, although they are designed to help. So please don’t be hesitant to reach out to qualified counsellors, doctors and therapists for professional advice and help.
Finding your path to healing
Healing can feel painful, but we are all able to heal, we just need to find our path. Your path may include a therapist or it may not. Our paths are all individual. So create your own healing path and follow what your instincts are in terms of needing additional help.
Let’s dive in with healing prompts for overcoming hurt. Use your journal to work through these steps. If you find one particularly difficult, leave it and come back to it another time.
Prompts for overcoming hurt
Reflect on your experience
What specific event or situation caused the hurt? Take some time to reflect on the details and try to understand what happened. Write as much or as little as you want in your journal. If you find it exhausting to write it all out, notes are good here. Just go back in your mind and see the event or events. Try not to judge, try to just write down the experience in a straightforward, non-emotional way.
Acknowledge your emotions
What emotions are you feeling as a result of the hurt? Allow yourself to fully experience and express these emotions without judgment. You can write the emotions down as a list. The take each emotion in turn and expand on it if you are able. For instance if one of your emotions was that you felt raw, write ‘raw’ down. And then describe how that rawness felt. Did you feel it in your stomach? Or your heart? Did you feel lightheaded? How did it make you feel. What was going on in your body and what was going on in your mind?
Identify the impact
How has the hurt affected your life emotionally, mentally and/or physically. Describe any thoughts or emotions that arise. Consider the ways it has influenced your beliefs, behaviours, and relationships. Get all your thoughts out here. Write down every way in which this hurt has affected your life.
Isolate the hurt.
Despite the effect that this negative experience has had on you, try and isolate it so that it doesn’t seep out into all aspects of your life. Try not to use it as a lens through which you see all of your experience.
Practice self-compassion
How can you show kindness and understanding to yourself in this situation? Treat yourself with the same compassion you would offer to a friend going through a difficult time. Look at the list you have made. If a friend gave you this list how would you react? I am sure you would be really compassionate wouldn’t you? Extend that same compassion to yourself.
Reflect on the underlying needs or desires that were not met in this situation. What would you hope for and how have any unmet needs contributed to your feelings of hurt?
Seek support if you need it
Who can you turn to for support during this healing process? Reach out to trusted friends, family members, or professionals who can provide guidance, empathy, and a listening ear.
Challenge negative thoughts
Going back to numbers 3 and 4 above, what negative thoughts or beliefs are associated with the hurt? Question their validity and actively replace them with more positive and empowering thoughts. For example you can:
- Examine the evidence: Look for evidence that supports or refutes your negative thoughts. Ask yourself if there are any facts or experiences that contradict your negative thinking. Often, negative thoughts are based on assumptions rather than reality.
- Question the validity: Challenge the accuracy of your negative thoughts by asking yourself the following questions:
- Is there any evidence to support this thought?
- Am I jumping to conclusions or making assumptions?
- What are the alternative explanations or perspectives?
- How would a trusted friend or mentor view this situation?
I am reminded of Byron Katie and her questions at this point. I recommend checking out The Work.
Practice forgiveness
Are there any individuals involved whom you need to forgive, including yourself? Explore the practice of forgiveness and consider the benefits it can bring to your healing journey. See the separate blog post here on forgiving another person. Let go of resentment: Are there any lingering feelings of resentment or anger that you need to release? Explore forgiveness and letting go as a means of freeing yourself from these negative emotions.
The importance of self-care
What activities or practices help you feel nurtured and cared for? Prioritise self-care activities that promote your physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Using your journal make a list of what self-care looks like to you. Refer to your list regularly. I have found for myself that understanding what self-care means to me has been a journey rather than a one-stop experience.
Creating healthy boundaries
Are there any boundaries you need to establish to protect yourself from further hurt? Define and communicate your boundaries to create a sense of safety and empowerment. Boundaries are there to protect you. They are not there to bolster indignation or self righteousness. If you realise that you are creating boundaries as a way to legitimise resentment, then go back to prompt 7, Practice Forgiveness.
Creating your boundaries from a feeling of self empowerment will necessitate forgiveness on your part first. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you need to be friends, neither does it negate what the other person may have done to you. It means you release yourself from the wounds that were inflicted and free yourself to heal.
Focus on personal growth
What lessons can you learn from this experience? How can you use this hurt as an opportunity for personal growth and development? If you are not ready for this step initially that’s totally fine. First concentrate on forgiveness and self-care. When you are ready look at personal growth. Often personal growth will come as a by-product of your experience.
One day you will realise that you are free, one day you will realise that you feel fine, are able to move on. You could keep a page in your journal and call it something like ‘How I’ve moved on’ or ‘Ways in which I’ve changed’. When you realise that you have grown emotionally you can write it down in that section of your journal. Over time you will see how much you have grown emotionally and intellectually.
Shift your perspective
Can you find a more positive or empowering way to view the hurtful event? Explore alternative perspectives that can help you reframe the situation and find meaning or growth.
Cultivate gratitude
What are some things in your life that you are grateful for, despite the hurt? Practice gratitude to shift your focus towards positivity and abundance.
Engage in healing activities
What activities or practices bring you a sense of healing and restoration? These practices will balance out your life. Journaling of course is a great activity, and you can also consider other activities such as meditation, exercise, movement in general such as dance, and creative outlets like art and crafts.
Embrace acceptance
Can you find a way to accept what has happened and make peace with it? Explore acceptance as a means of moving forward and embracing new possibilities.
Remember, overcoming hurt takes time and patience. These prompts are designed to encourage self-reflection and provide a starting point for your healing journey.
Here are some quotes about healing from hurt which could encourage you as you deal with your pain.
Healing from hurt quotes
- “The wound is the place where the light enters you.” – Rumi
- “Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls our lives.” – Akshay Dubey
- “The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.” – John Green
- “You have been given this pain because you are strong enough to handle it. Use it as a stepping stone to become a stronger version of yourself.” – Unknown
- “Healing takes time, and asking for help is a courageous step.” – Mariska Hargitay
- “Sometimes the only way to heal is to break completely and rebuild yourself from the ground up.” – Nicole Addison
- “Healing begins when you own your pain and let it go.” – Bryant McGill
- “Your heart will heal. It may not be the same, but it will heal.” – Unknown
- “Scars remind us of where we have been, not where we are headed.” – David Rossi
- “The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.” – Hubert H. Humphrey
Knowing that others have been on a similar journey and are able to describe how hurt and pain feel is so encouraging. The power of words to begin to heal us and take us on the healing path is strong. So here are some inspirational healing quotes to give you comfort.
Inspirational quotes to help you understand your hurt
- “The first step towards healing a broken heart is acknowledging the pain and allowing yourself to feel it.” – Unknown
- “Good things can come from the most painful experiences. They teach us, shape us, and lead us to our own healing process.” – Unknown
- “In the healing of the world, we heal ourselves. As Marcel Proust said, ‘The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.'” – Marianne Williamson
- “Healing is like serving a life sentence to the pain of the past, but with the practice of forgiveness, you can find freedom within your own heart.” – Unknown
- “The only way to heal from emotional pain is to allow yourself to fully experience it and find the strength to move forward.” – Haruki Murakami
- “In the midst of a painful experience, remember that you are making an important contribution to your own healing journey.” – Cheryl Strayed
- “Healing is not a one-time event, but a continuous process. It takes time, patience, and the support of trusted friends.” – Jennifer Brown
- “The practice of forgiveness is the only way to release the negative feelings that bind us and open ourselves to the healing power of love.” – C. Joybell C.
- “The only way to find real healing is to confront our past hurts, embrace them, and let them go.” – Unknown
- “In the healing process, time is both a proof of the fact that wounds can heal and a reminder to have patience with our own journey.” – Louise L. Hay
- “Healing is a unique part of each person’s journey. What works for one may not work for another, so find your own way towards healing.” – Rupi Kaur
- “The most empowering thing you can do in the face of pain is to have the courage to become a better person because of it.” – Unknown
- “The practice of forgiveness is the most tranquil question of our human soul, capable of turning scars into stars.” – Kahlil Gibran
- “Healing begins when we view our past hurts in a more positive light, recognizing that they have shaped us into who we are today.” – Unknown
- “The best quotes about healing remind us that our past does not define us, and we have the power to let go of the hurt and create a better future.” – Unknown
- “In the recovery process, we must extend compassion to the wounds of others, for in healing them, we heal ourselves.” – Iyanla Vanzant
- “Scars, of whatever nature, are a testament to the pain we’ve endured, but they also serve as a reminder of our resilience and strength.” – Unknown
- “Painful memories may leave their mark, but they don’t have to define us. We can choose to rewrite our story and create a new path of healing.” – Unknown
- “The power of our minds lies in our ability to turn the soil of our past hurts into fertile ground for the growth of new and healthy relationships.” – Unknown
- “The most beautiful part of life’s challenges is that they provide us with the opportunity for growth, healing, and becoming the best versions of ourselves.” – Unknown
- “To heal, we must approach the place of true healing with an open mind and a willingness to let go of what no longer serves us.” – Unknown
Remember that you are not alone. Don’t feel isolated. Many people have been hurt before and have found their way to healing and resilience. Without making light of your own personal experience, these very negative occurences in our lives can often be the starting point for huge character growth.
Don’t let what has happened to you stop you from evolving as the wonderful person you are created to be nor from living the most fun and fulfilling life.
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