Skip to main content

Turning self harm into self love

I have suffered many scars in the course of 7 years; mental scars, emotional scars, and physical scars. I see my scars and experiences as pieces of progress and character, but I didn't always feel this way. For a long time I tried to hide the pained side of me, and it's much easier to hide the invisible scars than the visible ones. The scars from my self harm are far more visible than my emotional scars. Today I want to encourage you by sharing how I turned my self harm into self love and learned to accept every part of myself, good or bad.

Why do people self harm? This is different for everyone! I did it because it made me feel something. My disorders made me numb - my cuts made me feel. However, this feeling of 'feeling something' doesn't last. Self harm does more harm than good. The reasoning behind the self-inflicted pain is different for everyone, but I can guarantee that the results never live up to expectation! After time, they just add more pain and shame than relief. I hid behind my pain for a long time, and I let it define me. But there came a time where I realized that I actually had nothing to be shamed of, and neither do you!

When I look at my scars, I no longer see weakness and shame. I see perseverance and resilience. To be resilient means to "strive amidst adversity", and I believe that this fully represents my struggles and victories, and it can represent yours, too. I see scars as:

S  ymbols of
ourage
nd a
esilient
pirit

We have overcome so much! Your scars, whether visible or not, do not have to remind you of the pain that WAS, but of the strength that IS. You have nothing to be ashamed of and no reason to hide! Your resilience is so powerful and strong and symbolizes more than any scar ever will. My scars of self harm actaully became my pillars of self love. They remind me:

  • To forgive myself
I am not prefect, and neither are you. But the greatest strength and beauty come from imperfections! Let your journey represent your beauty and resilience, not self hate and loathing. Forgive your flaws and embrace your beautiful self.
  • To look forward
My journey isn't over, but my past is NOT my future. Never let your past define what your future will be! Define your own future and work to create it. Your future is not dependent on your past.
  • To be happy
I have spent so long being unhappy, anxious and down, and I think that we all deserve to feel happy, hopeful and proud of our journey. My scars remind me to have pride in my progress. Every day is progress and worth being proud of!
  • To have faith in myself
I may not be perfect. I may have a past. I may have disorders and I may still need progress...but I have faith in myself to get myself through. Learn to trust yourself, take care of yourself and have courage.


It isn't easy to see a positive side to pain. If you experience self harm in any way, please seek help. Just open up to someone you trust or admire. I promise you, self harm isn't the solution! Love your body. And if your reasoning is to be seen, speak up to your friends and family. Take charge of your feelings and how you want others to see you.

Keep fighting your fight, loving yourself and being resilient!

xx

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Being Single Through The Wait

Relationships. That word scares me. Not because of commitment or work or time, but because it's something foreign to me. I don't know what it's like to be committed and therefore I commit to anything. I always prayed about being the right girlfriend: being supportive and positive, strong, independent, healed. Being perfect. Yesterday the truth finally hit me and I'm writing from a place of understanding, pain, but hope and newfound grace because I now understand, without a doubt, why a relationship is so foreign to me. 'Walk like a wife and your husband will find you'. That's an incredibly terrifying quote, because it reveals the fundamental underlying fact of relationships: getting married. And I realised that the biggest blessing I could ever have asked for was to be single thus far. Truth is, you shouldn't be looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend, but a husband or wife. And once you realise that, everything changes. You understand that love is more ...

A Tree

Right now I'm sitting under a tree. I know this doesn't sound particularly profound, but it's not something I often do. I am not the most outdoorsy person, but even I cannot deny the beauty of a tree. As the wind blows, it gives small groans. It sound s like it's in pain. And the rustling leaves sounds like soft music. It's incredibly peaceful and awe inspiring... A tree is really strong. It's built to endure and survive. But it is also stunningly beautiful. How creative is God?! He designed the most beautiful and stable creation. And if He made a tree so strong and stunning, how much better didn't He make us? We also endure tough storms in our lives and have to fight through wind, rain and thunder. But we, like a tree, survive. We are undeniably strong and capable of amazing things. I have many scars, like a tree has flaws in its bark. The flaws are what makes the tree, and us, unique and lovely. It gives strength and character and is a reminder to keep f...

Change

I stared down the barrel of change in the past few days, the philosophy that by changing yourself, your lifestyle and your patterns that you somehow become a better person. You keep your insecurities to yourself, re-plaster the emotional walls that you have built, and let go of people who bring you down. Change is inevitable, it’s part of life, but Is change good? Does changing yourself change your situation, your acceptance by society, your health? There are countless articles and quotes stating: Do not change yourself for anyone. Society has us in an invisible room, a comfortable room. A room which makes us feel safe and grounded, taken care of and accepted, even if the foundation of this room is built on insecurities, comparison and unreachable standards. Stay as you are, they tell us, then bombard us with appearance issues, weight control images and mental health stigmas. All of the above, including a recent self-loathing, has led me to think: What if change yourself isn’t...