Photo: Gruar Codrin

In my PTSD recovery memoir, Before the World Intruded, I write a lot about how trauma changes us. The whole book begins this way: 

When you survive a life-threatening experience you become another person just like that. It happens in an instant. If it’s happened to you, you know exactly what I mean. One minute you’re minding your own business, aware (or, if you’re a child like I was, vaguely aware) of who you are and what it means to be you – and then, Wham!, all of a sudden that self is gone.

Know what I mean? I spent a lot of time trying to get back to the person I was before – or at least, impersonating her if I couldn’t exactly get back there!

I learned something really interesting from my recovery though: We don’t have to get back to who we were before. We can go forward to become someone really terrific after.  Understanding this fact, I think, might have been my biggest surprise – and the biggest gift – in my whole recovery journey.

You have the option of going to go forward to become someone you really admire and adore. Today, describe that person so you know what you’re moving toward.

Want a little daily PTSD healing inspiration? Click here to sign up to receive our free ’Healing Thought of the Day’ email.