Nurturing Yourself
“Loving ourselves through the process of owning our story is the bravest thing we will ever do”
Brene Brown
When you have experienced complex trauma, nurturing yourself may not always feel natural or easy. You may have learned to put other people’s needs first and may not even notice your own needs. You might not even be able to say what your needs are and that’s okay. You can begin slowly, and start to identify what you choose and need over time.
Nurturing yourself is about gradually being kinder to yourself and building a healthy relationship with you. Just as building other relationships can take time, so can building a relationship with yourself. Think about what little things you can do to begin.
Possibilities include:
- Setting boundaries and giving yourself permission to say ‘no’ if you don’t want to do something or see somebody
- Noticing what your body, mind and feelings are trying to tell you
- Eating regularly, drinking plenty of water, resting when you can and getting enough sleep where possible
- Spending time doing things that feel good for you in that moment
- Connecting with people with whom you have healthy relationships – people who are compassionate and don’t judge you
- Making space for movement, creativity, nature, culture or spirituality
- Speaking to yourself as kindly as you do to a person you care deeply about or in a way you would like others to speak to you
- Seeking support when you need it.
There may be times when nurturing yourself feels unfamiliar or even unsafe.
This makes sense when your needs were dismissed, negated or even used against you in the past. You can start slowly and discover what feels right for you. Over time, nurturing yourself can become a way of recognising your needs and that they matter a lot.
Blue Knot Helpline and Redress Support Services are specialist services.
Our counsellors provide empathetic, informative and empowering support for adult survivors of childhood trauma (Blue Knot Helpline) and adult survivors of institutional child sexual abuse engaging with redress (Redress Support Services)
Call 1300 657 380
