Signs You’re Healing (Even When It Doesn’t Feel Like It)

March 17, 2025

Healing isn’t always the big, life-altering moment. Sometimes, it’s so subtle you might not even notice it. Maybe you’re still triggered by the same things, but your response is softer.

Maybe the waves of grief still come, but you don’t feel like you’re drowning in them anymore. After all, healing from trauma doesn’t always feel like progress, but trust me—you’re further along than you think.

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Healing Doesn’t Always Look Like You Expect

Healing isn’t about “getting over it”—it’s about learning to live alongside what you’ve been through. It’s about recognizing your progress in ways that might not be obvious at first.

Some days, it may feel like you’ve barely moved forward, but the truth is healing isn’t linear. It’s layered, cyclical, and deeply personal.

Why Emotional Triggers Can Be Markers of Progress

We often think healing means no longer being triggered, but in reality, triggers can prove how far you’ve come. The pain might still surface, but pay attention—does it feel different?

Are you able to sit with it a little longer before reacting? Healing from trauma doesn’t mean eliminating triggers; it means learning how to move through them with more grace and resilience.

Measuring Growth in How You Recover

One of the best trauma recovery tips is to measure healing not by the absence of pain but by the speed of your recovery. Maybe you still have setbacks but don’t stay down as long.

Maybe the emotions still come, but they don’t completely consume you. Progress isn’t about never falling—it’s about knowing you have the strength to rise again.

How to Reframe Your Perception of Healing

Healing isn’t about crossing a finish line but embracing the process. When we let go of unrealistic expectations, we make room for the small victories that truly matter.

Letting Go of the Pressure to “Move On”

There’s no deadline for healing. Society might tell you you should be “over it” by now, but real healing doesn’t work that way. Let go of the expectation that you need to move on—focus instead on moving through.

Honoring the Work You’ve Already Done

Every step you’ve taken—no matter how small—is part of your healing journey. Every time you choose self-compassion over self-criticism, every moment you allow yourself to feel instead of suppressing—it all counts. Take a moment to acknowledge how much strength it took to get here.

Trust That You’re Further Along Than You Think

Healing is happening, even on the days when it doesn’t feel like it. Trust in the progress you can’t always see. You are learning, growing, and becoming whole with every step.

If healing feels slow or uncertain, you’re not alone. In Dear Drew, I share my journey through grief and resilience to help you navigate your own. Preorder today on Amazon, and let’s walk this path together.