Digestive problems like bloating, stomach pain, and even issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can often be linked to trauma and chronic stress.

The gut and brain are closely connected through the gut-brain axis, a two-way communication system that explains why emotional and psychological states can have a significant impact on digestive health.

When a person experiences trauma, whether in childhood or adulthood, the body’s stress response is triggered, leading to an overproduction of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.

These hormones not only affect the brain and nervous system but also disrupt the digestive system, slowing down or speeding up digestion, and causing symptoms like bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, or constipation.

I’ve experienced these issues myself. The constant bloating, digestive discomfort, and even leaky gut.

It wasn’t until I started to address the emotional root of my stress and trauma that I began to notice real improvements...

Introduction

Trauma is a pervasive and deeply human experience that affects millions of people worldwide. Its impact can be long-lasting, affecting every aspect of an individual's life – physical, emotional, and psychological. However, trauma is often misunderstood, leading to misconceptions that hinder the healing process. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of trauma, exploring its various forms, the factors that influence its effects, and the paths to recovery and healing.

Defining Trauma

Trauma can be broadly defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope. It can be caused by various events, such as accidents, natural disasters, abuse, violence, loss of a loved one, or any situation that poses a threat to one's physical or emotional well-being. What makes trauma complex is that it is subjective – what may be traumatic for one person may not be the same for another.

Types of ...

From time to time, we all experience unfortunate events, situations, and traumas. Although traumas might involve physical injuries and damage, they  are also emotional. If unaddressed, the results of these emotional experiences can last for years.

Today, we're focusing on the emotional aspects of trauma and what you can do to help you on your healing journey. Take some time to look back at your life and see if there are any old hurts that could use your attention. You can also use this as a guide the next time you experience an intense situation that leaves you emotionally smarting for a while.

These trauma coping strategies will help you on your way to healing: 

1. Compliment yourself on making it through. You’re here and you’re alive. Whether your trauma involved only emotions or physical injury as well, the fact is that you’re strong enough to have survived.
2. Allow time to recuperate. You may not be completely recovered by next week. Healing from...

Living in the past can either mean reliving your previous victories or defeats. Neither is a very enjoyable way to live. The past doesn’t need to be a limiting, self-imposed prison. Avoid letting your earlier years taint the future. It’s unnecessary to continue reliving painful experiences.

In Philippians 3:13 Paul said, his main focus was to forget the past and look forward to what lies ahead. He had a mission to accomplish. Most of us may know about Paul's horrible past. Yet, he did not allow his past to take him down a guilty path. He pressed on to the mark that was set before him. 

The past is largely responsible for who you are today. But are you allowing it to define you?

Consider these ideas for how to break free from the past:

1. Learn from your past missteps. The great thing about your past is all the opportunities to learn. You can look back and take note of your strengths and weaknesses. Even better, you can note the types of errors you tend to make and ...

Have you ever found yourself confronting painful memories of situations you experienced when growing up? Remembering these situations can be like re-opening old wounds and feeling the same emotions over and over again. Fortunately, you can use some very productive strategies to help you heal. One of those strategies is journaling – writing down how you feel and think.

Try these journaling techniques to help you resolve the pain of negative childhood memories:

1. Write about what you thought and felt. Going back in time, ponder what the negative situations were like for you. Did you feel embarrassed when Dad pointed out your teeth to people? Were you angry about Mom’s consistent efforts to make you stand up straighter and taller? Write it down.
2. What are your current thoughts and feelings? Next, use your current “adult mind” to take a look at the situation the best you can. What does your adult mind tell you about what really happened? Maybe you see things more...

If you want to be really good at something and live an enriched life, it's important to have self-awareness.

Self-awareness, in essence, means you know your own self. Being self-aware includes knowing what you like and dislike, recognizing what motivates you and even being familiar with your strengths and weaknesses.

In addition, being aware of what "rules" you live by, following those guidelines and recognizing your own habits all contribute to your level of self-awareness. When you live life being self-aware, there's little confusion. You know who you are and what you believe. 

Being self-aware means you're self-assured. You understand yourself thoroughly.

A person who knows himself well is open to and accepting of critical feedback. After all, critical feedback informs you about yourself. When someone tells us honestly and without malice what we're doing and how we could improve, we've just received some valuable information that helps us be more self-aware.

All of these...

It’s impossible to live authentically without first discovering who you are. Self-awareness is crucial! Until you discover yourself, you cannot truly live as your authentic self.

What is self-awareness? The dictionary defines self-awareness as “knowledge and awareness of your own personality or character.” When you’re self-aware, you have an accurate and clear understanding of your personality, strengths, weaknesses, and beliefs. You know what makes you tick. Self-awareness also includes an understanding of how others perceive you.

Lacking self-awareness can lead to a very confusing and frustrating life!

Your level of self-awareness can influence your relationships, career, and happiness:

1. Self-awareness is necessary for taking control of your life. The direction of your life is determined by your thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and reactions. Self-awareness is the principle way of understanding and influencing these things.
   
   
   • Self-awareness highlights...

There's no one out there who knows you better than you know yourself! Your likes, dislikes and indifferences should be more apparent to you than to anyone else. However, you may find it hard sometimes to really commit to what you know about yourself. 

Being true to yourself requires a lifetime of work. Life throws out all sorts of scenarios that test your knowledge of self and your commitment to living up to your own expectations. You'll probably be the first to admit that there have been occasions when you've let yourself down. 

But it's nothing to be ashamed of; it happens to even those who are the most self-aware. Going forward, however, it certainly doesn’t hurt to work towards achieving complete honesty so you can avoid compromising your beliefs and values. 

Tips for Being True to Your Own Reality

1. Think it through; then act quickly. Whenever you find yourself in a situation where you may end up being untrue to yourself, take a moment to think about the...

 I listen to my heart. I make choices that are in tune with my true values and beliefs. 

Connecting with my genuine self reduces my stress levels. My tensions dissolve. I enjoy all my activities more. I feel at ease everywhere I go. 

Being true to myself makes my relationships more rewarding. I say what I feel and let others get to know me. I encourage them to seek the same freedom. We all benefit from greater understanding and intimacy.

Most of all, I rejoice in leading a more fulfilling life because I know that I am beautifully and wonderfully made in the image of my God my Father.

I listen for my internal motivation rather than responding automatically to external expectations. I approach each task with great care and look for the meaning behind it. I see how my actions can serve others.

I identify my strengths. I refine my skills and use them to make the world a better place.

I accept my vulnerabilities. They are a part of my true self. When I make a mistake, I...

Life is full of situations where it can be difficult to say what we really think but silence sometimes comes at a high cost.

 In a recent article in the British newspaper The Guardian, a nurse reported that failing to express our true emotions is one of the most common deathbed regrets.

 Read on to discover the major benefits of speaking your mind and constructive ways to get started. 

Benefits of Expressing Your Emotions

1. Lead a fuller life. Dare to take on difficult issues. You’ll learn more about yourself, your loved ones and the world around you. Taking on more challenges will help you discover your true potential.
2. Become more authentic. If you habitually suppress your true feelings, you may become unfamiliar with them yourself. Get to know the real you and accept yourself for who you are.
3. Banish your fears. Fear and anxiety build up when we try to shelter ourselves from difficult truths rather than facing them directly. When you see yourself successfully...