Healing Doesn’t Look Like What You Think It Does

Healing Doesn’t Look Like What You Think It Does

If someone had asked me a few years ago, “What does healing look like?”

I would’ve said something poetic..

peace, calmness, a soft sunrise, maybe even some motivational music in the background.

But the truth is… healing looks nothing like that.

In fact, it looks nothing like the pretty version we imagine in our heads.

Healing is messy.

Healing is loud.

Healing is painfully slow.

And sometimes… healing doesn’t even look like healing.

Sometimes healing looks like getting out of bed at 2 PM and calling it a victory.

Sometimes it looks like washing your face after three days.

Sometimes it looks like replying to a single message after ignoring everyone for a week.

Sometimes it looks like crying in the bathroom silently, so no one hears you.

And sometimes it looks like laughing too loud at something that isn’t even funny…

because your heart is tired, but it’s trying.

Healing isn’t always progress.

Sometimes it’s just surviving.

Healing also looks like confusion.

There are days when you feel like you’re finally okay.

Like you’ve moved on.

You smile, you breathe a little lighter, you even make a to-do list…

And the next morning, you wake up with a heavy chest.

The same old thoughts.

The same old fear.

The same old ache.

People think this is “going backward.”

But no this is healing.

This is what real recovery looks like.

It comes in waves.

Some days the water touches your feet.

Some days it pulls you down.

Both days count.

Sometimes healing looks like avoiding people.

Not because you hate them.

But because you don’t know how to explain the chaos inside you.

Because the version of you that they knew…

you’re not that person anymore.

And you’re trying to find the new one quietly.

Healing also looks like anger.

We don’t talk about this enough.

Sometimes you wake up irritated for no reason.

Sometimes you snap at the people you love.

Sometimes you want to scream at the universe

“Why me? Why again? Why now?”

And that anger isn’t wrong.

It’s just your heart telling you

“I’m hurting. Please don’t rush me.”

But most importantly… healing looks like hope.

Small hope.

Tiny hope.

Invisible hope.

Hope hiding inside the smallest moments..

the smell of morning chai,

the light wind touching your face,

a good song you haven’t heard in years,

a stranger smiling at you,

the courage to start something again.

Healing doesn’t happen in a straight line.

It doesn’t happen with inspirational quotes.

It doesn’t happen when people say “stay strong.”

Healing happens quietly.

In the background.

In the moments no one is watching.

So if you’re healing right now, don’t judge yourself.

You’re not slow.

You’re not weak.

You’re not behind.

You're just human.

And you’re trying that itself is bravery.

One day, without even realising it, your heart will whisper:

“I think I’m okay now.”

Not perfect.

Just okay.

And sometimes… that’s all the healing we need.