“Healing Is Not Linear.”

It has never been and never will be a linear process.

This quote has always stuck with me and even influenced the creation of my logo. That’s why the arrow is going up and down (Fun fact- it is also a similar design to the necklace I mention in “Why I Named My Blog ‘Trust Difficult Roads’“).

I love this quote because it speaks to the authenticity of the healing experience.

Not just the mental health experience, but all experiences. And when we think about it, it makes sense. Think about when you grieve the loss of a loved one. The pain is really bad at first, but then it gets bearable, and throughout the rest of your life you go through cycles of up and down. Things may steadily get easier over time, but there are times where it hurts more than others. You may even go a long time feeling okay, and then suddenly get really sad about it again. This is normal. We don’t expect someone to simply recover in a constant upward slope. Sometimes things go south for a while, and then they go back up. That’s okay because that is human nature about everything. Whether it’s a death in family, an injury, or a mental illness.

“Healing is not linear” is not a revolutionary quote. It doesn’t say anything we don’t already know. Yet, it seems like a new concept to us when we hear it.

We seem to forget that it’s okay to have bad days. That healing was never supposed to be a linear process. In our culture, it is almost seen as a weakness to have a non-linear healing process. Once something bad happens, you’re supposed to dust your pants off and get up and keep moving. And while you should never let it keep you from continuing on in life, you still should not expect yourself to suddenly just be fine.

Healing is not linear. It is not supposed to be linear. Do not feel bad because your recovery doesn’t “seem” as straightforward as everyone else’s. And don’t let people fool you- their healing isn’t any more neat and tidy than yours.

We’re all a mess. Let’s celebrate that instead of pretending like we have it together all the time.

With love,

Maddie