Turn Trauma into Transcendence
Trauma is ubiquitous and necessary. Some shocks to our systems, some ordeals overcome, make us more resilient. This is Martial Arts, Navy Seal training, and ballet (which was harder for me than Karate!). Meet a challenge or shocking setback, resolve it, and walk away wiser and stronger, is a recipe for success and happiness.
Some shocks and setbacks have the opposite effect. Our nervous systems get rewired to be more easily alarmed in the future—sensitized and more fragile.
When this trauma learning occurs, we can deal with it in ways that eventually make us wiser and stronger. This work usually progresses through four stages that challenge us to wake up to new perspectives, to clean up distorted stories, and to show up for ourselves and others—to self-transcend and grow up a little each time.