The Setback That Taught Me What Healing Really Means

Healing is often shown as a perfect before and after story, but that is not real life. One of my hardest moments happened during what I believed was a strong week of progress. I had been eating well, staying consistent, and truly felt like I was improving. Then one morning, the pain came back stronger than before. I sat in the bathroom before school and cried because it felt like I was back at the beginning.

That day, I almost gave up. I felt frustrated, embarrassed, and tired of pretending everything was fine. Later that evening, I talked to a family member about how defeated I felt. They reminded me that setbacks do not erase progress. Sometimes the body needs time to adjust and learn safety again. That conversation helped me release the idea that healing needs to look perfect.

If you are on a healing journey, please remember this. Progress is not lost just because you have a difficult day or week. You are still moving forward. You are learning your body and building resilience. Healing is not a race and it is not measured by how few setbacks you have. It is measured by how you show up for yourself through them. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to begin again. You are allowed to be proud of yourself even on the days that feel heavy.