Smiling though the pain – healing, self-care

Smiling through the pain is a category where you find blog posts related to healing, recovery, self-care, and overcoming obstacles in life.

Flower on a piece of paper and on the paper is written Writing for healing on Journeyofsmiley blog

How to Use Writing as a Healing Tool for Trauma and Pain

Trauma and pain can take their toll on our health and well-being. In the aftermath of my traumatic event, I have had to deal with both physical and mental injuries. Writing has helped me enormously in my recovery and it is something I have been recommending to others since I embarked on my healing journey. …

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Roses on a pink piece of paper with the title Love yourself on Journeyofsmiley blog

5 Ways to Love Yourself on Valentine’s Day and Every Day

When was the last time you bought yourself some flowers or wrote a letter to yourself? Do you appreciate yourself as much as others? Are you talking to yourself with such softness, kindness and compassion as you talk to your loved ones? And I am not talking only about some self-love acts on Valentine’s Day, …

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A lady in white t-shirt with pink background and nature behind is hugging herself and title 7 Keys to Self-healing on journeyofsmiley blog

How to Heal Yourself: ‘7 Keys To Self-Healing’ A Trauma Survivor’s Guide

New Year, New Me, or so I thought at the beginning of last year. It was just over a year since the accident which changed my life in a split second. It wasn’t just the accident itself causing my nightmares, suddenly all the gloomy thoughts from the past that I had swept under the carpet …

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A woman walking with a veil behind her and title Finding purpose through acceptance on Journeyofsmiley blog

Acceptance and Finding Purpose After a Traumatic Accident – Crash Support Network Guest Post

It is exactly two years since my accident. If you have been following me for a while then you will know that it was that accident which changed my life in a split second. My journey since hasn’t been easy and finding acceptance has been one of the hardest challenges I have had to go through in …

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a sign made of letters saying 'be positive' and over it a sign saying 'just be real, be yourself' on Journeyofsmiley blog

Positive Thinking: Can It Cure Your Illness?- RallyUp Magazine Guest Post

A few months ago, I received a recommendation for a book that described how the power inside us can heal any disease. It went on to explain how our positive thinking could affect the outcome of any illness we may be suffering from. So then I started to wonder. I am a positive person, after …

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Writing and PTSD: How Writing Is Helping Me to Cope With PTSD – PTSD UK Guest Blog

If you have followed me for a while you will know that I was diagnosed with PTSD after my accident. You may also know that it was after the accident that I returned to my passion, writing. And recently I have shared my story of how writing has helped me to cope with PTSD on …

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a cup of coffee or tea with a fresh smell and a dice with a heart and an orange paper rose and a book on a bed

Powerful Self Care Tips for PTSD From Trauma Survivors

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year NAMI‘s message is ‘Together for Mental Health.’ With so many people experiencing mental health problems, I am using this time to bring a few of the voices of trauma survivors together to advocate mental health. I am so grateful that some of those who participated in …

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How Walking Has Helped Me With My PTSD Recovery – NAMI Guest Blog

I feel honoured to have had my article ‘How walking has helped me with my PTSD recovery‘, published by NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness. NAMI is America’s largest grassroots mental health organisation dedicated to improving the lives of the many people affected by mental illness.  In the article, I describe how walking has helped my …

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Happy Valentine's Day self love with a notebook and red roses on Journeyofsmiley blog

5 Simple Self Love Ideas for the Perfect Valentine’s Day

With Valentine’s day, the season of love is here. We tend to be quite romantic when it comes to ideas for celebrating the day and spoiling our partner. But what about ourselves? You deserve love too, and not just from others. It needs to start with yourself. So how do you care for yourself during …

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