Do You Have PTG?
Post-traumatic stress (PTS) is something most of have heard of or experienced even if we ignore it/the signs. But how many of us know about post-traumatic growth (PTG), life beyond the loss, adversity, and trauma? PTG became popular in the 1990s as positive psychology and resiliency-building techniques are used more in our society.
What is post-traumatic growth? It’s a positive change and growth that comes about as a result of adversity or loss. When we channel the negative into something positive or it’s simply returning to the life we experienced before the negative event. This involves psychological shifts and changes within, our beliefs, attitudes, actions, meaning and purpose in life, relationships, establishing an even greater level of not just functioning.
We first need to allow ourselves to go through the pain. It’s similar to the grieving process where we have to go through it to come out of it. The challenge is now integrated into our lives and now we can rebuild a new normal. I came across an article where Dr’s. Tedeschi and Calhoun, of the University of North Carolina, have identified five main areas where we can experience PTG as an outcome of our adversities:
Relating to Others
Connect with people on a deeper and more real level. Recognize where and with whom you feel more understood, connected, and supported. Have your relationships taken on greater meaning in your life?
Appreciation of Life
Start to take pleasure in the ordinary things of life, for it’s the everyday beauty and pleasures that nourish, and fill us. Are you being more mindful in the now? The Awe, Ha moment is a positive emotion that fills us with wonder and boosts clarity.
New Possibilities & Focus
“Re-evaluating what’s important and what truly matters/priorities; stepping outside one’s comfort zone and taking risks; openness to new ways of living, to new experience,s, and learning/taking on new endeavors.”
Take back control of your life and think about your top values and priorities. After processing your grief and emotional pain, what new opportunities are you exploring? Think about… What have you realized means more than anything? How can you better honor those things in your personal and/or professional life? How can you spend your time and energy in ways that reflect your values and what truly matters to you?
Personal Strength
Reflect upon your strengths and allow yourself to feel good that you got through your difficulty in ways you thought you never could. How did you cope with pain and hardship in healthy ways? What strengths did you use to help get you through the trauma/adversity? Recognizing those strengths, how can you continue to bring them forth in ways to enrich your life?
Spiritual Change
“Transcendence to things beyond ourselves, renewed purpose and meaning, questioning and searching as we reconfigure our newly designed tapestry.’
Instead of asking “what’s the meaning of life,” ask yourself, “What’s my purpose and how do I re-create that for myself? How do I achieve this purpose daily? How do you want to spend your days on earth? What mark/impact do you want to leave/have? Are you more connected to your purpose? Growth can occur in the aftermath as we seek to create good, find new ways of living that can be enriching and meaningful. Let’s start with creating new goals and finding positive ways to adjust the potential for post-traumatic growth.
Knowing this possibility for change and growth exists and that we’re not doomed to the misery of our challenges and losses can provide hope to strive for. To some, it comes more naturally, to others may have to work towards obtaining this peace. This points to a better way to live beyond our inevitable life challenges.
If you feel PTG is a reality in your life, seek help! The support can change your life.
The Dream Style
