So let’s talk about wounds for a second. And I’m not talking about the physical kind. I’m talking about the kind on the inside – the kind that hurt your heart and bruise your soul.

We all have them. I mean, have you ever met anyone who doesn’t? We might have gotten our wounds from something traumatic that happened to us in our childhoods. We were picked on, abused, ignored, or discarded. We might have gotten our wounds as adults. We were picked on, abused, ignored, or discarded. 

Our wounders may or may not know they hurt us. We may be wounders ourselves. Chances are, we’ve hurt people who’ve loved us, intentionally or not. The point is, everyone has wounds. It’s what you decide to do with your wounding that counts though, people. You’ve got options.  

You can ignore them and let them fester. When this happens, infection sets in. The infection spreads and starts affecting you adversely. It might get so nasty that you become a wounded wounder and begin infecting those around you with your toxicity. It gets nasty, you guys, because you end up infecting the people who love you the most. They will likely ask and then beg you to get help. If you don’t start healing the wound, it eventually gets so gross that you lose ‘limbs’ of your life. Healthy people back away from the gunk.

Your second option if you’re wounded is to acknowledge the wound. Let it bleed a little bit. Let it hurt. The pain is often a signal that growth and healing can be yours if you pay attention. So you get help. You reach out to others – professionals if you need to – because there are people in the world who are wounded healers. They’ve been there, they get that. They want you to know you’re not alone in your pain. This option will help your wound heal. There will always be a scar, but that will serve as a reminder that you’re a badass with healing power.

I know a few wounded wounders. I have some compassion for them because I think they mostly just don’t get it. 

But I also know a bunch of wounded healers. And mostly, these people don’t even realize that their everyday actions, their ways of being in the world, are stitching up others’ wounds. If you’re hurting, look for them. They’re pretty easy to spot. They’re the ones who show up, hold your hand, dry your tears, and say, “I understand.” 

Wounds happen. It’s an inevitable part of being human. What you choose to do with your wounding is up to you. 

All I’m saying is wounded healers? They are as rad as they come.