Emotional healing

When it comes to a physical injury like a cut, people tend to react quickly by putting a bandage over it. However, when someone suffers a psychological wound—which is just as common—we generally aren’t as proactive. According to Psychology Today, we can “treat” our psychological injuries and better manage emotional health by adopting these habits:

• Find meaning in loss and trauma: People who find purpose and meaning from, say, losing a loved one, tend to thrive emotionally. It takes time, but recognizing what you’ve gained from the loss will help you keep perspective on your life and help you make important changes.

• Don’t brood: Replaying distressing events in your mind only makes you feel worse, and probably won’t help you gain insight. Disrupt your negative thought patterns with a task that requires concentration, like completing a crossword puzzle.

• Revive your self-worth: If you’ve been rejected by an employer, lover, friend or family member, take some time to affirm the qualities you value in yourself—i.e., compassion, loyalty or creativity.