healing from emotional hurt

I've been hurt many times before. But once I was hurt to the point I was emotionally crippled for a very, very long time.

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I told you I was on bedrest for 13 weeks after the surgery with my twin pregnancy. Read #TDJDevotion63. The babies were at the NICU.

I had to do the hardest thing I have ever done in my LIFE;

I LEFT that hospital without my babies after so my weeks of worry, prayer, doubt, and hope. ⠀
My mother-in-law came week after I gave birth to 'help' me with the babies.

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But I remember from the moment my mom-in-law came, something was not right. We sat on a table talking and every time I spoke, she ignored me and turned her face. The rest was history. I was called so many things, not even someone close to me has called me. I was ignored. I was yelled at. I was criticized over and over to my mother and husband.

The reasons were and are a mystery to me. 7 years have passed and I don't think about the situation in pain anymore. Here are steps I took and suggest others to recover from emotional pain.
(1) Every time I remembered her words, I mentally imagined a scissor cutting the text until only white canvas remained. This is called thought control. I didn't let myself get stuck in a rolling nightmare.⠀
(2) Then every time a memory came to haunt me, I recited Ayat-al-Kursi slowly and thoughtfully. Initially I recited it 20-30 times a day. ⠀
(3) I started relaxation yoga to quiet my damaged and depressed mind. And started a healthy eating program. Having a personal challenge kept my mind engaged.⠀
(4) I read the English Quran which grounded me. It reminded me that there is so much more to life than one person and one experience. And that we are capable to recovering from worse situations. ⠀
(5) I talked to her on the phone regularly. I had to remind myself she was a decent person and that this was just an unfortunate 2 month event. And I kept reminding myself of her good side and good actions. ⠀
Healing from difficulty is a mental challenge. Engage the mind with positive things and cut off negative thoughts as soon as they appear. ⠀
Remember, what you focus on expands. 🌷Umeda⠀