By Linda C J Turner | Therapist, Survivor, Advocate for Thriving
There’s something truly extraordinary about the moment people around you begin to notice your transformation—not because you’ve announced it, but because you’re living it.
Recently, old friends and relatives have begun to comment on how different I seem:
💬 “You look taller.”
💬 “You’re more confident.”
💬 “You laugh more. You’re glowing.”
And they’re right. I am different. I’m lighter, in every possible way.
✨ The Science of What They’re Noticing
When you leave a controlling or emotionally abusive environment, your nervous system, brain, and body finally get the space they need to heal. Over time—through safety, support, and self-care—your body starts to say:
💖 “I’m safe now. I can rest. I can thrive.”
Here’s what’s happening beneath the surface:
🔹 Post-traumatic growth is taking root. After years of being told what to do, how to feel, and when to speak, you begin to reconnect with your own inner compass. That builds true confidence—not the kind someone gives you, but the kind that grows from surviving and rising.
🔹 Your nervous system is finally regulated. No more walking on eggshells. No more cortisol spikes from conflict or surveillance. You’re living in a state of calm alertness rather than chronic survival. And it shows—in your skin, your eyes, your energy.
🔹 Decision-making becomes empowering. From what to wear, where to go, who to spend time with, to how long you stay—you are in charge of your life again. That’s not just healing. That’s liberation.
🌿 What Has Changed for Me
- I no longer ask permission.
- I’m not told when to leave a social setting.
- I’m not monitored on what I spend, eat, or say.
- I’m laughing more. Smiling more. Living more.
- I’ve lost 2 stone—not by force, but by no longer needing to comfort-eat or drink.
- I sleep. I think clearly. I study—with two distinctions in hand.
- I hold down two voluntary jobs, run a home, walk my beautiful dog, and feel alive again.
- I’m preparing to return to work, not out of obligation, but with excitement.
- I have energy, clarity, and vitality. And the best part?
I make my own choices now.
There aren’t enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do—and that’s the most beautiful problem to have.
💡 What Freedom Really Looks Like
Freedom doesn’t always shout. Sometimes, it looks like glowing skin, steady hands, and laughter that comes from the belly. Sometimes, it’s the calm in your voice or the sparkle in your eye. Sometimes, it’s waking up and thinking:
✨ “I love my life. And I built this.”
❤️🩹 From Surviving to Thriving
If you’re still in that dark place, please know: this is possible.
It takes time, support, and self-compassion. It takes therapy, safety, and surrounding yourself with people who see and celebrate you. But the day will come when the people who knew the older version of you stop in their tracks and say:
💬 “You look amazing. What’s changed?”
And the answer will be simple:
“Everything. I chose me.”
#FreedomIsBeautiful #LifeAfterAbuse #PostTraumaticGrowth #NeuroscienceOfHealing #ReclaimYourPower #LindaCJTurnerTherapy #GlowUpJourney #EmotionalHealing #ThrivingNotSurviving #ThisIsHealing #YouCanToo #TraumaRecovery #FromSurvivingToThriving
— Linda C J Turner
Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment
