From Trauma to Transformation: Living Beyond PTSD

I have experienced a few traumas in my lifetime, but I want to share one that changed everything for me.

I was involved in a major road traffic accident that left me with significant injuries, many of them to my face. The person I was with sadly lost their life next to me that day. In the first few months, I was in shock, trying to process what had happened while attending endless hospital appointments.

Six months later, I developed PTSD. I thought it was something I would never escape. I lived in a state of constant hypervigilance, unable to relax, unable to sleep, always waiting for the next catastrophe. Fireworks night became unbearable, because the explosions mirrored the sounds I heard before the accident. I truly believed my life was going to be this way forever.

PTSD is exhausting. It takes over your life. It can isolate you, disrupt your relationships, stop you from working, and strip away your quality of life. When you are in the middle of it, it feels like there is no way out.

But there is a way through.

It took me years, but what helped me was reaching a place of acceptance. I accepted that my life wasn’t going to return to what it was before the trauma. Yet, surprisingly, my quality of life now is better than it ever was before the accident. I have learned to live with my scars and I can assure you, I have many.

If you are going through trauma or PTSD, your journey may not look exactly like mine. All of our experiences are different. But please know this: brighter days can come. The symptoms can ease. Life can take on meaning again.

Above all, seek help from professionals psychiatrists, psychologists, and counsellors, especially those who specialise in trauma focused therapy. For me, learning to stay in the present moment was key.

To finish, here are ten uplifting life coaching tips that I live by and that may help you if you are navigating trauma:

Ten Life Coaching Tips for Healing After Trauma

1. Seek professional help – You don’t have to carry this alone.

   
   

2. Focus on the present – Try not to get lost in the past or the “what ifs.”

   
   

3. Be gentle with yourself – Healing takes

   time; don’t demand instant recovery.

   
   

4. Build small routines – Structure brings stability when life feels chaotic.

   
   

5. Stay connected – Isolation fuels trauma. Reach out, even in small ways.

   
   

6. Practice grounding techniques – Breathing, mindfulness, or sensory exercises can help calm the nervous system.

   
   

7. Acknowledge progress – Even tiny steps forward are signs of growth.

   
   

8. Find creative outlets – Writing, art, or music can give voice to feelings words cannot capture.

   
   

9. Accept your story – Scars, both visible and invisible, are part of your strength.

   
   

10. Hold on to hope – Even when it feels impossible, remind yourself that change is possible.

A Final Word of Inspiration

If you are in the middle of trauma right now, I want you to know this: you are not broken, and you are not beyond healing. The pain you are carrying does not define the whole of your story. Right now, you may feel like you are lost in the dark but even in darkness, seeds begin to grow.

Healing is not about forgetting or pretending the trauma never happened. It is about discovering who you are beyond it. It is about reclaiming your power, piece by piece, and allowing yourself to see that life can still hold joy, connection and meaning.

There is light ahead, even if you cannot see it yet. One day, you will look back and realise that the strength you forged in your hardest moments became the very foundation of the person you are today. And that person is resilient, courageous, and capable of creating a life that is not just lived, but deeply cherished.

Hold on. Keep going. Brighter days are coming.