Healing Doesn’t Look Like the Internet Told Me It Would

If you’ve ever spent more than five minutes scrolling through wellness content, you’ll know how healing is usually sold: like a magic recipe you just have to follow. A few affirmations here, some green smoothies there, and boom—you’re transformed into a radiant guru glowing with cosmic energy and Instagrammable calm.

But let me tell you the truth no one’s shouting from the filtered rooftops — healing isn’t a glow-up. It’s a slow, awkward, and downright untidy process that looks nothing like those polished highlight reels.

The internet loves a good success story because it’s easy to package and sell. But it hides the ugly bits — the days spent crawling through emotional mud, the backwards steps, the feelings that don’t fit neatly into a #SelfCareSunday post.

We live in a culture obsessed with “leveling up” and “manifesting your best self,” where anything less than progress feels like failure. The wellness industry has monetised our insecurities, selling the idea that healing is a goal you can tick off, not a messy ongoing journey.

Here’s a radical idea: what if healing isn’t about winning or changing who you are? What if it’s just about showing up for the chaos inside and saying, “Yeah, I see you. I’m here.” Some days that means we cry, scream, or fall apart. Other days it’s as simple as dragging ourselves out of bed and not beating ourselves up for yesterday’s struggle.

Healing is personal and non-linear. It refuses to be packaged into Instagram stories or bite-sized podcasts. It’s noisy, confusing, and fiercely individual.

So if you’re scrolling through perfect wellness feeds and feeling like you’re the odd one out, remember this: your journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Being human — messy, slow, uncertain — is the whole point. And in embracing that messiness, healing becomes an act of quiet rebellion against the polished perfectionism the internet preaches.

It’s in those awkward, uncomfortable moments — the ones we often want to hide — where real transformation takes root. No filter needed.

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What’s your take?

Do you recognise this messy kind of healing? Or have you bought into the “fast fix” hype? Drop your thoughts below — this isn’t about perfection, it’s about real stories from real people.

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Before you go, here are some no-nonsense ways to keep showing up for yourself:

• Take a moment to just breathe, without trying to fix anything

• Write down one thing you did today that made your life a bit easier or kinder

• Give yourself permission to rest, even if you feel “behind”

• Reach out and have a real conversation with someone you trust

• Remember: healing isn’t about “getting better,” it’s about being with yourself — flaws and all