I love planning and using a planner, especially if the planner is calming and not overwhelming. It just makes the whole process smoother. But for someone who has been through trauma, planning can feel foreign. This blog post explains why it’s okay to plan and why God wants you to plan even if you have been through trauma.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning I’ll make a commission if you purchase through my link at no extra cost. She Plans is offering a 10% discount with my referral link for anything purchased on her website including her planners. Make sure you use code brokenuntilnow at checkout with link http://sheplans.com/brokenuntilnow.
Anyone who knows me in real life knows I have a heart for people who have been through trauma, especially children and our veterans.
A lot of that stems from my own experience, both personally and professionally. I will spare the details of my story, but you can read about it here.
As a social worker and therapist, I have seen hurt and, at times, defiant, so the idea of planning and using a planner may be a lost art to some.
When someone has been through trauma, dreaming, having hope, and having the essential foundation to even begin to plan seems impossible.
Why It’s Okay To Plan
It was a few months after being removed from the home and being put into foster care again. This time was different, though. This time, I was struggling. I had a consistent fear for my future and that, somehow, it would all come crashing down on me. It was just like a sick waiting game. Yes, I was safe, but my future or ability to plan wasn’t secure.
It wasn’t until I was describing my symptoms to my then-school social worker she told me what I was experiencing was a symptom of PTSD. I thought PTSD was just memories, noises, and triggers. As I looked at my then social worker, she explained that those are just part of the symptoms of PTSD, but the ability to plan or have fear for the future is also a symptom of PTSD.
It’s actually called foreshortened future. You can read about it here.
Your past isn’t your future! So, you can start to plan or begin to plan. Here is a blog post for beginner planners.
Planners are an excellent tool to help you start planning again. I personally love She Plans and her aesthetic.
In fact, the Bible says in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit, you may abound in hope.”
Here are a few tips to help you plan.
1. Give Yourself Space
One of the first things I do in the morning is grab my Bible, journal, planner, and coffee. Remember the coffee.
Doing this allows space for me to hear God, write out my feelings, and plan for the day. If you have ADHD like me, you have to remember what your appointments are for the day. This gives me a space to dream, hope, and feel encouraged.
She Plans does an excellent job of making planners aesthetically pleasing and calming. In fact, most of their covers are florals and stripes.
2. Give Yourself Time
When I started to plan, I struggled with time management and keeping a list of what needed to be done first.
Everything could wait in my book.
But what really helped with this was marking down due dates and having a blocked schedule, like a daily hourly planner.
This helped me see what needed to be done first, stop the waiting, and figure out a plan to tackle my plans.
3. Give Yourself Goals And Action Steps
I started off by setting goals for myself, even if they were small ones. Like today, I will do____ (fill in the blank).
This allowed me to start small and dream big. Once I saw my little goals accomplished, it made bigger goals feel possible.
It also allowed me to have space to hope again.
She Plans has inserts for their discbound planners and sewed planners to have goals and a place to write down their action steps.
They actually also offer a whole goal planner.
Conclusion About Planning
Using a planner is okay, and planning is beautiful even if you have been through trauma and struggle with a foreshortened future. Your past isn’t your future; using a planner like She Plans is a great way to start living again.
It’s okay to dream, to plan, and be free. You don’t live in the past anymore, so there is no need to knock on that door again because, girl, you have moved on to bigger and better things.
God has more in store for you than what you have been through. He has hopes, dreams, and a life waiting for you. Now it’s your turn to start planning it.
If you want to hear more from Broken Until Now subscribe to the blog, and follow us on Instagram at brokneuntilnow.
Blessings.
Ashley Marie
Here are a few other blog posts for you to, explore:
