...and the revolution is alive and well: More women are committing to a serious self-care practice than ever before. And better yet, just about every woman I talk to is on a healing path centered around resolving past trauma. Some are motivated by physical ailments that resist treatment; others notice a general lack of joy in their lives and refuse to settle for an accelerated decline.
As women, we often underestimate our need for healing. We've internalized the minute-by-minute accommodations that we make in order to live in a world where our safety is under-prioritized, our rights are up for grabs, and our basic needs are ignored or minimized. Our natural resilience and community connections provide support, but we may need more targeted approaches in order to assess our needs and heal our deepest wounds.
Statistics indicate that 52% of women over age 18 are unmarried, separated, or divorced. Many of the women I know who fit into this category were unable to attend to their own issues in the midst of their relationship roles; habitual codependency was a factor. Although co-habitational relationships offer invaluable practice in transforming the patterns that come with codependency, solitude may be the path required to understand and integrate fundamental principles of individuation. Living alone can lead to a broader foundation from which to build relationships of healthy mutuality.
It takes courage to recognize and claim our sovereignty. Like everything worth pursuing, it's a practice, a work in progress. And more and more people, not just women, are moving in this direction. What we see as chaos in the world reflects a burgeoning awareness of our human potential and the demand for equal opportunities to actualize it...in other words, re-evolution.