Welcome to 3-2-1 Tuesdays with Better Wellness Naturally- Still Coloring: Finding Purpose in the Pieces
- Admin
- Aug 5
- 5 min read
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Quick bits of therapeutic info and learning, ideas, concepts, and quotes.
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3: Keys
2: Concepts
1: Quick Article
"Even if you've been hurt or feel broken, you still matter—and you still have something beautiful to offer. Like a broken crayon that can still color, you're still full of purpose."
3 Keys
Imperfection ≠ Uselessness: Just because something or someone isn't "perfect" doesn't mean it's without purpose. Think of a crayon that's been snapped in two. It might look different now, but it still brings color to the page. In the same way, our broken moments, our heartbreaks, losses, and missteps—don’t strip us of our value. They give us texture, depth, and authenticity. Sometimes, it’s through these cracks that our truest expression begins to emerge.
Real Healing Takes Root in the Now: Real healing isn’t about trying to erase the past or become who you were before everything changed. It’s about meeting yourself where you are today—bruises, breakthroughs, and all. True healing is slow, compassionate work. It means honoring your pain without letting it define you and learning to plant new seeds in the soil of your lived experience. Growth might not look like a straight line. Yes, even in the mess, something beautiful is being built.
You Still Carry Light Within: You may have lost some things along the way—relationships, innocence, confidence—but you haven’t lost you. Deep within, you still carry compassion, wisdom, resilience, and dreams. These inner resources don’t disappear; sometimes they just get buried under grief, fear, or self-doubt. The important thing to know is that they’re still there, ready to be uncovered and shared. And yes, even now, you are capable of joy, purpose, and beauty.
A Couple of Concepts
Kintsugi Psychology: In Japanese culture, kintsugi is the art of repairing broken pottery using gold or silver, highlighting the cracks instead of hiding them. The result? Something more beautiful and valuable than before. Psychologically, this mirrors the concept of post-traumatic growth—the idea that pain doesn’t have to break us; it can shape us into wiser, stronger, more compassionate people. Our emotional “cracks” can become golden threads in our story, not marks of failure but signs of transformation.
Narrative Identity: The way we tell our life story affects how we see ourselves. According to research by psychologist Dan McAdams, people who frame their difficult experiences as turning points or learning moments tend to have greater resilience and emotional well-being. Instead of viewing our “broken” parts as signs that we’ve failed, we can begin to rewrite the narrative—seeing them as proof of growth, courage, and the journey we’re still writing. Your story is still unfolding—and how you tell it matters.
A Quick Overview: Brokenness Isn’t the End—It’s the Beginning of Something New
We often think of being broken as the end—an interruption, a failure, or something to be ashamed of. In truth, however, brokenness can become a powerful beginning. What feels like a breakdown is sometimes the start of a breakthrough, where something new and meaningful begins to take shape within us.
Psychologists Richard Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun coined the term post-traumatic growth to describe the positive psychological changes that can happen as a result of struggling with major life crises. While trauma may leave scars, research shows it can also open the door to deeper personal strength, increased empathy, more meaningful relationships, a greater appreciation for life, and a stronger sense of purpose. This isn’t to romanticize pain—but to recognize that we are not limited to just “bouncing back.” We can bounce forward. The process of rebuilding often reveals new capacities within us that we didn’t even know existed.
Our brains, too, are wired for healing. Thanks to neuroplasticity, we have the ability to form new neural connections throughout our lives. This means that even after trauma or periods of emotional distress, our brains can adapt and grow. Practices like mindfulness, therapy, and even daily reflection help activate these changes by shifting how we respond to stress, process memories, and relate to ourselves. We are never stuck with the same patterns forever—our biology allows for transformation.
The stories we tell ourselves also shape the path we walk. According to narrative identity theory, our life story isn’t just a record of what happened—it’s the lens through which we understand who we are. People who learn to frame their past struggles as meaningful turning points rather than dead ends tend to experience higher levels of well-being and resilience. When we view our hardships as part of a journey rather than as personal failings, we begin to find hope again. As researcher Dan McAdams suggests, the way we interpret our experiences can either limit us or liberate us.
So what does all this mean for someone who feels “broken”?
It means you are still whole in ways that matter. It means your story isn’t over, and your value hasn’t diminished. It means that like a broken crayon, you still have color, creativity, and purpose to offer. The shape may have changed, but the essence—the part of you that brings meaning and light to the world—is still intact.
Being broken doesn’t erase your worth. It’s not the end of your story. Sometimes, it’s the moment a new chapter begins—one where healing, growth, and deeper authenticity unfold. You are allowed to carry your cracks and still shine. And in doing so, you remind others that they can too.
References:
Tedeschi, R.G., & Calhoun, L.G. (1996). The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory: Measuring the Positive Legacy of Trauma.
McAdams, D.P. (2001). The Psychology of Life Stories. Review of General Psychology, 5(2), 100–122.
McAdams, D.P., & Guo, J. (2015). Narrating the Self in the Past and Present: Implications for Well-Being and Generativity. Narrative Inquiry, 25(1), 157–170.
Doidge, N. (2007). The Brain That Changes Itself.
Kintsugi Philosophy (Japanese Aesthetic Tradition)
Positive Psychology Center, University of Pennsylvania – https://ppc.sas.upenn.edu
Brown, B. (2010). The Gifts of Imperfection.
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