5 Signs You’re Forcing Your Healing and Why You Need to Stop Doing It

By Jenny Peterson

Healing can often feel like an uphill battle. You try everything—supplements, meditations, new diets—and yet, the results just aren’t coming fast enough. If you’ve ever found yourself saying, “I need to be symptom-free by [such and such a date],” or “Maybe I should find one more thing I can do to speed this healing along,” you’re not alone.

In today’s blog, we’re going to dive into why forcing your healing is actually keeping you stuck, and most importantly, how surrendering is the key to unlocking true transformation.

The Pressure to Heal Faster

There’s this constant voice in your head telling you that you need to do more, push harder, and find a quicker fix. You feel guilty, like you’re not doing enough. This constant pressure builds up, and before you know it, you're exhausted from trying to "speed up" your healing.

But what if the key to real healing isn’t doing more? What if it’s about doing less, but in a way that actually aligns with your body’s natural process?

5 Signs You’re Forcing Your Healing

The first step to releasing the pressure and surrendering to the healing process is recognizing when you’re forcing it.

Here are five signs that you might be pushing too hard:

1. Obsessive Symptom Checking

You find yourself constantly monitoring how your body feels, checking in every hour or day to look for any sign of progress—or regression. Whether it’s standing in front of the mirror hoping the rash, pain, or bloating has disappeared or googling every little sensation, obsessive symptom checking is a sign that you’re forcing your healing.

2. Constantly Looking for the Next Fix or Doing Multiple Protocols

Are you always searching for the next supplement, diet, or healing modality? You sign up for a new course or find a new supplement regimen, thinking, “If I just do more, I’ll get better.” Many people fall into the trap of thinking that more is better—doing multiple protocols at once, like meditations, somatic exercises, and supplements all at the same time.

3. Feeling Overwhelmed by "Should's" and Guilt

You’re overwhelmed by what you should be doing—eating a certain way, meditating every day, following specific exercises, and so on. Missing one task makes you feel like you’ve failed. This constant pressure to meet your own expectations is a major sign you’re forcing your healing.

4. Having a Deadline for When You Need to Feel Better

Setting deadlines for when you “should” be symptom-free is another clear sign of forcing your healing. Telling yourself, “I need to heal by the end of this year” or “I can’t keep living like this; I need to heal by next month” puts unnecessary pressure on your body and creates anxiety.

5. Pushing Through Pain, Discomfort, or Fear of Rest

When you push through pain, discomfort, or fear of relaxing, it’s a sign that you’re forcing your healing. You feel like you have to keep going, even when you’re exhausted or in pain, believing that resting means you’re falling behind. The thought of slowing down or taking a break feels terrifying.

We Are Programmed to Force Healing

Every day, we’re bombarded with messages that promise faster healing. “Take this,” “Try this protocol to speed things up.” But here’s the truth: healing isn’t about doing more—it’s about allowing your body the time and space to heal in its own way.

We’ve been taught to view symptoms as the problem, something that needs to be fixed immediately. But symptoms are part of the healing process. Just like the pain you feel when you cut yourself—that’s a sign your body is doing its job to heal.

Why Forcing Your Healing Isn’t Helping

Now that we know the signs you’re forcing your healing, let’s explore why this approach isn’t helping. In fact, it could be one of the biggest obstacles standing between you and true healing.

1. Stress and the Fight-or-Flight Response

When you push yourself too hard, you’re living in constant stress. This activates your fight-or-flight response—your body’s survival mode. Healing doesn’t happen in survival mode. Your body needs to be in a relaxed, restorative state to heal, and that’s not possible when you’re pushing through stress.

2. Resistance and the Energy of Force

Forcing healing comes from resistance—resisting how your body feels right now, resisting the healing process itself. This resistance tells your body that something is wrong. But the more you resist, the more your body will fight back. True healing happens when you let go of resistance and embrace where you are.

3. The Healing Process Takes Time—And There’s No Shortcut

Healing isn’t a race. It takes time. There are no shortcuts or quick fixes. The more you push for faster results, the more you disrupt the natural process. Trying to speed things up will only lead to burnout and more symptoms. Healing happens at the pace your body needs.

4. Lack of Trust in Your Body’s Wisdom

Forcing your healing means you don’t fully trust your body. Your body knows how to heal—it’s been doing it for millions of years. But when you try to control every detail, you’re not allowing your body the space it needs. Healing comes when you trust your body and allow it to do what it knows best.

5. The Energy of Rest and Allowing

Rest is crucial to healing. When you’re constantly doing, you don’t give your body time to relax and regenerate. Rest sends the message that your body is safe, and that’s when healing can truly happen. Healing is not just about action—it’s also about allowing your body the space to rest and restore.

The Power of Surrender

So, how do we break free from the cycle of force? The answer is surrender.

1. Surrender is Not Giving Up – It’s Trusting the Process

Surrender doesn’t mean giving up. It means trusting the process and letting go of control. When you stop forcing, you’re saying, “I trust that my body knows how to heal.” It’s about stepping back and allowing your body the space to do its work.

2. Create Space for Your Body to Heal

Creating space means stepping away from constant symptom-checking and trying new protocols. Focus on rest, relaxation, and allowing yourself moments throughout the day to not focus on healing. Your body needs peace to heal, and creating space is one of the most powerful things you can do.

3. Shift from Control to Alignment

Instead of trying to control every aspect of your healing, focus on alignment. Tune into what feels right for you—whether it’s resting, going for a walk, or simply being kind to yourself. Trust that your body will guide you when you stop trying to control it.

4. Practice Daily Trust and Gratitude

Start each day by acknowledging your body’s efforts. Be grateful for the work it’s doing, even if it doesn’t feel like much. Gratitude shifts your energy from lack to abundance, helping you trust your body more fully.

5. Let Go of Timelines and Expectations

Let go of rigid timelines for when you “should” feel better. Healing doesn’t work on a set schedule, and when you focus on the present moment, you release the pressure of needing everything to be perfect. Instead of focusing on the future, honor your body today.

Conclusion: Surrender to Heal

So, let’s recap what we’ve covered today. If you find yourself obsessively checking your symptoms, constantly looking for the next fix, feeling overwhelmed by “shoulds,” setting rigid deadlines for healing, or pushing through discomfort, you might be forcing your healing journey. These signs are often rooted in a deeper lack of trust in your body and the process.

Healing is not about doing more or pushing harder—it’s about surrendering. It’s about creating space for your body to do its work, trusting the process, and letting go of control. When you stop forcing your healing, you allow your body the peace and space it needs to truly heal.

If any of these signs resonate with you, I encourage you to take a moment today to truly surrender.

One way to start is by tapping into the power of a guided meditation to help you release control and embrace trust. I’ve created a meditation specifically designed for surrendering that can help you begin to shift from force to alignment.

You can find it here—just click and give yourself the space to heal.

If you’re ready to dive deeper into your healing journey and align with your body’s wisdom, I also invite you to check out my 8-week ALIGNED Program, where we go deeper into creating that space for transformation and true healing.

Remember, healing happens in trust, not in force. Take a deep breath, surrender, and trust your body—it knows the way.

Jenny Peterson is a Chronic Illness Expert and the Founder of MBR (Mind Body Rewire). She helps those struggling with multiple chronic symptoms reclaim their health and freedom—without diets, detoxes, or pills.

For 10 years, Jenny worked as a holistic practitioner, relying on supplements, diet, and detox protocols to support healing. But when she faced her own chronic health struggles, those methods failed her.

Determined to find a real solution, she turned to mind-body healing. Using the very techniques she now teaches, Jenny fully resolved Lyme disease, digestive issues, panic attacks, skin conditions, cystitis, and more. Her own transformation ignited a mission: to help others break free from chronic symptoms and take back control of their health.

Ready to say good-bye to symptoms and hello to freedom?  START HERE