Lick Your Own Wounds: How to transform Inner Struggles with Conscious Work
Do you ever feel stuck, anxious, or unmotivated, as if you’re waiting for something or someone to change so you can finally feel okay? It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing the world outside must shift before you can experience peace and freedom. But what if the power to heal those feelings lies within you, right now?
Dr. Lorne Brown, a clinical hypnotherapist and founder of Acubalance Wellness Centre, teaches a transformative framework called NAC (Notice, Accept, Choose Again). This simple, powerful, and even playful practice helps individuals take responsibility for their inner world and shift from victimhood to empowerment. It is a practice of self-awareness and self-healing—a way to “lick your own wounds” and transform old patterns and subconscious beliefs into peace and freedom.
The Essence of Licking Your Own Wounds
When we rely on external changes to fix internal struggles, we give away our power. True transformation begins when we take accountability for our inner beingness in the present moment.
“Licking your own wounds” is about meeting yourself with compassion, acknowledging your pain, and taking responsibility for your healing. It’s not about suppressing emotions or pretending everything is fine. It’s about developing your witness—the ability to observe uncomfortable feelings and beliefs without judgment. This practice metabolizes and transforms those feelings so your inner experience becomes one of peace and freedom.
Rather than trying to feel better, it’s about getting better at feeling. This means being authentic and present with your emotions rather than faking positivity.
The Role of Resistance
When we fight with reality, we create resistance—not just in our minds but throughout our entire being. In Chinese medicine, this resistance is often referred to as Qi stagnation, which doesn’t feel good. In the West, resistance is similarly understood as stress.
We know that when there’s resistance in an electrical system, the current doesn’t flow well. And when resistance is lowered, the current flows better and more freely.
As electromagnetic beings, when we resist reality—whether by avoiding emotions, rejecting circumstances, or refusing to own our experience—we increase resistance. This leads to stress, Qi stagnation, and a lack of flow and receptivity.
On the other hand, lowering resistance through acceptance and surrender allows us to tune into our higher self. This opens the door to flow, receptivity, and a state of beingness that feels good, because we’re now experiencing the natural ease and alignment that come from allowing energy to move freely. It’s like shifting from static and tension to harmonious flow, where we feel connected, expansive, and at peace.
The NAC Practice
The NAC framework—Notice, Accept, Choose Again—provides a clear pathway for transforming resistance into flow.
Here’s how it works:
The NAC Practice
The NAC framework—Notice, Accept, Choose Again—provides a clear pathway for transforming resistance into flow. Here’s how it works:
1. Notice
The first step is to observe your current state without judgment. What are you feeling? What thoughts are looping in your mind? What stories are you telling yourself? You can’t heal what you’re unwilling to see.
2. Accept
Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation—it’s about letting go of resistance. It’s a process of surrendering to what is, without trying to push it away or force it to change.
In this step, NAC provides tools and processes to support surrender. These practices help metabolize uncomfortable feelings and lower resistance, allowing you to tune into your higher self. This is where alchemy happens—energy begins to flow more freely, and you start to feel lighter and more expansive because you are aligned with your higher self.
3. Choose Again
From this place of acceptance—where resistance is at a minimum or even nil—you are free to consciously choose a new way of being. Instead of unconsciously and habitually reacting to life, you are now consciously able to respond.
This is the moment where your free will comes into play. You get to choose how you feel and who you are becoming in the present moment. NAC helps align your thoughts, actions, and intentions with your higher self. This is not about forcing change but about stepping into your power, grounded in clarity and alignment. It is the essence of transformation—choosing a path that feels authentic, empowering, and in harmony with your true being.
From Victimhood to Empowerment
NAC empowers individuals to take charge of their inner state, even when the world feels chaotic. Instead of waiting for validation, apologies, or external solutions, NAC helps you provide what you need for yourself.
This practice liberates you from old, subconscious beliefs that may have kept you feeling small or stuck. It helps you move through anxiety, lack of motivation, and feelings of helplessness. In their place, you’ll discover a deeper sense of peace, purpose, and playful creativity.
Healing from the Inside Out
True freedom isn’t about controlling the outside world—it’s about mastering your inner one. NAC offers the tools to heal your wounds and cultivate a state of beingness where peace flows naturally.
Are you ready to discover the power of the practice of NAC and experience profound peace and freedom? Contact Acubalance Wellness Centre to schedule a consultation with Dr. Lorne Brown and begin your transformative journey.
