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Elder
Member Since Jul 2017
Location: MO
Posts: 5,677
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#1
My main reason for starting this thread is because I see so many here who are reluctant to accept what is hurting them or what bothers them. My goal is to make as clear as possible why I also resisted and how I benefited, and still do to this day, by accepting what bothers me. I hope other members who know the benefits will do the same, how they want to, and add to this thread.
So, I understand avoidance because I experienced the same thing. Not exactly as any of you, but you know what I mean. All of my life, my family abused me. I had bundled and balled up inside me those emotions I knew nothing about. They scared me because I didn’t know what would happen if I opened them up. I worried I would explode into a rage and hurt someone. I didn’t. But, I also pushed the feelings I had to face away because it was more of the same hatred my family saturated me in. I could not bring myself to experience that toxic waste on purpose, hearing them chant how useless I was. Also, it took me forever to understand and learn that what was done to me was a fact of my life. It was my reality, something I could not go back and change. I had been in therapy off and on for several years and around 2011 the very reasons I was IN therapy was to rid myself of the pain they caused me, and better my life for myself. That significant important day arrived because I could no longer push it away. It enveloped me. I had to face it or I would have relapsed. You see, I struggled to better myself, but I kept sabotaging my efforts. I went round and round with my therapist about it. I could not understand why I kept doing that. She suggested hypnotherapy and I agreed. At that point, I would have done a headstand with a pickle up my nose if it would she said it would help me. I recorded the sessions and at home, I listened to them 2 or 3 times a day. That got those pent up damaged, wounded feelings moving. I cried, and I cried, and I cried. I realized crying was helping me so I watched movies that made me sad on purpose. 12 Years a Slave was one. I could barely bring myself to watch that movie, but I did. The Salem Witch Trials was another and Les Miserable as well. I would listen to worship music and cry. I did this for months and as I went, I worked on facing and accepting what I was afraid of. That is when I first started blogging about facing my fears and about being overweight. That was October 17, 2012. I carefully paced myself. That is SUPER important!! Pacing in healing emotions is everything! It’s MY healing and I move at the pace I want. Don’t let anybody tell you any different. YOU call the shots on that! So, since I started blogging, my life has slowly gotten better because my emotions began to heal. The deepest healing I needed began when I accepted HOW I FELT about the monstrosities my family did to me. I realized that forgiving them did not enter the picture. Once I got through the bulk of how they wounded me, the nagging emotions stopped bothering me. Yes, I still have flashbacks, but my self-esteem is healing and is STRONG! Otherwise I would not be writing about the abuse I survived and posting it on Medium for the world to see. I would be cowering in my apartment, terrified they would find out I broke my silence and outed them as abusers. But, I am not. I relish the opportunity to confront them, letting them know they no longer have any power over me and never will again. So, what are the benefits I experience? First, once I got through what I needed to accept about my upbringing, solutions slowly popped into my brain. I began to get glimpses of what I could do and how I could use my skills to better myself and my life. If something baffled me, I accepted that feeling and after I did that, solutions showed up. It was like I was guided into them. I could be online and then I would see an article about the subject I had questions about. Or I would be at the store and I would find the answers I needed. Did I mention that those problems disappeared from my thinking? Also, I can think on my feet now. If I find myself in a situation that would have upset me in the past, I sail through it and I keep going. It doesn’t trip me up like it did because my emotions are stronger now. I haven’t had to use sleep aids in months. When I go to sleep at night, my mind is quiet. I don’t have crap rolling around, nagging me, robbing me of sleep. I can think without distractions. My concentration and comprehension have improved. I am still deep in debt, but I am happily doing everything I can to earn a living and get out of poverty. I have NO CRAVINGS!! Even though I have a TON of unmet needs, I have NO cravings! That alone is huge! I am happy. I am content. That doesn’t mean I don’t get sad at times, because I do, but I don’t stay sad. I get through it. I am moving forward, confident things will get better because I am carefully pulling my resources together to succeed. __________________ "Love you. Take care of you. Be true to you. You are the only you, you will ever know the best. Reach for YOUR stars. You can reach them better than anyone else ever can." Landon Clary Eason Grateful Sobriety Fangirl Since 11-16-2007 Happy Sober Crafter Last edited by happysobercrafter; Jan 26, 2020 at 08:37 PM.. |
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Buffy01, Discombobulated, Fuzzybear, WovenGalaxy
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Grand Magnate
Member Since Oct 2019
Location: UK
Posts: 4,694
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#2
Thanks for sharing your story - you are overcoming so much!
My first thought when reading your story is that I have nothing comparable to share but I do have progress about acceptance although different to yours. I no longer feel the need to apologise to myself or others for who I am. I am enough. I have my own journey as others have theirs. |
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Fuzzybear, happysobercrafter
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Magnate
Member Since Sep 2019
Location: Earth
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#3
I wrote this whole long thing yesterday then deleted it.
I'm learning to accept......myself. When I **** up, its quite hard (to practice self acceptance). Anyway, Happy Crafter, you are an inspiration and bring sunshine to this forum as well. Thank you. |
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Fuzzybear, happysobercrafter
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Discombobulated, happysobercrafter
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Elder
Member Since Jul 2017
Location: MO
Posts: 5,677
(SuperPoster!)
6 9,930 hugs
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#4
@Discombobulated
Congratulations!! That is a BIG Improvement! And, please, only compare yourself to you and how you were. Not to me, Sweetpea! @WovenGalaxy I hear you! I am glad to hear you are learning; it's quite the process, isn't it? I thank you for your kind words! If I can bring some sunshine to someone's day, I am delighted! @Fuzzybear and @Skeezyks I thank you both for your support and encouragement!! __________________ "Love you. Take care of you. Be true to you. You are the only you, you will ever know the best. Reach for YOUR stars. You can reach them better than anyone else ever can." Landon Clary Eason Grateful Sobriety Fangirl Since 11-16-2007 Happy Sober Crafter |
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Discombobulated, Fuzzybear, Skeezyks, WovenGalaxy
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Discombobulated
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Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 9,531
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#5
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happysobercrafter
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happysobercrafter
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Elder
Member Since Jul 2017
Location: MO
Posts: 5,677
(SuperPoster!)
6 9,930 hugs
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#6
Thank you, @Buffy01
__________________ "Love you. Take care of you. Be true to you. You are the only you, you will ever know the best. Reach for YOUR stars. You can reach them better than anyone else ever can." Landon Clary Eason Grateful Sobriety Fangirl Since 11-16-2007 Happy Sober Crafter |
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Buffy01
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Buffy01
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Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 9,531
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6 9,711 hugs
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#7
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happysobercrafter
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happysobercrafter
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Wise Elder
Member Since Dec 2017
Location: Eastern, USA
Posts: 9,090
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#8
I accept the things I cannot change and have no control over. I accept that I hate my job and want out asap. I accept that my marriage has its share of problems and that it's far from perfect but it's still OK. I accept that people are imperfect. I accept all that is imperfect in my life. That's my two cents.
__________________ "Twenty-five years and my life is still trying to get up that great big hill of hope for a destination" ~4 Non Blondes |
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