Thank you for your beautiful and wise words. I think that in order to feel strong you need to allow yourself to be weak. To have the breakdowns and rise again, to welcome the tears and let them do their thing until they’re done. To accept that it is shitty and move on.
Your writing is so eloquent and heartfelt, this was a lovely post, honest, and inspiring. Wishing you some magic moments over the weekend and beyond. I love reading your work.
Thank you, Harriet, I found this article really helpful this morning.
When, in the context of my addiction, I have asked ‘why me?’, my peers have replied ‘why not you?’ That has never been an answer for me. In fact, it usually leaves me in a worse mood.
What I have learnt, when mulling over the question of ‘why me?’ is now to ask myself the question ‘what next?’ And then I ask myself ‘what can I learn from this?’ And ‘how can I learn from this?’
They are like your friend’s comment ‘Stop asking yourself why this is happening to you, and ask yourself why this is happening for you.’
I have never wanted to be a victim, but didn’t know how to move on. These questions, which I have learnt from others - and now this new one you have given me - help me to move on.
Answering these questions is really hard, but they provide a way through the pain, the grief, the loss, the shame, the guilt.
Answering these questions places things in perspective for me. And then they help me to grow. And I know that, ultimately, that growth will help me move away from the pain of my past, and help me lead a new, fulfilling life.
And, now I have been diagnosed with cancer, they are more relevant and powerful still.
As two of my adult children have reminded me, the things I have learnt in recovery, I can now use to help me deal with my diagnosis.
What a beautiful, raw and thoughtful comment. Honestly, I have found all the recovery stuff (including the people at times!) the most useful all through life's ups and downs, and along with a few therapy nuggets and especially things from acceptance and commitment therapy for pain and injuries.
What an incredibly brave and honest post Harriet - thank you. I hope you have a lovely weekend x
Thankyou x
Thank you for your beautiful and wise words. I think that in order to feel strong you need to allow yourself to be weak. To have the breakdowns and rise again, to welcome the tears and let them do their thing until they’re done. To accept that it is shitty and move on.
You've described it so well! The processing, then the moving forward bit by bit.
Your writing is so eloquent and heartfelt, this was a lovely post, honest, and inspiring. Wishing you some magic moments over the weekend and beyond. I love reading your work.
Thank you, Harriet, I found this article really helpful this morning.
When, in the context of my addiction, I have asked ‘why me?’, my peers have replied ‘why not you?’ That has never been an answer for me. In fact, it usually leaves me in a worse mood.
What I have learnt, when mulling over the question of ‘why me?’ is now to ask myself the question ‘what next?’ And then I ask myself ‘what can I learn from this?’ And ‘how can I learn from this?’
They are like your friend’s comment ‘Stop asking yourself why this is happening to you, and ask yourself why this is happening for you.’
I have never wanted to be a victim, but didn’t know how to move on. These questions, which I have learnt from others - and now this new one you have given me - help me to move on.
Answering these questions is really hard, but they provide a way through the pain, the grief, the loss, the shame, the guilt.
Answering these questions places things in perspective for me. And then they help me to grow. And I know that, ultimately, that growth will help me move away from the pain of my past, and help me lead a new, fulfilling life.
And, now I have been diagnosed with cancer, they are more relevant and powerful still.
As two of my adult children have reminded me, the things I have learnt in recovery, I can now use to help me deal with my diagnosis.
And that is a new gratitude, all in itself.
Thank you again Harriet. Stay strong 💜
What a beautiful, raw and thoughtful comment. Honestly, I have found all the recovery stuff (including the people at times!) the most useful all through life's ups and downs, and along with a few therapy nuggets and especially things from acceptance and commitment therapy for pain and injuries.
And wishing you well on your health journey too. Odaat.