During our support group meeting last night, one of the young women made a great analogy that I wanted to share.
She spoke of her own recovery journey, and how she has been collecting 'tools' for her recovery along the way, but that recently, it's as if someone came along and took her toolbox and dumped all of her tools out on the floor!
What to do? Everything is a mess! Just when she thought she was gaining a good grip on things, it's all a mess on the floor at her feet.
I think this speaks pretty well to those chaotic times when the things in our lives seem to build up to a point where it's so confusing we can't see a way out. Recovery can be like that at times. It seems so overwhelming that we just want to give up fighting.
Do you give up? Do you fight harder? Do you take a deep breath and think about what has worked for you in the past...and then do it?
What do you think friends?
Jan ♥
This is a great concept.
For me, I find at first I falter, and give up (only slightly) but it doesn't take long for me to snap back to reality and fight against it. I re-read old journal entries, talk things out with my counselor or boyfriend and I see the light again.
I think it's normal for people to freak out when they first see a big mess. It's quite overwhelming, and unexpected, so your reaction is knee-jerk; something you don't necessarily think through. But what I see is more important is the long term reaction. Once you realize that the mess really isn't so bad, and start picking everything up, you rediscover and remember what you once had. It sure would be nice to not have that knee-jerk reaction though, and I'd like to believe that it's possible to eliminate that. But it's all a learning experience, and as long as you keep pushing forward and rise to the challenge, you should be okay. And there's always others to help you clean :)
So funny that you posted this Jan. Well not hah ha funny but coincidental funny.
I was discussing this same issue with a loved one yesterday and said that it is weird that i keep on making the same mistakes. It is as if everyday is groundhog day. But once i press pause on the chaos button and start looking, i return to the same answers.
Eat regularly, sufficiently and keep distracted post meals. That has worked for me in the past and i know it yet i keep planning on restricting and b/p rather than planning on eating. I am recognising this.
Also, i realised that not planning often leads to disaster.
So in response to your question, the answer for me is to think about what has worked in the past and to return to that. Even if i don't succeed, i trust that my brain will start reminding me more frequently, when i start to falter.
Thanks for helping me see the answer so clearly.
Love and Hugs.
xx
Sreb,
Yes. We are well served by what has worked in the past. I’m going to keep this along with Jan’s visual of a tool box dumped in my brain today.
Love to you…and Jan…and everyone.
Patsy
Sreb...I'm glad this was something you could identify with. It's good that you are discussing these things with others in your world...thinking of you....HUG...Jan ♥
Thanks Jan.
xx