Dee74

last part here

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...rt-7-a-20.html

D

Yogapants

Welcome to the new thread Augustables :-)

I am enjoying the long weekend. This is the last weekend before my daughter goes back to university. Yesterday, I baked bread (it's not much to look at but it tastes really good) and made lamb stew. Read quite a lot and watched some TV (Downton Abbey).

I also did some coloring - I've decided to try adult coloring books! I would definitely recommend them as a means of dealing with anxiety. Patricia, maybe that's something that would help you?

I'm reading a new novel by Anne Tyler (very good) and also Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh. An absolutely lovely book!

Have a great Monday everyone!

patricia68

Thank you Yogapants. I would love to try adult coloring books. Everybody says it's a great way to relax.

patricia68

You are right Dee. I seem to cave in during the moments when I feel overwhelmed, like the simplest tasks feel impossible to accomplish. I know I need to work on my confidence and self love, but I don't know how?

Dee74

It's going to be bit by bit Patricia.

Getting through a craving or two should help confidence and self love

D

Bekindalways

Heya all,

Dee, I like your signature quote, "Our lives end the day we become silent about things that matter." I took my young nephews to walk in the MLK parade in Denver. We walked next to some students carrying a banner that had that quote. I have wanted to do go to the rally for a long time. I can get pretty down on my country so it is nice to celebrate an American who symbolizes some of the good things of my country.

Patricia, I saw this quote today: "An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards. When life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus and keep aiming." This made me think of you.

Yogapants, ***** for Downton Abbey and Thich Naht Han. (A bit of a contrast in culture and subject manner but let's just call ourselves women of wide interests!!!)

patricia68

I love that quote. So true. Thank you Bekindalways. I'm going to write it down in my journal.

patricia68

Thank you Dee. The world is not going to end if I don't take that next drink or pill...you're right...

Bekindalways

-Okay Micro-mini accomplishments of this am:
Did a facial routine with vitamin A, aloe vera and sunscreen
Flossed
10 min of yoga
Emailed the Act of Contrition to my nephew (I'm a very bad Catholic but through some complicated family circumstances have become nephew's religious ed instructor)
Found some washers to fix the office chair
Charged my cell phone
Drove my Dad to Costco

Hmmm . . . Patricia, maybe you could take the fight or flight impulse of your anxiety and either get into jogging or boxing???!!! (I hope you know how ABSOLUTELY SERIOUSLY I take what you are going through in spite of a semi-joke here and there. I try to put out ideas no matter how crappy or crazy as perhaps they might give you another idea that actually works.)

Yogapants, I need to read some more Tich Naht Hanh. Christ said to "Pray continuously" which I would love to figure out how to do. The Buddhists explain prayer way better than any Christians I have read. (I grew up near the monastery of Thomas Keaton a Cistercian monk who dialogued with Buddhist monks)

patricia68

Thank you so much Bekindalways! I always love reading your ideas. You are right, might not always work, but one idea leads to another idea!

I think boxing would be great to release anger, I need to check if they have anything like that in my little town. Louise Hay said she used to punch pillows to release anger.

I took your advice and I forced myself to go for a walk. 30 minutes or so. I didn't like it at first. I was feeling sorry for myself and wanting to go back to bed. My legs were aching and I felt wobbly and short of breath. But I kept going. I kept thinking how much better I was feeling when I was going for a walk every day before my relapse. I remember my yoga teacher saying that exercise is the best medicine for depression...so I kept going.

I'm glad I took your advice Bekindalways. I feel much better now. Very tired and thirsty so I think I'm going to have a long shower and make a cup of tea.

Thank you so much for your advice and support!

Bekindalways

Oh Wow Patricia. Good for you. Exercise is ABSOLUTELY the hardest for me and the BEST. I actually don't expect to inspire you as much as give you a giggle, or a smile or even a half smile as my ideas can be pretty wacky.

Hmmm . . .I might have to draft off of your courageous persistence and tackle one of my bete noirs (not sure how to spell that): finances -arrrrghhh! It was my new years resolution and I've done diddly!

Bekindalways

Hi All,

I hope everyone is hanging in there.

My Micro Mini Accomplishments
replaced flush lever on toilet (I'm not mechanical so this is huge)
shoveled front steps and back deck
10 min of yoga and 20 min of meditation

Patricia, was the new counselor any improvement on the last?

kittycat3

Hi! Yes Patricia fill us in on new therapist!

Back from vacation. Day 24! I made it through, only had cravings 2 out of 7 nights and I know it was just boredom. It's so cold here at home, oh my. I sure loved the beach and sun while it lasted...

patricia68

How's everybody doing?
The new counselor was very nice. I cried the entire time. It was tough to go through so many memories. She gave me some homework to do. Lots of encouragement. I think she will try to focus on self confidence next time. I really need that!

Bekindalways

Thanks for posting Patricia. Your description of the counselor sounds encouraging. Was it good crying? (Hmm . . . . not sure that is the question I should ask.) I so hope it works out for you.

I've been busy as I have folks coming to stay in the house. This is good for me as I can get depressed and lethargic when I don't have deadlines. I did a lot of snow removal and am pretty sore now.

Hope everyone else is hanging tough and if you are in Eastern US you are warm, safe and have a good supply of books and tea.

Yogapants

Survived the SuperSnowStorm with minimal impact here. We were right on the edge of it, so got plenty of wind but just a few inches of snow. My daughter was supposed to fly out of Boston to go back to university last night but we ended up changing her flight to today. It takes two hours to get there under ideal conditions, so it would have been tough to get to the airport and back in the weather we had yesterday.

Patricia, the new counselor sounds much better than the last. Hope things improve for you soon!

PennyLane76

Hi guys, glad you escaped the storm Yoga!. Not gonna lie, had a bad week last week. Daily drinking more than couple glasses which I hadn't done previously. Entire bottle. Ugh. Check in w psych, helped, this week suffered withdrawals again, but no AV whatsoever. Today Day 7, slept well last night finally, anxiety not jolting this morning.

Cats sick, not sure what's going on. Able to rescue 8 from high kill place so happy. (They aren't coming to my house, going in foster elsewhere) I focus on rescue when I'm overwhelmed, which kind of adds to stress, happy to do it but worry until they come in not sick. They usually get very sick when at those kind of shelters. Rambling, sorry.

Going to actually watch football today, hope all are well!

patricia68

I relapsed last week too Sadie. I had a tough week. Right now dealing with extreme anxiety. Withdrawals are awful but we can do this!

Bekindalways

Heya all,

I'm deedily employed cleaning house for guests. Thought they came today but they are coming tomorrow. I really needed the extra day.

Yoga, here in the western US, we sure heard quite a bit about the storm. I always wonder how much is media hype but it does sound like it was truly a big storm.

Sadie, good for you for coming back here and posting. I'm giving you a one-woman-sitting-ovation! I don't know if Dee checks on us any more so I will pipe up with his bit of constant advice: "Have you looked at what went wrong with your plan and then figured out what you will do next time?" (Dee if you read this, I hope I got it right ;-))

Patricia, I'm sending good thoughts your way. Climbers have a technique called the "Three Foot Box". When they are high up a cliff with a huge view of gaping gravity, they only think about what is within three feet of their bodies and where their next foot or hand hold is located. Could you think this way?

Recovering codependent/alcoholics use the idea of "next right action" in about the same way. Only think about the immediate next thing you need to do; you are not allowed to think beyond that. When depression hits me, I give myself 3 things to do and no more. When it is really bad the tasks are just floss, find socks and get off the couch.

Okay on that note I'm off to take the "next right action" in my "three foot box". This means loading up the trash, driving it to the dumpster and then pulling out both couches to be sure they have clean sheets.

kittycat3

Hang in there guys, prayers for you.

For me too, once again I quit smoking! 2 days without cigs, just have to get through these first few rough days.....