The Language of Letting Go, June 12
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The Language of Letting Go, June 12
June 12
You are reading from the book "The Language of Letting Go."
Spontaneity and Fun
Practice being spontaneous. Practice having fun.
The joy of recovery is that we finally get to experiment. We get to learn new behaviors, and we don't have to do them perfectly. We only need to find a way that works for us. We even have fun experimenting, learning what we like, and how to do what we like.
Many of us have gotten into a rut with rigidity, martyrdom, and deprivation. One of the "normal" experiences many of us have been deprived of is having fun. Another one is being spontaneous. We may not have the foggiest notion what we would like to do for fun. And we may hold ourselves in check so tightly that we wouldn't allow ourselves to try something fun anyway.
We can let ourselves go a little now and then. We can loosen up a bit. We don't have to be so stiff and rigid, so frightened about being who we are. Take some risks. Try some new activities. What would we like to do? What might we enjoy doing? Then, take another risk. Pick out a movie we'd like to see; call a friend, and invite him or her to go along. If that person says no, try someone else, or try again another time.
Decide to try something, and then go through with it. Go once. Go twice. Practice having fun until fun becomes fun.
Today, I will do something just for fun. I will practice having fun until I actually enjoy it.
©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.
You are reading from the book "The Language of Letting Go."
Spontaneity and Fun
Practice being spontaneous. Practice having fun.
The joy of recovery is that we finally get to experiment. We get to learn new behaviors, and we don't have to do them perfectly. We only need to find a way that works for us. We even have fun experimenting, learning what we like, and how to do what we like.
Many of us have gotten into a rut with rigidity, martyrdom, and deprivation. One of the "normal" experiences many of us have been deprived of is having fun. Another one is being spontaneous. We may not have the foggiest notion what we would like to do for fun. And we may hold ourselves in check so tightly that we wouldn't allow ourselves to try something fun anyway.
We can let ourselves go a little now and then. We can loosen up a bit. We don't have to be so stiff and rigid, so frightened about being who we are. Take some risks. Try some new activities. What would we like to do? What might we enjoy doing? Then, take another risk. Pick out a movie we'd like to see; call a friend, and invite him or her to go along. If that person says no, try someone else, or try again another time.
Decide to try something, and then go through with it. Go once. Go twice. Practice having fun until fun becomes fun.
Today, I will do something just for fun. I will practice having fun until I actually enjoy it.
©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.
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Join Date: May 2012
Location: Florida
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Oooooo, good one! I struggled with this a lot as an ACoA. Spontaneity was not something I was comfortable with. Everything was supposed to be planned & budgeted, rigid. Controlled. Predictable. It felt "safe" approaching life that way, but in reality I was backed into a corner & had isolated myself away from even seeing new opportunities. Spontaneity drove my codie mother crazy so I learned early to be judgmental & distrustful of people that acted that way.
Getting comfortable with impromptu decisions or changes has been a fun part of recovery though!
Getting comfortable with impromptu decisions or changes has been a fun part of recovery though!
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: East Coast
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Well I am happy to share that I am taking a fun trip this weekend to spend my birthday weekend with a friend. Just me and my teen DD!
My friend and I share a birthday and she has a daughter the same age as my oldest. Although we talk often and see each other when we can we have not spent our birthday together in 21 years!
This will be a fab weekend
My friend and I share a birthday and she has a daughter the same age as my oldest. Although we talk often and see each other when we can we have not spent our birthday together in 21 years!
This will be a fab weekend
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