What are you thankful for? I'm thankful for YOU!
A work in progress....
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: FREE!!!! Somewhere in the Tennessee Mountains
Posts: 1,018
What are you thankful for? I'm thankful for YOU!
In the midst of our troubles, it is easy to dwell on the negatives in our lives and forget about the many blessings that we have been given.
I have learned over the last two years that when I focus on the bad things, I make lousy decisions which lead to consequences I would rather not face. In short, when I focus on the bad stuff, more bad stuff seems to happen.
But when I start focusing on the good things, I am able to see even the difficult circumstances as opportunities for growth and I feel peace instead of panic.
As the holiday season draws near, I wanted to take a moment and say "Thank you!" to all my dear friends here at SR. My life is light-years better than it was in November of 2006 when I first stumbled upon this place while attempting-once again-to help my (now) ex-husband.
I used the word 'stumbled', but I choose to believe that God led me here. I was so lost and so desperate, and here He introduced me to wonderful people who truly understood the darkness I had lived in for so many years, and who shined a light into that darkness, helping me to find my way out.
I am sure that the most important lesson I have learned is that once I let go of the reins of my very messed-up life and started trusting Him, things started to fall into place and I discovered a peace and a joy that I did not think existed for me.
This may sound like just one more cliche to those of you still caught in the web of addiction-yours or someone else's-but there is a way out. You can be joyful. You can have peace. Life can be good.
Start today. Do one thing to change where you are. Do something else tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.
Start searching for the good things in your life instead of dwelling on the bad things. It will feel strange for awhile because change is not comfortable, even when it's good change. But don't give up!
Start taking care of yourself (and your kids if that applies) and give the consequences of your addict's addiction back to them. It is the only thing you can do to truly help them. Continuing to rescue and enable them does nothing but crucify their very soul, even though that is the last thing you would ever do.
Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and the most blessed Christmas you have ever known!
I have learned over the last two years that when I focus on the bad things, I make lousy decisions which lead to consequences I would rather not face. In short, when I focus on the bad stuff, more bad stuff seems to happen.
But when I start focusing on the good things, I am able to see even the difficult circumstances as opportunities for growth and I feel peace instead of panic.
As the holiday season draws near, I wanted to take a moment and say "Thank you!" to all my dear friends here at SR. My life is light-years better than it was in November of 2006 when I first stumbled upon this place while attempting-once again-to help my (now) ex-husband.
I used the word 'stumbled', but I choose to believe that God led me here. I was so lost and so desperate, and here He introduced me to wonderful people who truly understood the darkness I had lived in for so many years, and who shined a light into that darkness, helping me to find my way out.
I am sure that the most important lesson I have learned is that once I let go of the reins of my very messed-up life and started trusting Him, things started to fall into place and I discovered a peace and a joy that I did not think existed for me.
This may sound like just one more cliche to those of you still caught in the web of addiction-yours or someone else's-but there is a way out. You can be joyful. You can have peace. Life can be good.
Start today. Do one thing to change where you are. Do something else tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.
Start searching for the good things in your life instead of dwelling on the bad things. It will feel strange for awhile because change is not comfortable, even when it's good change. But don't give up!
Start taking care of yourself (and your kids if that applies) and give the consequences of your addict's addiction back to them. It is the only thing you can do to truly help them. Continuing to rescue and enable them does nothing but crucify their very soul, even though that is the last thing you would ever do.
Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and the most blessed Christmas you have ever known!
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: To the North
Posts: 1,086
Good call Duet! You are definitely one of the people I am thankful for! As is everyone here.
My list of thanks is enormous at this point; Just a few of my many thanks...
The first thing that I am hugely grateful and thankful for are the people this journey has brought into my life. I am part of a community to which I can go for support, and to which I can offer support. I am part of a community with which I can laugh and cry, and it's all OK. I have a home that when I walk in the door every day I stop and smile and it feels so good - like walking into a hug. I am thankful for not living in a crazy-making relationship banging my head on a brick wall, feeling unfulfilled, unhappy, unloved and unliked. I am thankful for my jobs, the ability to put food on my table, to clothe myself. I am enormously thankful that I am back in the bosom of my family surrounded by their love.
Most of all, I am thankful for my life, because now I have one. Thank you all.
Wishing you all Thanks!
Gobble gobble
My list of thanks is enormous at this point; Just a few of my many thanks...
The first thing that I am hugely grateful and thankful for are the people this journey has brought into my life. I am part of a community to which I can go for support, and to which I can offer support. I am part of a community with which I can laugh and cry, and it's all OK. I have a home that when I walk in the door every day I stop and smile and it feels so good - like walking into a hug. I am thankful for not living in a crazy-making relationship banging my head on a brick wall, feeling unfulfilled, unhappy, unloved and unliked. I am thankful for my jobs, the ability to put food on my table, to clothe myself. I am enormously thankful that I am back in the bosom of my family surrounded by their love.
Most of all, I am thankful for my life, because now I have one. Thank you all.
Wishing you all Thanks!
Gobble gobble
Restoring myself to sanity
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Georgia
Posts: 1,018
I'm thankful for my wonderful friends here on SR.. Each and everyone of you has helped me grow into the person that I'm becoming..
In a crazy way, I'm also thankful for the addict in my life.. my AH's addiction has made me look at myself in a different light and has forced me to make some much needed upgrades in many areas of my life. If It wasn't for my AH I would have never found SR, never found Alanon and I would have probably been in and out of relationships with people that I thought needed rescuing rather then being in one that has forced me to stop helping and to start healing..
In a crazy way, I'm also thankful for the addict in my life.. my AH's addiction has made me look at myself in a different light and has forced me to make some much needed upgrades in many areas of my life. If It wasn't for my AH I would have never found SR, never found Alanon and I would have probably been in and out of relationships with people that I thought needed rescuing rather then being in one that has forced me to stop helping and to start healing..
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: NY
Posts: 1,054
I'm thankful to God for everything.
I'm thankful for my beautiful children. (young son thinks it's weird when I call him beautiful cause he's a boy).
I'm thankful for Alanon.
And I'm thankful for all the "God sent" people here at SR who have helped me through some of the most painful times in my life.
I'm thankful to God for helping me when I couldn't even help myself.
NH7
I'm thankful for my beautiful children. (young son thinks it's weird when I call him beautiful cause he's a boy).
I'm thankful for Alanon.
And I'm thankful for all the "God sent" people here at SR who have helped me through some of the most painful times in my life.
I'm thankful to God for helping me when I couldn't even help myself.
NH7
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: NC
Posts: 240
I am thankful for everyone here. I am thankful to God who i know has always and will always be right beside me on this journey we call life. I am thankful that I have a job, a roof over my head, clothes on my back. I am thankful fro my family, even though they are tired of this roller coaster life that I had been choosing to live and are unable to offer much support. Today, I am thankful AH is out of my life.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hackettstown, NJ
Posts: 692
I am thankful:
that my AD is still alive, that I know where she is most of the time, that her HIV meds are working, that she still has a chance to recover.
for finding SR and this forum where people KNOW!
that I am clean, and also that I am not smoking anymore
for my husband, my meetings, my friends, my mom, my cats
for poetry, for books, for music
for a good job
for God's grace
that my AD is still alive, that I know where she is most of the time, that her HIV meds are working, that she still has a chance to recover.
for finding SR and this forum where people KNOW!
that I am clean, and also that I am not smoking anymore
for my husband, my meetings, my friends, my mom, my cats
for poetry, for books, for music
for a good job
for God's grace
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