Verte

Another benefit of talking things out with a counselor is that 1:4 women experience interpersonal violence in their lifetime and there is great support available. You are not alone, ArtFriend. The associated emotions are incredibly terrifying and isolating long after the fact...but you do not have to be. Your heart and mind can be liberated.

ArtFriend

Just reformat your brain, load a clean install of a good operating system, increase your RAM, make sure your BIOS settings are cool and you are good to go!

PurpleKnight

Hang in there Art!!

Nuudawn

Really think you're onto something there

strategery

I can definitely relate ArtFriend. I am sort of freaking out since some areas I have to go to on a regular basis such as today have been affected by protestors, esp at night. Had to go there today (not Ferguson itself, but near there) and wasn't staying around after dark. Fortunately, I didn't have to stay until after dark tonight, but will have to be there after dark next week. I have no idea how this is going to play out. There is a definite tension amongst those I know there including myself.

CAPTAINZING2000

I was drilled early on in my recovery to read page 417 from the big book


Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation - some fact of my life - unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is at this moment.

I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.

Acceptance has taught me that there is a bit of good in the worst of us and a bit of bad in the best of us; that we each have a right to be here.

When I focus on what's good today, I have a good day, and when I focus on what's bad, I have a bad day. If I focus on a problem, the problem increases; if I focus on the answer, the answer increases. When I focus on people's bad qualities, they multiply; when I focus on people's good qualities, they seem to grow and grow.

Perhaps the best thing of all for me is to remember that my serenity is inversely proportional to my expectations. The higher my expectations of other people are, the lower is my serenity. I can watch my serenity level rise when I discard my expectations. I have to discard my 'rights', as well as my expectations, by asking myself, "How important is it, really? How important is it compared to my serenity, my emotional sobriety?"

I do whatever is in front of me to be done, and let go of the results.

I must keep my magic magnifying mind on my level of acceptance. When I remember this, I can see I've never had it so good.

Adapted from “Doctor, Addict, Alcoholic” by Dr. Paul O. in Alcoholics Anonymous (The Big Book)


I can't change the whole world but, I can make a difference in the people I have contact with each day.

Growing up I wasn't saturated with news 24/7 like we have today. While I believe we should take note of the current events in the world, moderation is the key.
Lastly, faith is vital to my spiritual well being.

ArtFriend

Acceptance and forgiveness are concepts I struggle with. I want to fix everything and everyone and I have trouble forgiving people who have wronged me. It is hard.

anattaboy

I'm an hour from ground zero and keep the tv on all day to see where they're at. I'm tense, sad, mad as hell and frustrated all at the same time. I'm not going to drink over it. I started smiling a week ago...like all day (more like 20 seconds when I think of it). It works. It's hard to be (insert negative emotion here) while smiling. Thich Nhat Hanh was my original inspiration for this but I smiled on the treadmill yesterday for 5 whole minutes. So I'm smiling while typing...then I'm checking all the doors and windows before bed.