How does change happen?
 

For me, when life and how I feel everyday comes into conflict with how I am living it I become quite irritable, unhappy and just plain sad. In such deep places that make talking or even getting up and moving around tough.

That's when I know change is happening.

To what end I don't know. I have been here before. Many times. In fact that's what told me I was really ready to quit. My thoughts and actions were completely opposite of one another.

I was very sad and very angry this weekend. I woke angry this morning. But I said enough. I sat and was quiet and still. I just took time to feel the pain I was fighting. I took the time to forgive myself a bit more.

Replanted some plants and did some spring reorganization of furniture so my space feels a bit different than it did yesterday. I held my cats and stole a bit of unconditional love from them. They are good for that.

I love my sobriety. In it I am finding real joy. Not everyday of course. These last few days were only possible because I was sober. I never had sober time enough to feel change. Make change happen.

I am not saying anything new. Just acknowledging for myself that I am getting stronger. Better. Even if through the pain of loneliness and sadness. I think when the time comes happiness will be easier to see. That's how change happens for me.

Happiness is a muscle. Give it a flex and remember to smile today.

Nice post, thanks. Timely for me at the moment.

Very nice post Weasel. I am sorry to hear the past several days have been tough for you, but you are an amazing and strong person who is working on becoming an even more amazing and stronger Weasel. Keep it up friend and never lose sight as to how far you've come. :hug:

Growth is painful. That is a fact. You have to hold on while it is happening and hope that you are stronger on the other side. It may seem like cold comfort, but that is how I am able to get through really taxing times. Bumper sticker advice: Tough times don't last but tough people do!

I also grab my kitties for unconditional love. They are my "twin comforters" :)

A Miracle of Change happened for me thru:
+ Working the 12 Steps of AA
+ Real Meditation for Real Alcoholics - Danny Schwarxhoff
+ Listening to Recovery Speaker Messages I found on various Internet Websites

Also, for me 'Living Life on Life's Terms', while refraining from my Alcoholic state of 'Self-Will-Run-Riot', I find it helpful to practice:
+ The 3rd Step Prayer - I say it often throughout the Day
+ When I am 'seized-up' with conflicting situations, thoughts, emotions, demands, urges, etc - I remember to 'Do the Right Thing' and the corresponding 'Do the Next Thing that Needs to be Done'
+ When my thoughts and Emotions are running off the Deep End, I repeat 'God Direct My Thinking, God Direct my Emotions, God Direct my Motivations, God Direct My ... to be in Alignment with Your Will.

Thanks for the Post Weas....RDBplus3 - Happy, Joyous, and FREE. :c014:

Perhaps.

But yours is a message that we need to hear again and again.

Thank you, Weasel. Hugs.

Awesome post Weasel i like growing i know im becoming the person i want to im by no means there yet but lots of small progress makes for big progress

I used to look at all my problems like a massive mountain so one day i realised i could mentally blow that mountain up and take it on bit by bit rather than just staring at a mountain of problems

Fantastic post Ken!! :)

Thank you Ken :)

D

Thank you very much for the post. Some great insight there and I'm glad you are feeling better today. Cats are great for the love. Especially if you're holding a can of cat food.

Wonderful, helpful thoughts - as usual. :) Thank you so much Ken for the encouragement.

Timely, indeed....thanks for sharing!
Hugs :)

Great post, Ken. It's hard to be open to change all the time, but it's even harder to resist it. Thanks for the thread.

Two things you said I focused in on.....the first was sitting with your pain and allowing yourself to feel it. So important I have found in my recovery too to actually feel those feelings. The second thing was about sticking with your sobriety long enough to feel the changes. That is so key! So many people don't stay with sobriety long enough......change and growth doesn't happen overnight....it does take time. (((hugs)))

It's not the change that is painful, it is the resistance to change.

Great post Ken, thanks for sharing this.

I was a bit off off this weekend myself...

I'm going to remember to smile more tomorrow!

Thanks

Thank you. I am so grateful for today. :D

Change happened when I was desperate. Continuing to drink became harder than not drinking. Used to be that drinking was an escalator and abstinence was a long staircase. Then it switched and abstinence became the escalator.