Everyone has a day when they are off their game. A day when you can’t or won’t to find a silver lining this side of the Mississippi and you give in or give up. I’ve talked about giving myself permission to spend the day indoors and unshowered even if the sun is shining. I’ve parked myself on the kitchen floor letting the dog lick my tears in a heap of woe is me more times than I care to admit.
It is in the aftermath of those moments that I can measure my growth. Those tears are the signs that I am pushing myself into new, unchartered and frightening territory. I am breaking through some wall and leaving my comfort zone behind.
The word relapse stings. It indicates failure instead of a natural cycle of change but eventually we become aware of ourselves battling negative thoughts and it can create an opportunity for growth. Here are few things to evaluate post-meltdown:
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What was the most satisfying part?
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Why? What need was it fulfilling?
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Is there a more productive way to fill that need?
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Identify anything that may have triggered intellectually, emotionally, physically, spiritually.
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What would you do differently the next time?
Believe me I FEEL YOUR PAIN - but go out of your comfort zone and you will find it’s not that bad at all! Trust yourself.
Yoga Gal
August 23rd, 2008
Ah, the mental health day. There are so many days where I would rather stay in bed, the dogs curled up next to me, and I am hiding, sulking, fearing whatever the moment brings. Other times I sit with a blank page in front of me and wonder what the fuck I’m doing. But then, after a while it hits me.. it’s just part of the process,of growing, changing and part of the ingesting of all the things we do, want to do and are.
Lovely post. Thank you.
Suzy
Suzy
August 23rd, 2008
I like to think of those down times as gathering momentum.
Of course it is usually hard to see it that way in the moment.
I like that your dog takes good care of you! What kind do you have?
Michelle O'Neil
August 23rd, 2008
Michelle - he’s the OTHER love in my life - a border collie/terrier mix aptly named “Spirit”
Dawn
August 25th, 2008