Once your honest with yourself and your HP great things happen. I of course like everything else take longer or the harder routes in my self discovery but once I learned this and put it forth in my daily life I felt it's really force. Honesty and being true to yourself, doing what I want for me and not to make other's happy or to make them feel good in return myself poorly.
It's also looking at my behaviors, thoughts and feelings. Making a choice to be true to my self by not disregarding my wants and needs is essential for my growth in my recovery. I for so long was in denial that I had a mental illness, I knew it but I couldn't accept it. Just like in my addictions they were the same. I was lying to myself and others. That only prevented my sobriety and recovery from forming,..
I can accept that I have a mental illness, that I might find the rewards is something I pray and seek through my HP's guidance. It's doesn't mean I wanted this but it is what it is. My choice is now what to do with it and that's being Honest first.
Morals and beliefs can change, and I know that in my path this past year I have deeply reflected on these both and mine needed some tweaking and eliminating but most of all I hold these things in a high value but I don't always follow them and there for I am lying and abandoning true self.
Letting go of the fear and not living fear is an uncomfortable and uneasy quest in the beginning, it's like setting your self up. Then as I let it go I breathe and reflect on the more peaceful I am and do not resonate on the what if's. Today and this moment is happening and I only get to be apart of it right now and that's is where I need to be.
Showing posts with label Bipolar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bipolar. Show all posts
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Mindfulness Mania
Incorporating new ideas into my already crammed thoughts seemed just ludicrous at first and I think it has taken me reading, listening, learning and also experiencing change over and over to clearly see and accept what this meant.
In order to begin change I need to be mindful of all things, my perception and thoughts affect my reality. I am having to redirect my attention several times a day back to being mindful. When I am mindful I manage myself.
Now having Bipolar I and doing this to me is very rewarding and discouraging at the same time. I see the differences between the two in that I had a choice to drink but I didn't chose Bipolar I. I now am at an acceptance that I was given Bipolar and it's my will to manage those choices god gives me. I'm learning to take deeper breaths, pray, ask for guidance and feel that peace.
Sitting still, relaxing and letting this feeling I get come over me is one of the hardest struggles. I'm usually all over the place and when I go force myself because I'm not accomplishing anything or being reasonable in my thoughts, I feel so guilty from stopping, I feel like I should be going and going but nothing ever gets accomplished. I know why, and again I need to be mindful of this and refocus myself.
I may have to remake a make different choices and change my mind, the more I practice mindfulness I believe god will provide, and I will only grown and learn from his guidance. I trust in his plan for me, and yes I defy and let fear guide me, it's getting back on course no matter what, accepting the lesson.
In order to begin change I need to be mindful of all things, my perception and thoughts affect my reality. I am having to redirect my attention several times a day back to being mindful. When I am mindful I manage myself.
Now having Bipolar I and doing this to me is very rewarding and discouraging at the same time. I see the differences between the two in that I had a choice to drink but I didn't chose Bipolar I. I now am at an acceptance that I was given Bipolar and it's my will to manage those choices god gives me. I'm learning to take deeper breaths, pray, ask for guidance and feel that peace.
Sitting still, relaxing and letting this feeling I get come over me is one of the hardest struggles. I'm usually all over the place and when I go force myself because I'm not accomplishing anything or being reasonable in my thoughts, I feel so guilty from stopping, I feel like I should be going and going but nothing ever gets accomplished. I know why, and again I need to be mindful of this and refocus myself.
I may have to remake a make different choices and change my mind, the more I practice mindfulness I believe god will provide, and I will only grown and learn from his guidance. I trust in his plan for me, and yes I defy and let fear guide me, it's getting back on course no matter what, accepting the lesson.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Grief living life
Recently while I was volunteering at the MN Recovery Connection I met a woman new in her recovery who had recently been divorced. As we talked and shared our stories she had said something that I remembered feeling and thinking at one time myself. To sum it up in my own words, she mentioned that her recent loss from her divorce felt as if she were grieving the death of her relationship of her marriage.
When I got separated in 2004 from my ex husband I remember thinking this must be what it death must feel like of losing a SO. It was such an emotional loss on so many different levels. I couldn't seem to cope with everything that was taking place. I had started drinking during this time as a way to dull the feelings I was experiencing. This was the beginning of my alcoholism. About a a year and a half before I had started experiencing elated states & bouts of depression and as time was passing these highs and lows were coming more frequent. The onset of my divorce seemed to have triggered something to where I was unaware of how to manage life. I self medicated to deal with the changes in my moods, what was going on in my mind so rapidly and in my life. By 2005 I was a wreak and was diagnosed with a brain disorder called Bipolar I, which went untreated until 2008.
When Rob took his life I felt everything in an instant drain from my body in sheer anguish, terror, and disbelief. I lost it completely. I screamed and screamed! I couldn't get a grip on any one thought at all. I was so confused and it wasn't like I could believe that it was real but I had seen the cops outside and knew it was true. He was gone. Everything happened so fast too fast, I was all over the place. I immediately wanted to fix something that couldn't be repaired. I was helpless and hope for anything seemed to vanish. So many questions’ I was left with. Not sure if any of the answers where the correct ones.
I found out very quickly it's nothing like a divorce that happens over time. The relationship ceases from the result of suicide is gone instantly, communication, affection, everything is over and there is nothing you can do about it, it wasn't a choice you had any say in.
It affects everyone differently I found out and every one's grief is different. It is very frustrating to relate and communicate how I was feeling. I was all over the place one minute to the next. I know looking back reality was as far from a possibility at times for me during the wake of the beginning of the aftermath. I was at a lost. It was easy to want to blame someone, yourself or even him and go back and forth. I needed answers and NOW. I dwelled on that, I replayed the night over & over. I hashed out everything in a notebook writing to him page after page. Going on long drives and crying into my cell phone to him or out loud in a desperate hope that he could even to this day hear or see me and how much I hurt, miss him and still want him here.
Through it all at the time it was right before my 7th month sobriety date and I never once picked up a drink. I will now have 11 months in two days.
Even though Roberts loss is heart wrenching and tragic beyond something I ever thought I would ever face in my life I have something I never had before Recovery. Spiritual Recovery, it is not easy but it comes with each new day and ending the night knowing I'm still sober. There have been thoughts of "what was it worth" and if "I drank this would all be gone" or I knew it would be my last drink in darker times. I have to admit that there have been many days that the thought of Robert has kept me Sober. How proud he would be of me. That I would fail him and he would be so disappointed if I drank.
It brings tears to my eyes now as I think of how proud he was of me as the months past & how he always made an effort to remind me of the accomplishments I had made. I like to feel it's something we both wanted for each other, was to see each other grow. I truly wanted that for him so much... I always wanted him to be happy, he deserved more for himself then what he allowed. Knowing that makes it hard now when my sobriety dates come and he's not here. I feel a deep sorrow, some kind of a guilt for being sober & him not being here to achieve his dreams for I'm working towards mine.
Then I don't have the answers for him taking his life, there is the unknown & the things he has repeatedly said to me. Most of all there is the things I know that we shared and the way we felt that I have to go on and trust he'd want me to to continue on knowing I loved him unconditionally and he me.
I have found through the better days that I have a life worth living and no one is going to live, even though it's hard at times, my life if I'm not living it. Doors keep opening for me to move forward. Over the last few month,s not without a struggle at times, and the purpose is only there to help me grow stronger, finding meaning and purpose. I've given back just as I've also received. I feel as the path I'm on is always going to be apart of "a work in progress", but rewards will come along the way.
From Rob's loss I've had a fight and not a flight response this time, I'm facing things as they come at me with an open mind. He knew if anyone would make a change from any of this it would be me. He really thought that was one of the greatest gifts I had. I have to remind my self of all of these things from time to time.
All losses are difficult and trying during the grieving process. No way is right or wrong and not one is worse then one or the other to who is experiencing the loss at the present moment. I can say now my divorce and the experiences from that made me stronger. It maybe was something that without going through I would have capsized in the wake of all of this but at the time it was taking place it was miserable and this is the last thought I would have ever had..... Is I'm going to be OK!
Empowerment To Inspire Change One Step At A Time~ Miche'le Cortinas
When I got separated in 2004 from my ex husband I remember thinking this must be what it death must feel like of losing a SO. It was such an emotional loss on so many different levels. I couldn't seem to cope with everything that was taking place. I had started drinking during this time as a way to dull the feelings I was experiencing. This was the beginning of my alcoholism. About a a year and a half before I had started experiencing elated states & bouts of depression and as time was passing these highs and lows were coming more frequent. The onset of my divorce seemed to have triggered something to where I was unaware of how to manage life. I self medicated to deal with the changes in my moods, what was going on in my mind so rapidly and in my life. By 2005 I was a wreak and was diagnosed with a brain disorder called Bipolar I, which went untreated until 2008.
When Rob took his life I felt everything in an instant drain from my body in sheer anguish, terror, and disbelief. I lost it completely. I screamed and screamed! I couldn't get a grip on any one thought at all. I was so confused and it wasn't like I could believe that it was real but I had seen the cops outside and knew it was true. He was gone. Everything happened so fast too fast, I was all over the place. I immediately wanted to fix something that couldn't be repaired. I was helpless and hope for anything seemed to vanish. So many questions’ I was left with. Not sure if any of the answers where the correct ones.
I found out very quickly it's nothing like a divorce that happens over time. The relationship ceases from the result of suicide is gone instantly, communication, affection, everything is over and there is nothing you can do about it, it wasn't a choice you had any say in.
It affects everyone differently I found out and every one's grief is different. It is very frustrating to relate and communicate how I was feeling. I was all over the place one minute to the next. I know looking back reality was as far from a possibility at times for me during the wake of the beginning of the aftermath. I was at a lost. It was easy to want to blame someone, yourself or even him and go back and forth. I needed answers and NOW. I dwelled on that, I replayed the night over & over. I hashed out everything in a notebook writing to him page after page. Going on long drives and crying into my cell phone to him or out loud in a desperate hope that he could even to this day hear or see me and how much I hurt, miss him and still want him here.
Through it all at the time it was right before my 7th month sobriety date and I never once picked up a drink. I will now have 11 months in two days.
Even though Roberts loss is heart wrenching and tragic beyond something I ever thought I would ever face in my life I have something I never had before Recovery. Spiritual Recovery, it is not easy but it comes with each new day and ending the night knowing I'm still sober. There have been thoughts of "what was it worth" and if "I drank this would all be gone" or I knew it would be my last drink in darker times. I have to admit that there have been many days that the thought of Robert has kept me Sober. How proud he would be of me. That I would fail him and he would be so disappointed if I drank.
It brings tears to my eyes now as I think of how proud he was of me as the months past & how he always made an effort to remind me of the accomplishments I had made. I like to feel it's something we both wanted for each other, was to see each other grow. I truly wanted that for him so much... I always wanted him to be happy, he deserved more for himself then what he allowed. Knowing that makes it hard now when my sobriety dates come and he's not here. I feel a deep sorrow, some kind of a guilt for being sober & him not being here to achieve his dreams for I'm working towards mine.
Then I don't have the answers for him taking his life, there is the unknown & the things he has repeatedly said to me. Most of all there is the things I know that we shared and the way we felt that I have to go on and trust he'd want me to to continue on knowing I loved him unconditionally and he me.
I have found through the better days that I have a life worth living and no one is going to live, even though it's hard at times, my life if I'm not living it. Doors keep opening for me to move forward. Over the last few month,s not without a struggle at times, and the purpose is only there to help me grow stronger, finding meaning and purpose. I've given back just as I've also received. I feel as the path I'm on is always going to be apart of "a work in progress", but rewards will come along the way.
From Rob's loss I've had a fight and not a flight response this time, I'm facing things as they come at me with an open mind. He knew if anyone would make a change from any of this it would be me. He really thought that was one of the greatest gifts I had. I have to remind my self of all of these things from time to time.
All losses are difficult and trying during the grieving process. No way is right or wrong and not one is worse then one or the other to who is experiencing the loss at the present moment. I can say now my divorce and the experiences from that made me stronger. It maybe was something that without going through I would have capsized in the wake of all of this but at the time it was taking place it was miserable and this is the last thought I would have ever had..... Is I'm going to be OK!
Empowerment To Inspire Change One Step At A Time~ Miche'le Cortinas
Friday, February 18, 2011
In Progress
Being Present in my life & living in the now. Finding happiness & grace through tragedy of the loss of my loved one to suicide. Forgiveness, letting go with my spirituality guiding my way through my journey of recovery. Each day holds a new meaning then the day before. Another day sober & another without my loved one Rob. Through these last 9 months months I have had every thing that I know about myself tested & re-evaluated. I search with in myself & re-questioned the things I have been so certain of and through guidance, affirmations & making changes in the areas I needed to & still am working on. I'm a stronger, more open minded & empathetic person then I ever could of thought I could have been. I'm a work in progress! Scary, Damaged with a heart of compassion & love.
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