The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
After some reflection and inventory my memory comes back!! Hey this is what was covered in a couple of hundred meetings before hasn't it? So there has been lots of water under the bridge and much time in recovery and practice, practice, practice...did I miss this? Can this still apply? Is it as important as it once was? (H)ungry, (A)ngry (L)onely (T)ired...if you are anyone of these you need to be careful on how you are living your life and making decisions for it. If I am hungry that has a negative affect on my condition...yes it does, yes it does!! If I am angry that certainly has a negative affect on my condition also!! Lonely? Man have I made some bad choices and mistakes when I have been in that lonely/needy state and "tired" okay...that is where I have been for weeks with this insomnia and lack of restful sleep which has resulted in my "loss of control" feeling that has convinced me to "fight" harder for control and not cave into the need for just not doing anything but resting.
Any one of the four leads to a danger signal and negative consequences such as what is going on right now...resentment, isolation, anxiety, depression... any more out there? I'm listening cause I can't do this all by myself.
Open mike...step up to the mike and give us your ESH.
If I can't focus enough to get myself 3 meals, a bit of exercise and a good nights sleep, .....do that first. Emotional exhaustion can get to me too from thinking too much - time for a light fiction book for a little distraction and rest for the ole brain cells. Feel connected, really connected to HP is most important.
Good post and good review - something I have really been focusing on this past month. Take good care of ourselves which is a big topic for past (mostly) people pleasers. I look forward to other replies who might think of somthing else too.
hugs, ddub
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"Choices are the hinges of destiny." Pythagoras You can't change the past, but you can change the future.
thanks for posting. I don't know what your sleep problem might be, but I know the feeling. I'm a nightowl, and as a result have to be willing to sleep mornings. Lots of times I have to get up and tend to something beyond my control, just as I did last week. By the end of the week , I was mentally off. So, I decided it's OK to sleep as long as I like and any time I like on Saturday. I did that, and felt almost like the old me after.
One suggestion is to make yourself a really comfortable place to sleep :) I mean, if it's in a sleeping bag under the stars, fine; or a brand new quilt piled on the couch...whatever. Give yourself permission to let the world go by and let us know if you feel better.
I'm sure other people have more sophisticated answers, but hey, whatever works. pw
get some lavendar (the herb) from the food co-op. Boil it into a tea and drink it. I need very little- like just a small tea-cup of it. It works for me! I also know it works for babies but they only need a teaspoon of the tea.
Valerian does also. Same thing- make the tea and drink it before bed. Also for me: no food in the stomach past 6:30PM (I go to sleep around 10PM). No caffeine beverages and clear broths are fine (miso).
How does kava affect you? It definitely relaxes me but it also creates a kind of "hangover" so I avoid it. Some people swear by it, though.
Never underestimate the power of HALT- great reminder Jerry and SO true...thanks for your post! Hugs, J.
Jerry, I feel sure you probably already have, but just in case, what has HP had to say about the reason for lack of sleep? We can all have ideas for you, but He has your answer. In His time, so be careful not to take it back from Him before you get the answer. I will also be asking Him for some safe restful sleep for you. You deserve it and it will happen.
I think also it is part of HP's power that what we put in our mind is what our mind acts on. If we say out loud, or silently to ourselves, I can't go to sleep etc. etc., that will in most cases happen because our mind is doing what it has been instructed to do. I compare it to thinking positive, or thinking negative. HP will always give us what we want, we just need to ask for the thing we want, not what we don't want. It has worked for me over the years.
What's wrong with not doing anything but resting? If you need it -- rest! My mother used to tell me when I was little and couldn't sleep that rest is as good as sleep. Rest. Also, I love that acronym (H.A.L.T.) and think of it often.
S.