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.
I just finished this exercise and I decided 2 do a post b/c I am feeling much better and it may help you too. A friend of mine quit smoking last year, and made a flip book of things to read when he felt like smoking to help with the urges. I did the same with my A. I made a flip book of the facts I know about the disease that affect him/us, of cycles in the past we have been through that pulled me down, and thoughts to myself about making progress and things I felt in my heart the night I wanted to start to move forward. I also put some notes in there on meditation, and some positive affirmations and gentle reminders of my daily routine and why it is good. I did not put in my flip book all the crappy things he had done to me in the past, b/c reading that brings up other emotions of anger/resentment/hate. I am using this flip book as inspiration in the times I feel down to get me pumped up to do positive things for myself. I did put a few general statements in there about things he did as a result of the alcoholism, that were gentle reminders that did not dig up hateful angry feelings. The real detailed memories I put in a separate word document I entitled: "The Forgetter." I read that whopper lol when I am specifically feeling overwhelmed at the loss of our love and us, and I find myself focusing on him finding someone new and imagine things that are not even really going to happen. lol. In those times, it does not tend to well up anger but relief b/c 1. I am reading it at the right time!! and 2.it eliminated that longing for us or him and brings back the feeling of "I need to leave this."
My flip book I tend to read more and all the time b/c it is fast, and helps with just re-aligning my thoughts quickly and mood. I just want to share this b/c I am starting to see how much I rely on that thing, and I have to thank the friend who suggested it. I know this doesn't solve our problems, and my heart does ache but this is just 1 more thing that is helping me get through 1 day at a time. or 1 hour.
Big hug.
-- Edited by giraffe13 on Monday 7th of April 2014 11:03:32 AM
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Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
Thank you for sharing your neat idea:) I have some notebooks I got to do journaling with, but I haven't done that yet. I need to remember that nothing changes if nothing changes;) hugs!!
Hi,
That sounds like a really positive and practical tool, I'll be giving it a try.
I love writing things down - I have a note book that I keep specifically for the positives in my life - every night I journal the three best things of the day. It really has helped me to retrain my brain so that I can restore some of my positive thinking no matter what else is going on.
