newflowers
Posts: 283
Joined: 5/23/2004 Status: offline
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Sweetsub0, The one and only committed D/s relationship I've had ended badly, very badly for me in a manner that caused me to question myself, my self-worth, my needs and desires, my sanity. But words have power and sometimes it is easier to suffer a physical pain than it is to suffer from hurtful words that repeat ad infinitum in your mind. It took me three years to reach the current time wherein I am ready to seek another relationship. Part of that time was spent healing - no shrinks or groups or therapy, but time spent learning to value myself and appreciate myself for my own particular brand of wonderfulness. Time spent with family members and friends I care for and like. You may or may not go to the gym to change what your mirror shows you and working out can be a great healthy activity - but changing the way your body looks will not heal this wound. Give yourself time. I found writing a particularly good outlet, keep a journal, scribble madly what comes into your head. Engage in positive self-talk (even if you don't quite believe it deep inside, say nice things about yourself to yourself, in time, you will believe). Take your time. Get to know yourself, be gentle with yourself. Right now, you are fragile and need to give yourself all of the care and patience you possibly can. You need to reacquaint yourself with yourself, learn to like yourself and actively love and appreciate yourself. Work on a hobby, develop some new ones. Spend time with yourself until you begin to like and trust yourself again. None of this means self-imposed isolation, but take your time. Healing is not going to happen overnight, nor will it do so very quickly, but give yourself that time. I can't say that perfection and a lack of personal insecurities are now my lot in life, and, alas, I remain fallibly human. Recently, someone said something to me, one of the particularly painful things that *he* used to say and it felt like I had been stabbed in the heart, I was surprised by how vivid that hurt was. Trying to hide tears, there were a few difficult minutes. But I was able to ask for and semi-rationally listen to an explanation that communicated something totally different than I understood based on my past. And it is okay, but it took me a long time to reach this point of being okay. "There is no statute of limitaions on grief." Healing takes time - give yourself that time. newflowers
< Message edited by newflowers -- 8/11/2004 7:27:22 AM >
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