Courage

[caressa]

The reading today talks about courage to allow ourselves to be vulnerable. For so many years, as we grew up in abusive situations, we put up walls and protected ourselves from others. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. The only thing is, when you put up a wall, you shut out the goodness as well as the things you want protected from.

It is difficult to take down those wall, often it is brick by brick. It takes a lot of courage and we often can't take it down all at once.
Allowing others into our lives and opening ourselves to possible harm, is something we can't do without asking for help. We don't have to do it alone. We need to learn trust and faith in our Higher Power. Through Him/Her, we can get the courage we need to change.

We need to reach out and know that through our Higher Power, all things are possible.



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[SunnyGirl]

Thank you for sharing Caressa and excellent post!

Aug 14, 2010 7:06:59 GMT -5 @caressa said:

It is difficult to take down those walls, often it is brick by brick.
It takes a lot of courage and we often can't take it down all
at once.

We work the program One Day At a Time and the metaphor
of taking the fence down brick by brick was perfect! As long as
I am making forward progress that is the important part. When
we get stuck in one place and unable to move forward that's
when I know I need to hit my knee's and turn to my Higher Power
for help. For me, going to the on-line meetings has been a
life saver for me. Listening to others, who have been where I
have been, gives me hope that it is possible for find peace and
serenity in my life today.... Hugs, SG

[majestyjo]

You are reading from the book Each Day a New Beginning



Often when we're being tough and strong, we're scared. It takes a lot of courage to allow ourselves to be vulnerable, to be soft.

—Dudley Martineau



We've developed defenses for protection because we have felt the need for protection from the abuses of others, parents on occasion, bosses, spouses, even strangers. And in certain situations, our defenses served us well for a time. However, they have taken their toll. Hiding behind them for long makes them habitual, and we move farther and farther away from our center, from the woman each of us needs and wants to be.



Exposing who we really are invites judgment, sometimes rejection, often times discounting. It's a terribly hard risk to take, and the rewards are seldom immediate. But with time, others respect us for our vulnerability and begin to imitate our example. We are served well by our integrity, in due time.



Letting others see who we really are alleviates confusion, theirs and ours. We no longer need to decide who we should be; we simply are who we are. Our choices are simplified. There is only one appropriate choice to every situation--the one that is honest and wholly reflective of who we are at that moment.



Rewards will be forthcoming when I am honest.

Allowing myself to become vulnerable was my greatest fear.  I had been hurt many times mentally, emotionally, and physically on my journey to the doors of recovery.  When I met all these new people, I was so grateful to find people who had been where I had been, some hadn't walked my walk, while others had had a much harder road to travel, yet we could all join as one on this recovery road.

[caressa222]

Merry Christmas