T.H.R.I.V.E.

After being absent from the blogosphere for the past week, it feels so very good to be back.  While absence doesn’t always make the heart grow fonder, it definitely did in this case.  I missed writing, and my absence was not due to writer’s block, rather it was due to being blocked as a writer, meaning that my full-time job as a social worker and as a Mom left me with little time and energy to spend on writing.  Now that I have regained some balance and perspective at work and at home, I have returned with another story to tell, so to speak.

As I alluded to earlier, my life has been anything but balanced of late, and this recent imbalance was cause for further reflection.  If you are familiar with twelve step programs, you probably are also familiar with the acronym, H.A.L.T., which stands for ‘hungry’, ‘angry’, ‘lonely’, and ‘tired’.  As part of relapse prevention, these are four things to be aware of and to address and resolve, lest they compromise your recovery.  My wise friend and mentor, Trude, taught me that H.A.L.T. also is something for me to be mindful of when coping with anxiety and depression.  It is such a simple concept, but as I have learned, it can be difficult to execute.  It is easy to fall prey to allowing the needs of others and work demands cause me to miss meals and make less than healthy food choices, feel angry and irritable, isolate myself, and skimp on sleep.  As I became acutely aware of how H.A.L.T. impacted my life recently, I decided to focus on something more positive to encourage and motivate me.

Certain words carry a distinct energy or power that resonate with me, and one such word is ‘thrive’.  I feel as if I only recently have come out of survival mode and now am venturing into a “thrive mode”, so, I decided to turn this word into an acronym to remind me of what it takes to reach my goals and to live the life I desire.  So, with that, I unveil T.H.R.I.V.E.

Thoughtful.  This entails being mindful, especially when it comes to my own thoughts.  Positive, focused thoughts lead to positive, focused actions, and together, these thoughts and actions will lead to my dreams becoming realities.

Heartfelt.  When I listen to my heart’s desires and follow my heart, I never have been disappointed or regretted it.  When I put my heart into what I think, say, feel, and do, miracles happen.

Risky.  No, I don’t mean I take unnecessary or life-threatening risks.  I am referring to being risky when it comes to having faith when faced with uncertainty and the unknown and putting that faith into action, which usually involves leaving my comfort zone.  While it feels risky to let go and to believe that the visions I have for myself and for my life are possible, it is worth it to throw caution to the wind and to take a risk, in order to be happy, loved, and accepted unconditionally by myself and others.

Inspirational.  When I surround myself with people, music, scenery, activities, etc. that inspire me, I am motivated to make better choices, to dream bigger dreams, and to become an inspiration to someone else. 

Vulnerable.  Being vulnerable with, as Dr. Brene Brown says, people who have earned the right to hear my story is vital to my health, happiness, and well-being.  There is one person above all others whom I have allowed myself to be vulnerable with, and while that can be absolutely terrifying, it also has been the platform from which I have jumped to learn how to love and accept myself, flaws and all.  My special friend knows everything about me, my light and my dark, and is still here, and so am I.

Energetic.  If I want to have physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual energy, I have to expend energy in each of those areas of my life, in order to acquire the energy needed to tend to them.  So, I engage in activities, such as exercising, praying, reading, and talking with the family members and friends who comprise my support system.  Complacency and laziness are not part of thriving!

I have spent enough time surviving, and now, it is time to start thriving.  By halting the thoughts and behaviors that are saboteurs and seeking out, and striving to be, all that is  thoughtful, heartfelt, risky, inspirational, vulnerable, and energetic, my goals and dreams are within reach.

That’s another story . . .

 

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Categories: That's Another Story

Tags: coping, H.A.L.T., healing, recovery, that's another story, thrive