Grief and gratitude

D

dlane2530

Well known member
I'm approaching the anniversary of my major nervous & health breakdown of one year ago. I'm doing well, making progress, including some very big things. I feel ready for 2026 and happy about the possibilities ahead. My husband will be on sabbatical and I have the opportunity to rethink how I live my individual days and develop some priorities, strategies, and habits that then I can carry non-negotiably into the remainder of the year and beyond. So grateful for the gift of time in which to give myself space to reassess and adjust my thinking and behaviors.

Today, after finally allllmost being over a long bout of the flu, I feel sudden and systemic aching and inflammation all over my body. Thinking psychological: feeling grief and accepting relief that this new year is starting, a new beginning. Don't they go together? To allow ourselves trust and relief, we also must honor the grief.

Wishing all of you a happy new year and sending gratitude for the ways you have helped me in 2025.

Dixie
 
dlane2530 said:
feeling grief and accepting relief that this new year is starting, a new beginning. Don't they go together? To allow ourselves trust and relief, we also must honor the grief.
Click to expand...
Indeed. Just talked about this in therapy a little while ago.

Farewell to 2025, here's to hope in 2026.
 
dlane2530 said:
I'm approaching the anniversary of my major nervous & health breakdown of one year ago. I'm doing well, making progress, including some very big things. I feel ready for 2026 and happy about the possibilities ahead. My husband will be on sabbatical and I have the opportunity to rethink how I live my individual days and develop some priorities, strategies, and habits that then I can carry non-negotiably into the remainder of the year and beyond. So grateful for the gift of time in which to give myself space to reassess and adjust my thinking and behaviors.

Today, after finally allllmost being over a long bout of the flu, I feel sudden and systemic aching and inflammation all over my body. Thinking psychological: feeling grief and accepting relief that this new year is starting, a new beginning. Don't they go together? To allow ourselves trust and relief, we also must honor the grief.

Wishing all of you a happy new year and sending gratitude for the ways you have helped me in 2025.

Dixie
Click to expand...
This is beautiful post--thank you!

I wasn't ready--was suprised by the 2nd part, but I can relate to feeling like something's over and feeling good about moving on, but there seem to be these residuals hanging on that keep grabbing at me. It makes sense with big changes/events that it might take a while for everything 'under the hood' to match with my externals that tells me I've moved on. And, that tension can easily show up as symptoms. With patience and not overdoing it when symptoms show up, I tend to get past that.

dlane2530 said:
to rethink how I live my individual days and develop some priorities, strategies, and habits that then I can carry non-negotiably into the remainder of the year and beyond.
Click to expand...
I love this line! It's something that really helps me out as I think forward. The 'non-negotiably' phrase grabbed me.
 
Bonnard said:
there seem to be these residuals hanging on that keep grabbing at me. It makes sense with big changes/events that it might take a while for everything 'under the hood' to match with my externals that tells me I've moved on.
Click to expand...
Wow, you put it so well! I think this is indeed what I'm experiencing, too. Thank you.

Regarding "non-negotiably," my biggest trigger is feeling trapped or abandoned -- forced into a situation in which expectations are high but resources are low. So when I "get" something good for a while, there's always in the back of my mind the knowledge that, well, it will probably all just be taken away. Freedom as temporary, trapped as the norm from which I get "breaks."

For me, this is a big mental change that is underway: freedom is the norm. I won't impose being trapped upon myself, even if my circumstances change (as they always do).
Being safe and healthy and able to care for myself will be my norm, not an occasional break from my norm.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top