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Is this growth or am I doing something wrong?

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  • #107851
    misomojo
    Participant

    Hi All,

    I am a long time follower of Tiny Buddha, but a first time poster to the forums. I just knew that I need to reach out to a community that understands the path of awakening and might be able to offer some sage words of resolve, advice and insight.

    This year has been one set in, what I deem of growth, which has brought on big shifts, ah-ha’s, fear, challenges and uncertainty. I’m not a stranger to doing personal and spiritual growth, which I adore with all my heart and feeds me within. I’ve actually had a lot of energy work done (akashic + tuning fork) within the last 1.5 years. To which, I’ve often times been the ‘go to’ person for words of wisdom to my fellow friends. Which, forgive this statement as it’s purely objective, don’t often have the tools to share words of wisdom back in times of need. Hence my post here. 🙂 So it’s been a bit of a shock when this year I’ve felt like my strength and tenacity has all but crumbled beneath me. Bringing on bouts of depression, doubt and a general unhappiness in life. I’ve tried to do regular meditation, yoga to raise my vibration and connection with myself, to only fall quickly out of the pattern. The only thing that seems to stick for me is walking. Which I am uber grateful for.

    Now that you have some background, on to the heart of the issues!

    1. I started my own online business about 1.5 years ago that was received with great enthusiasm and success (primarily around the holidays) and have found it a bit of a challenge to keep the motivation and passion going (as I was once SO passionate about) when the going gets tough. When things get slow. I keep asking myself is this just part of starting business or is it time to throw in the towel. This is my full time career in which I work from home and I’ve attached my definition of self directly towards the success of the business. Which has brought me to the depths of depression for the early part of the year.

    2. I also, chose to formally (via email) send a loving ‘letting go’ letter to my Borderline (BPD) mother. I’ve made attempts in the past, but not so directly. I made this all about me needing to heal and find myself and not about her. Which is very true. I need to find and discover my truth out from underneath the critical and manipulative energy of her. Ever since I was young, I have never felt safe/unconditionally loved by her…I am now 40 and feel that I’ve put in enough energy to try to heal that relationship, when I want to truly heal my own.

    3. By choosing to do ‘#2’, I’ve lost contact with my father. Whom, my mother controls. She says, if I don’t have a relationship with her than neither can my dad. It’s sad as my dad was always my savior in childhood, he loved me and comforted me and now that is gone. I feel like I’ve lost my family (as dysfunctional as it is).

    4. On top of ‘#2+#3’, my brother has distanced himself ever since I got married to a man everyone loves. We would extend invites to him all the time, which they would attend. However, the invites that once were sent my way when single are no longer. I’ve talked about this a few times with him, to his credit he recognized…but then still hasn’t put in any energy to our relationship.

    5. My husband, I love. He is loving, kind, generous, supportive and just a general great guy. However, he’s not passionate about personal growth and when issues come up (which I am the one bringing up, he would never)…he shrinks into this position of a clueless helpless boy. I’ve asked to go to counseling as there is only so much knowledge and insight I have (and I didn’t get a great example from my parents). To which he BEGRUDGINGLY went. It was like pulling teeth. To which, he sat with his arms crossed and didn’t interact. He was incredibly defensive and questioned whom I married. As I was super conscious of how I came across and brought up with ‘I feel’ statements and not finger pointing. I feel like I am left a semblance of a marriage, one where the love is fading as the respect is fading as he is running from his power. It’s a turn off for me and saddens me that we are growing in different directions. He seems to rather just leave it be, where I know I will grow tired of this quickly if I don’t connect on a deeper level with my partner.

    6. Two of my longest friends I’ve made conscious choices to not have in my life any longer. One was a long time given as it’s always been unhealthy, but I kept putting up with it and giving it another go. The other one came as a surprise, when it became clear after all the years that she isn’t capable of being happy for others, it’s always a competition and she’ll always need you to be there for her, but not able to be there for you.

    Phew…that was WAY more than I even realized, until I just wrote this out. My apologies for the long post, however, I must say this is rather cathartic. 🙂

    My question is, as I am absolutely open to ‘looking in the mirror’ is this my doing that I am bringing on all these energetic shifts, which are for the good. Or am I scrambling to survive with the evolving skill set of how to operate in life that I know?! My heart says ‘This too shall pass’…however, it’s been a longer go of it than I’m comfortable with. Have any of you ever gone through such a huge shedding and wake ups all at once?

    My deepest gratitude in advance for your time to read and reply!

    Much love,
    misomojo

    #107883
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear misomojo:

    My comments on your post:

    #5. You wrote bout your husband: ” He is loving, kind, generous, supportive and just a general great guy. However, he’s not passionate about personal growth” Well, if he is loving, kind, generous and supportive, where is the needed growth? Is he not loving enough? Kind enough?

    #2. I like your shift from trying to fix the relationship with your BPD mother to trying to fix the damage she has caused to your person. Ending contact with her is the way to go. I have done it myself.

    #3. Well, what can you do. Your father is an adult. Legally he makes his own choices. It is good that you chose to exit your mother’s control. I hope he follows your example one day.

    Back to #2: how are you healing yourself from having the misfortune of growing up with a BPD mother?

    anita

    #108060
    misomojo
    Participant

    Thank you so much Anita for your insight and reply!

    #5: Yes, my husband is all of those things, however, what I neglected to state is that we aren’t sexually compatible and for that matter the same is said for our interests and level of confidence. He simply isn’t confident in himself, to which was initially endearing is now sadly become a turn off. I recognize that I saw ‘the potential’ in him and mostly wanted to feel safe and loved with someone, which he has definitely made me feel. I am dedicated to self growth and he is not. I declared this importance prior to wedding and he understood, however, I shouldn’t be shocked that he’s not jumping on the band wagon to heal some of his deep seeded wounds that he’s not even aware of. It’s hard for me to sit idle and watch him be ‘stuck’, while I am ready to fly and thrive. I’m worried that we are growing apart because of this.

    #2 Thank you, I appreciate that. I’ve had moments of guilt, but ultimately I feel so much better and know I did the right thing. Was your mother BPD too? I haven’t done much beyond read books and process letting go by mountains of crying and journaling. May I ask what you did, or would recommend? i.e. Seeing someone that specializes in BPD?

    #3 Very true. I am just in mourning.

    With gratitude,
    misomojo

    #108082
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear misomojo:

    It is very close to my bedtime and I am tired. I’d like to reply to your last post above tomorrow morning, about ten hours from now. If you read this before then, regarding your husband, can you describe how his lack of confidence expresses itself; how was it endearing before and how is it a turn off now (why the change in your perception)? And also what are his issues that need healing or growth- where is he stuck, do you think?

    Back tomorrow.
    anita

    #108105
    Anonymous
    Guest

    Dear misomojo:

    I re-read much from your posts here. You wrote above: “I’m not a stranger to doing personal and spiritual growth, which I adore with all my heart and feeds me within,” “I am absolutely open to ‘looking in the mirror’ “and then you wrote:

    “I shouldn’t be shocked that he’s not jumping on the band wagon to heal some of his deep seeded wounds that he’s not even aware of. It’s hard for me to sit idle and watch him be ‘stuck’, while I am ready to fly and thrive”

    This is my input: healing from your childhood with a BPD mother is very difficult and there are no short cuts. There is so much pain and struggle in it, that you can “adore” it only at moments while persisting through the many tough moments with what I call excruciating patience. When you watched your husband resisting go through that pain of healing his own wounds, and sat idle, you were under the impression that you were not resisting the same thing he is resisting.

    You seem to be under the impression that indeed you are “ready to fly and thrive”- as if there is not a whole lot of pain that will keep you in the …swamps on your way forward.

    Sitting with your husband, watching him struggle, you didn’t realize, did you, that you are not way ahead of him, that you too are resisting, looking for the easy way…

    How is this for looking in the mirror? Will you consider my input or are you resisting?

    anita

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