Don't Dull Your Sparkle
I have been quite impressed on how much I have grown lately. One morning back in August before I headed out to a development class, I took a hard look in the mirror and noticed that the emotional weight has been lifted from my face and I look remarkable younger. As someone who has gone threw Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, it's been quite the challenge to free myself from the limited beliefs. I have learnt a from Thich Nhat Hanh's work with breaking free of the karmic cycle of the past, meaning the generational things that you are born into during this life time. I have done quite the work to free myself from acupuncture to silence meditation. I found the book, Don't Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle by Doreen Virtue to be quite good. I love the simplicity of her books with her friendly wisdom. She does keep it real and honest and always to the point. So much goodness is out there! Letting go and letting faith take over!
"People have a hard time of letting go of their suffering. Out of fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar. "
~Thich Nahat Hanh
"Irritability and Post-Trauma
Have you noticed yourself, or others, being irritable lately? The irritability
and anxiousness are often symptoms of post traumatic experiences, compounded by fears about world events.
If drama happens continuously in your life, your past traumas are probably the reason why. Trauma is a situation that shatters your sense of safety. Researcher E.S. Kubany found that Post-Traumatic symptoms are more likely to occur in people who experience “intense fear, helplessness, or horror” during the traumatic experience.
This is especially true if you’ve had repeated traumas in your life. In many traumas, the person faces a fear of death. Secondary PTSD can occur from watching a news account of a traumatic world event, too.
Trauma reorganizes your brain patterns, which can make you prone to experiencing more trauma and drama.
After the trauma, your body’s emergency system may be stuck in the “On” mode. This results in you overreacting to everything as if it’s an urgent matter. You panic, when everything’s really okay.
Psychotherapist Pete Walker, author of Complex PTSD, has expanded the view of Fight, Flight, Freeze reactions to include an additional trauma response called “Fawn.” Fawning is the action of trying to please or placate someone, to get your needs met.
Here are the four reactions to trauma:
• Fight. You fight back and resist the trauma. This can lead to a person being angry all the time.
• Flight. You run away from the trauma. This can lead to a fear of commitment and addictions to numb the pain.
• Freeze. The equivalent of the possum “playing dead” to avoid detection and danger. This also includes dissociating your conscious awareness, so that you won’t be as aware of the pain. This can lead to frozen emotions and a tense body.
• Fawn. Trying to comply and please the people involved in the trauma (such as abusive parents). This can lead to co-dependency.
Drama is a secondary pattern which follows trauma. Drama is a form of self-sabotage and self-punishment which is highly addictive. Even if you protest that you can’t stand drama, there are “secondary gain” rewards of involving yourself in dramic situations and relationships, such as:
• Focusing upon someone else’s issues, instead of your own.
• A great reason to procrastinate working on your priorities.
• Feeling needed by “rescuing” others.
Once we understand the difference between genuine compassionate helping, and inviting and allowing drama into our lives, drama reduces or falls away.
Here’s a helpful prayer: Dear God, My prayer is to be at peace. Please help me to reduce my anxiety level, and calm irritability into peace. If I would benefit from speaking with a health care professional, please clearly guide me to find someone who could help me. "
~ “Don’t Let Anything Dull Your Sparkle: How to Break Free of Negativity & Drama
