Reflecting on the Past
Hello there! Today is Day 2 of 7cups 5th Birthday Week! Our theme for today is: History.
We want to celebrate your history and past. Living with depression is a difficult task but somehow through your amazing strength and brilliance, you're all here with us today! That's what we're celebrating today. Sometimes our pasts are rough and we struggle through them. But they don't have to hold us back or stop us being the beautiful people we are. In spirit of that, I have some questions for you to show how awesome you are:
What is something you didn't think you could survive that you have?
How have you grown? (in recent months, years, decades etc.)
Why is it important to reflect on how far we've come?
What from your past or present gives you hope for the future?
Feel free to tag others to join in too!
Stay awesome
Looking back, I am surprised that I survived the beatings, the sexual abuse and the loneliness of my childhood and adolescence.
Despite that I managed to serve in the infantry, put myself through college, graduating Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa. I married and have two children. Considering that I am weighed down by self-loathing and serious social disorder and PTSD, I can see that I have experienced significant growth - somehow. More importantly, I have developed empathy.
Sometimes when I am overwhelmed with self-loathing and worthlessness I review these accomplishments to counter those feelings.
I suppose this should give me hope, but honestly it looks all downhill from here.
@gene2017
I should add that that man is gone, he no longer exists.
What is something you didn't think you could survive that you have?
I didn't think I would survive myself. When the self-harm got severe and my suicidal thoughts, I scared myself for the first time. Maybe some survival instinct finally kciked in. Back then, I genuinely thought I was going to die from this.
How have you grown? (in recent months, years, decades etc.)
I'm no longer spiteful or negative all the time. I try to emit positivity and kindness as much as I can, instead of bringing everybody down.
Why is it important to reflect on how far we've come?
Because sometimes, without that reminder that I'm far from being as bad as I was, I'd feel so hopeless again, and easily spiral.
What from your past or present gives you hope for the future?
The fact that I have been in much, much worse places than where I am right now and I survived. I'm still here now, so I may as well stick around a bit longer.
What is something you didn't think you could survive that you have?
I went through a couple of years of my life feeling really suicidal, and I didn't think I'd make it to the end of school :3 now I've overcome those feelings and I'm halfway through my final year!
How have you grown? (in recent months, years, decades etc.)
This is a pretty broad question so I'm not sure how to start answering :P I've definitely grown a lot, I've become more comfortable with myself and more understanding of my mental health and how to cope when it's not so good. I've also grown in being able to help others without draining myself by empathising too much with their situation (not that I don't still empathise a lot, but now I have more balance) - both with friends and on 7 cups
Why is it important to reflect on how far we've come?
It can help us to realise that we can overcome challenges in the future too!
What from your past or present gives you hope for the future?
The fact that I've overcome a lot of hardships and struggles gives me hope that even when more things are thrown at me I can get through them