An Open Letter (Or Diary Entry) to 7Cups
Hey 7cups,
I felt like dropping a few lines of gratitude. To 7cups, the community, members and listeners alike.
I've been a member and listener for around 5 months now. What a world of difference 7cups has made to my life!
At perhaps one of my lowest points of my 30 years of life, and believe me I have seen more than my fair share of rock bottoms, I discovered 7cups when I was at my loneliest.
It's one thing picking yourself up from rock bottom and starting all over. That is hard enough. It's another different kettle of fish when you have a break down on top of a breakdown; when you have done the rock bottom, fresh start, repair from ground zero several times. That takes a new level of energy and resilience. Because at the back of your mind you're like "what are we doing this for? won't it all come crashing down again once it's rebuilt?"
Anyway, I don't want to get into the specifics of my trauma or my breakdowns. I just wanted to say a massive thank you to all of you. Yes, every single one.
The community of 7cups has truly helped me beyond belief these past 5 months.
It's really all I've had.
I've been a member and reached out to a few listeners who have helped me a massive amount. I've also been a listener to others and volunteered around 200 hours so far.
It has all helped me at this point in my life.
I think there is something to knowing you are not the only one going through your own problems. I feel like, in my 30 years before I found 7cups, that I was the only one. Or, more accurately, that within my small area (or small world, so to speak) everyone else had their shit together, everyone else's lives were going on smoothly, and maybe I was the odd one out.
I feel broken, still. My problems haven't gone away. Very little in my circumstance has changed these past 5 months of recovery.
But. One thing is different.
I have 7cups. And so do you.
For that, I am massively grateful.
Sharing pain is one of the first ways we can reach recovery, I think.
And to all those lonely, broken souls out there, like me, who have not yet found a place in 'the real world' to feel heard or supported or listened to...
At lease we have each other here.
Thank you for listening.
Thank you for sharing.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
:)
@SilverbackTiger This was amazing to read, glad you found 7 cups
@SamuelFrancis
Thank you very much, my friend. :)
Now 5 months after my original post, I am still so very grateful for 7cups and the support I have received and given here, as both a Member and a Listener.
I've now been here for 10 months now and am very thankful.
I only wish I'd found it many years ago.
Nevertheless, I'm just glad I found it now.
I'm celebrating 18 months of teetotal sobriety; being clean has really helped me find a stability I have never known in my life.
I'm about to start a 5 month health cleanse on my diet and fitness to further improve my lifestyle.
Exciting!
10 months after using this site, I'm also feeling extremely healed and renewed.
I've taken a big self-care break on my Listener account, having volunteered 400 hours as a Listener here.
However, I truly needed support as a Member. And thus, have focused more on self-care and my own issues.
I'm grateful to several amazing Listeners I've discovered along the way. I'm grateful for the Sharing Circles which have been instrumental in helping me feel heard, appreciated, understood. Sometimes it's just good to have some great news to share and having people to tell (when otherwise, since I'm very alone right now, I can only really tell myself). The forums are immensely useful lately too. I'm gradually sharing my story in them, hopefully to inspire others, as well as reaching out and replying to those I can to see if my posts can help them along their journey.
Either way, abundant gratitude to this truly amazing site; thank you 7cups, thank you 7cups community.
You were here when I had no other support system.
I want to also say I no longer feel broken, as the first post of this thread mentioned. I feel totally renewed now at 30.
I'm pleased to say I've made MASSIVE lifestyle improvements in the past 18 months, especially the last 10 months, and I have plans going into next year, and even been as bold to strive towards a 5 year plan.
It's amazing to have desire again, since I had been so dead inside in the past.
I'm celebrating every small victory; I'm enduring every minor defeat.
Self-forgiveness and Acceptance have been instrumental to my healing. Along with reaching out for help from others and talking to get things off my chest (where I had formerly locked everything up and just carried the burden myself, which was too much to bear, of course)
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
I hope every single one of you find the hope, healing, transformation and self-improvement and support you need from this amazing community.
I wish you all well on your individual healing journeys.
@SilverbackTiger
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
I am a newbie to 7cups. Reading your post made me feel not so alone too. As I read your words, it resonated with me. I also have to rebuild my life at 30 and I have rebuilt it so many times, only to watch it crumble down again. I too wonder why some people's lives seem easier than mine, but everyone is struggling in some sense, right? I don't know how to message one on one yet, but if you feel inclined to do so, I'd love to hear your story.
@goodRaspberries844 I wish you the very best with rebuilding your life at 30.
Honestly, I felt as you say, back when this happened 10 months ago. I had no energy, was very depressed, in pain, etc, etc. But 10 months later, right now, I feel amazing.
I have desire again, new dreams, healthy goals, and it just feels like, finally, after working through all of these feelings and embarking on this massive healing journey (also thanks to 7cups), I am renewed.
It's almost like I'm not even really rebuilding anything at all.
I feel like a renewed 'true self' on the road to a healthier and better life! I feel hopeful, positive, optimistic, grateful.
Go gently and patiently with yourself, my friend. I have hope for you.