We Have More Influence over Painful Emotions than You Think
Nobody’s happy all the time — fluctuating moods are a universal part of the human experience
I had a regretful experience recently. I was prescribed medication for social anxiety, where it’s stated in no uncertain terms not to mix the meds with alcohol. I thought I could handle it. I went horribly overboard.
I was beyond sloppy. I did and said some regrettable things, and It seems I irreparably destroyed some close relationships. I lost my way that long night. I was a train wreck.
One thing about shame is that it makes us change if we wield it properly. In my case, it was the one-two punch of guilt and a kick in the gut from a lost friendship due to my poor choice.
Something of an intervention took place following that episode. An injunction was laid before me by a couple of friends. “Straighten up, or you’re on your own.”
The ultimatum struck hard. It was a direct hit — torpedo to the hull. I had some fits and starts. I salvaged this sunk wreck from the cold, dark depths. The framework is sound. It’s now a matter of rebuilding the bulkheads. In this case, it’s body, mind, and soul.
