Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
February 22, 2024 at 8:31 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #428046
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
– (1) As I read this, I thought of a book you might write and publish one day, for people of your age (and older), in your country (and in other countries) to read. You express yourself so well, and with such refreshing emotional honesty.
Thank you so much! Well, I think this topic has been already covered many times. As I mentioned before, Gabor Mate summarised all these aspects in such simple and compassionate ways that I wouldn’t even try to touch the subject. But you never know what will happen in the future.
I like what you said about my mother, you see it very well and clear. I’ve spent maybe too much thinking of these aspects that I often feel like I overly analysed the story of my childhood to the point of not living fully in the present moment anymore. Of course all of this is ( still ) necessary. Last years have been a battle between reframing my childhood experiences and making some new ones – the balance hasn’t been always easy to achieve. If ever. But I’m getting better at it.
There are some news 🙂 Today I’ve bought my plane ticket to go to Spain. I’m going in the first of March. New Month, New Beginning – also it was the cheapest ticket so all seemed to make sense. I was very hesitant to buy the ticket, since I don’t know if there will be work for me there, but I’d rather spent my time looking for a job there in person than sending applications from here. I’m willing to try my best to find work, this time I have to do it differently. This time I want to put more effort and avoid getting comfortable again. ( relying on my parent’s money and not working / not working enough to be fully independent ). I even recorded a video of myself today talking to the camera, telling myself how this time I’l have to change my approach. I wanted to have a video I could come back to, when I feel foggy and unmotivated. I wanted something to bring me back on my track, back OnCourse. Btw, that’s also the name of my YouTube Channel – a channel I’ve been trying to launch for a while, actually started airing in November but got hit by a missile during the latest conflict with my parents and didn’t really get back to it since. It’ll come back soon!
Now, tomorrow morning after waking up, I’ll do my yoga, meditate and have an online interview with a Language Academy in Spain. ( Alicante – if you were wondering where I’m going ). The first two are routines by now, almost autopilot. The last one isn’t. This one is a little harder to manage while feeling comfortable. I’d like to become more grounded in these situations, to be less scared of failure and feel less of an impostor. After all, I’ve done it before. I’ve been teaching English for a while and I didn’t suck at it. I guess everyone feels nervous before an interview, at least to some degree. It’s the degree I have to work on 🙂
Right after buying the ticket today, knowing I’ll have that interview tomorrow – a big wave of anxiety hit me. A wave of nostalgia and false reasoning. Finally, now I’m headed towards a more plausible scenario of change. Suddenly I’ll miss Poland. I’ll miss the dark, wet and cold days. This wave I’m talking about isn’t new to me. Oh no. We’ve been acquainted a long time ago and with no exception, we’ve met every time I left my hometown and later my country. Surfing takes discipline, awareness and momentum. I’ve surfed a few waves in the past, and I consider myself to be an average surfer ( considering the fact I come form an Eastern European country ). I believe these waves too could be tamed a little – with the right amount of discipline, awareness and momentum. The ride might be worth it. I think so 🙂
So yes, I feel anxious – almost paralysed. I often battle between the fear of failure and the self encouragement I’ve learned about only recently. Often my newly discovered sense of courage the part of me that finds hope and clarity loses to my older inhabitants that have been the ruling party for much longer.
The girlfriend has to stay here for a while. I’d love to be able to take her with me! She also needs to find herself a job in Spain, to find a way to gradually transfer her job from Poland to Spain. She’s a Yoga and Pilates Teacher – it’s a doable thing. Her English is impeccable so she won’t be needing much Spanish to do her classes. Alicante has a big community of expats. It’ll be hard to go back there without her. She loves that place as much as I do, if not more. That’s where we met, on the beach! Makes me think of Chris Rea’s song – On the Beach. Good song, I think 🙂
What I’m going to do now, is prepare for the interview. My CV doesn’t even acknowledge I’ve ever moved away from Spain – and on paper, I’ve never stoped teaching English. So now, I gotta make sure tomorrow I look like I know my s****. I know, maybe not completely fair but I’m in a bit of a hurry to get my s**** together.
Thank you for your brilliant answers, you too have amazing awareness. I’ve never seen anyone connect dots quite like you do, Anita. Thank you so much! I hope you’re having a great morning!
Robi
February 20, 2024 at 2:02 pm in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #427973
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Also, I just realised I haven’t fully answered you. Indeed, I haven’t mentioned the physical abuse before and it might sound strange, but I honestly thought that was considered to be ”normal”. In my country many kids were hit by their parents and It’s considered almost normal, although illegal. Only recently I started thinking more about those events, and I realised that might’ve been one of the reasons why I didn’t trust my parents and the reason why I disconnected myself from not only them, but partly the world around me. Actually I’ve always remembered those events, but didn’t think they meant anything. I was wrong, obviously. I thought that I deserved to be hit, like many other kids from my generation did. I didn’t connect the dots until recently.
As for my mother, your description is perfect. ” crazy – not sensible or reasonable. She seems bitter, angry, chronically stressed, perhaps, unaware/ having no insight into herself or into others.. unpredictable, impulsive ”. My mother always took care of others – she had to take care of her siblings so from an early age she took the role of the caregiver. Her mother wasn’t very emotionally available either, she gave her many responsibilities and didn’t give her space to be a kid. She was in a way, a kid taking care of other kids. She didn’t get a lot of support form her family and they never really had a good relationship, it was always very intense. ( what a surprise ) She suffered a lot through her childhood, married a man who’s family didn’t like her at all. He was and still is concerned with his own stuff and she again became the caregiver, the cook, cleaner. When she was 24 she had an abortion. My father didn’t want to have a kid, he thought they were too young and he was afraid of being judged by his family. Few years later, I came out. – my mother told me she had to trick my father into it. ( whatever that means…. ).
Since, she’s been through a cancer, when I was 13 and quite a few health problems. Her traumas are showing in her body, but she doesn’t hear it. I am very ofter worried, and I find it hard to live my own life knowing she needs so much help, but I’ve tried to support her and I see that there isn’t much I can do. I tried helping her become more aware, but it doesn’t always work like that.
Writing this, gave me a better view of where my mother is, and where she came from. It’s a sad story.
Thank you, Anita!
February 20, 2024 at 1:01 pm in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #427972
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Thank you so much for your post! I’ve just got off the phone with my mother right now and my brain is a little fried. I’m a little foggy after intense conversations so I’m struggling a little to write something comprehensive. I’ve just read your last post and it does sound familiar what you’ve described. Also my girlfriend told me a couple of times that in her eyes, my parents seem to want to keep me financially tied to them. It very often crossed my mind that the way they always offered to support me financially and very often I’ve felt like they wouldn’t really want me to move on and be independent financially from them. Of course, I believe they do, on a conscious level want to me be financially independent. But at times I also thought that there might be some strange dynamics connected to their offering of financial support. Very often I’ve heard from them ( actually my mother mostly ) things like: ” please don’t forget us ” , ” keep calling us ” , ” don’t live us ”. ” We are your parents and we do everything for you ”. ” You can always rely on us ”. Me being financially supported by them does keep us connected – so I see indeed a good reason there to keep the status quo. To be honest, not much else has been given throughout the years. Not much emotional support, authentic attention, the space needed to be heard by them. I’ve been mostly given financial support. It doesn’t surprise me that even now, the things haven’t changed.
However, when it comes to my part, I don’t know. Do I want to put myself into situations where I get their attention? Since there wasn’t much else they were able to give to me in the past, it is possible that the closest thing to receiving their attention could mean their financial support – them giving me money. But I don’t really feel it. I don’t know! I’d have to really pay attention to this, this is very important. I felt good and accomplished when I was financially independent, and I didn’t feel like I missed or needed their financial support. It felt good knowing it’s there if I needed it.
I will think about this, It’s been on my mind too. Thank you so much, Anita!
My main objective now is to head back to Spain and find stability. I’ll have an online interview on Friday with a language school from Spain, I’ve sent quite a few applications. I feel uncomfortable now being financially supported still by my parents, and also my future moving to Spain will also be supported by them. Sadly right now I don’t have any other source of income. In Poland I didn’t manage to find a job. I also don’t want to live here anymore, it doesn’t make any sense to me. I hope next month I’ll get to Spain and start working. I hope to use my parents financial help for as little as possible and become financially independent again as soon as possible. What do you think of this? To me right now this seems to be the best option, although not ideal. But I don’t want to live here in Poland and I also don’t want to move back with my parents.
Thank you so much! I hope you’re having a good evening! ( or day, probably where you are 🙂 ) It’s 10 pm here!
Take good care,
Robbie
February 19, 2024 at 4:13 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #427906
Robi1992ParticipantDear Roberta,
Thank you for your insights!
There are quite a few things I’d like to do. I believe if I managed to lift off the barriers I could do a few things. I like working with people, coaching or teaching. I am seriously thinking of becoming a personal trainer. I used to tech english in the past, so I might get back to that. I’m actively applying for jobs as an English Teacher. I also like to DJ, as a hobby but could later on become a source of income as well. By my diplomas, (MA) I’m a professional photographer and videographer. I lost touch with this one quite a while ago but I see it more and more coming back. Let’s see how things develop. For now my priority is to have my own source of income and not be supported by my parents.
I wish you a nice day!
Robi
February 19, 2024 at 4:07 am in reply to: growing up – becoming adul / procrastination – in connection to childhood trauma #427905
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
It’s so good to hear from you! I’ve been wondering how you’ve been lately! I hope all is good with you 🙂
Thank you for reading through both my new and older post. Indeed it looks quite obvious doesn’t it? I think I knew it deep down, just didn’t quite accept it. I find it hard still, to accept that my parents caused me such pain. I do accept it, don’t get me wrong. Of course, I know most of the times they just didn’t know how to handle being a parent. I’ve read Gabor Mate’s books, especially The Myth of Normal and Scattered Minds have opened my eyes to many things. Gabor’s work resonates with me deeply. I can’t recommend his books enough! But I’m sure many of you are familiar with his work.
Scattered Minds, a book about ADD/ADHD – really resonated with me. Many of the causes of ADD mentioned in the book are almost a copy of my childhood memories. I almost feel entitled to some copyright. Not sure I have it though. ADD I mean. The therapist I’ve been seeing recently said I don’t and she thinks I’m dealing with some ”performance anxiety”. She said that if I’ve had ADD I couldn’t hold on to a job and I would do only the things I like, the way I like them. I feel a little puzzled here. She’s right, I’ve been teaching english for about 6 months in Spain. I was both teaching and doing some janitor work in a language school. Although it was very, very difficult at times, I did it. I would feel anxious before my classes and very good after. I would almost always try to convince myself to do it. Then the pandemic started with a lockdown and all was shut down. It felt like a necessary breath of fresh air. I felt good not having to do anything.
Then came the next job, which I’ve had for 3 years and was almost ”tailored” for my needs. So grateful I am for that job. ( maybe if it wasn’t for that job, I would’ve never found the time to do the inner work. I much needed that ) After working for a while I was finally able to be financially independent as my salary got better and better. Before, while I was unemployed fully supported me financially and while I was working for the language school, they paid my rent. Finally in the summer of 2022 I was finally financially independent from my parents. I was living in Poland with my girlfriend and I was making better money now. She did ”bust my balls” a little and pushed me towards refusing to receive financial support from my parents, but that really changed things. I finally felt more responsible, less tied to them. I also felt my relationship with my parents has improved then. I’ve always felt them sending me money came with a price. My freedom was part of that price. As they controlled all of my actions when I was a kid, that same setup carried on into my adulthood. I was on a leash – so to speak. I’ve been living in a comfortable discomfort for a very long time. I got used to it. Up until the age of 29 I was basically fully and later partially supported by my parents. I have to admit, although comfortable, there was a lot of frustration in me because of that. I wanted my independence, I felt caged still – the cage has changed but still a cage.
So, of course.. finally being financially independent changed things a little. I felt more confident, I felt slightly more recognition ( as an adult ) from my parents and indeed our relationship has improved. I was less controlled by them. After a year and a half of financial independence, the project comes to an end. I knew it for a while already but I’ve been told they will assign different tasks for me after this project ends. That didn’t happen. Lesson learned – I should’ve started working on finding something else.. I really didn’t want to fall back on my parent’s support. There’s a list of lessons I’ve learned this year – a list I wrote on the last year of 2023. This, is one of them. ” Wishful thinking, when not accompanied by action leads to nothing ”.
I have to admit. If it wasn’t for my girlfriend, it would’ve taken me longer to see the red flags. We’ve been together for 2 years and a half now and during these years we’ve visited my parents about 5..6 times together. On all occasions we spent there in between 1 and 3 weeks. She comes from a very different childhood experience. In many ways an exact opposite of mine. She received the space, the attention and the freedom she wanted. She came from, what I would describe – a healthy upbringing. It was so easy for her to spot the obvious. She pointed to me many situations where I was being manipulated by my parents. Many times I wouldn’t realise that was happening although my gut feeling would say otherwise. But now, I had a better connection to my gut feelings thanks to my newly discovered Gabor Mate – so I started to wake up. I started to become aware of the s*** that has been thrown my way for years. The lack of support, attention and the very often patronising way my parents view both me and my partner.
Herself, being a little older than me, very present, rooted and aware, coming from a healthier background – saw it all. The ”map” I’ve already had. I’ve been drawing it for years. Without the observations from someone from the ”outside”, I would’ve been blinded still. Blinded by supple but effective manipulations my parents would pull. It took both of us a while to put it all together. I am very grateful for this woman. She’s very kind and understanding. Beautiful and loving. What a lucky guy I am 🙂 Although I try not to combine my romantic relationship with the relationship I have with my parents this subject has been very present in our life as a couple.
My source of income dried out in November. I still then hoped they would assign something new for me but they didn’t. I then realised I would have to again, for a while rely on my parents for financial support. During the period when I was fully independent, every time we talked on the phone they would offer to help me financially If I needed it. They would even insist. I always said no. I thanked them and told them if I found myself in need, I will let them know. Well, those times have come and I remember asking for their help. It wasn’t easy. I felt ashamed and uncomfortable. I was finally feeling more like an adult – I didn’t want to go back to being a kid and I surely didn’t miss having a cage over my f****** head. But I thought, we all grew a little recently. We have a better relationship now, I’ve been independent – I had a job, I’m in a stable loving relationship. Things surely had changed also in the way they view me. I was again, wrong. The moment I received money from them the cage fell down again. I felt it right away. I was again, on a leash.
It’s Christmas! We both needed a break from the stressful months we’ve had recently. I’m unemployed and unsure of my future again. We went to spend a couple of weeks with my parents. I needed to be ”home” for a while. I needed to disconnect from things a little. Spend some time in nature, do some sports outdoors. Spend some quality time together and also get some emotional support from my family. Also I’ve been thinking about doing a course and I wanted to ask my parents for their financial support in order for me to become a Personal Trainer. This has been on my mind for a while and feels like a job I would like doing. At first, my mother was thrilled – ” oh, finally! you’re doing something! we were worried about you. why didn’t you tell us earlier? I give you the money right now if you want! ”. That felt good! It felt like a welcoming hug. It felt like healthy support from my family. I thought to myself – Okay man, you got this. Something new and bright is coming. A next step towards adulthood and finally doing something I like. All is good 🙂
It wasn’t.
It took us a few days to see the signs already. Both of us felt constantly observed and controlled. It felt like we were supposed to dance to the rhythm my parents dictated. Otherwise we would be judged. Very often it felt to me like I couldn’t be my own person. If I tried to be my own person, to be myself in any personal way – I would be patronised. Like a little kid who doesn’t know much. Towards the end of our stay, I’ve had enough. My mother was already acting very standoffish because she thought we didn’t spend enough quality time together as a family – the 4 of us. She cornered me and started a fight – told me I didn’t care about them and I only cared about myself. I’ve had enough! I told her, that the way she’s been treating me when I was a kid hurts me still. I reminded her how she used to hit me and I told her that it still hurts me and it was a wrong thing to do. I didn’t raise my voice. I was still cautious, not to rock the boat too much. But I’m glad I didn’t snap. I often feel like I want to crack their heads open for the way they treated me. She rejected it completely. At first, she said she didn’t hit me and I’m talking nonsense. Also, she said to me – ” You’re living in 3 days. From that point, you’re on your own ”. She didn’t talk to us for the next days. Before living, we said goodbye and cried. Still, she wouldn’t own it. She kept telling me that I was a handful and It was very difficult for them to raise me. Indeed, I agree. I was a handful. I must’ve had my own reasons to be such a ”troubled” kid. Reasons a healthy adult should’ve seen. They didn’t.
We said goodbye and went back to Poland on the 5th of January this year. Since, I’ve been looking for work both here and in Spain, where I’d like to return soon. I haven’t yet found anything but I keep looking. Also, in the last 2 months I’ve only talked to my parents a few times. My father has been sending me very little money to survive – I’m on a drip so to speak. I have no other source of income now, and I feel terrible being supported still by them. I really hoped I could mend things with my parents, I hoped to make things work better. But maybe it’s not for me to fix anything. Maybe it’s time for me to take good care of myself. I called my mother 10 days after we left. I was hoping she’d by then cleansed a little and we could actually have a normal conversation. I ended up listening to a 40 minutes monologue – her telling me how bad many things I’ve done as a kid and that I deserved to be hit. And she was joking when she told me I’d be placed into foster care. Since, we’ve talked very little and I’ve been told she’s been very down and acting crazy lately. Maybe she feels guilty.
What a mess.. I can almost hear you say :))
Here I am now. Soon all this will look much better, I’ll move on for good. I am right now, gradually but surely stepping out of these toxic bonds. It took me a very long time to get even where I am now and I know it might still take a while. After all, all is good. I have the awareness I need to step out of it. I workout and meditate every day and my vision is clarifying more and more.
Thank you so much for reading this and for all the support throughout the years. It all means so much to me! I hope some will relate to my story and maybe find either hope or a way to simplify their own process of growth / healing. Sending you all much love!
Take good care!
Robbie
February 7, 2023 at 12:45 pm in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #415134
Robi1992ParticipantI just want to say thank you! You’ve made such a difference in my growth these last couple of years! Thank you so much ! I hope you’re taking good care of yourself. I wish we could stay in contact
timeisnow2292 @ gmail . com
🙂
February 7, 2023 at 12:12 pm in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #415132
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
What an intense couple of days.. I feel like my life is almost changing without me. Feels like I’m struggling to keep up with things changing in my life. This is of course both exciting and overwhelming. I’m pretty tired these days but I feel a strong urge to change, to grow, to move on and get ”unstuck”. The last 3 years have been like this, very fast, very dense and transformational. Every new and full moon, but especially full moon – I feel it to the point I’m almost unable to function that day. I feel so agitated or low, introspect to the point that I abandon whatever I have to do and surrender.
I hope you’re doing alright and unlike me, you are more relaxed these days. How r u doing ? I see for whatever reason you ”disappeared” and instead of your nickname I see ” anonymous ”. Hope to hear from you soon !
February 1, 2023 at 11:30 am in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #414842
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
That’s a 9 hour difference ! Very often I felt attracted to that part of the world. And especially these last months I’ve been thinking about it a lot. That film you mentioned also looks like something I’d like to watch. I’m a lot into 90’s American films.. Maybe a little too much. Which brings us to my main addiction! :)) Nah, not really, but I do watch many films. Not sure about the addiction. My mother always watched / still watches many films. My mum basically lives through films, somehow compensates for not living much in ”real” life. I find myself doing that too sometimes.
Thank you for sharing with me. I feel you. I really do. I feel both compassionate and sorry that you’ve been through that. I can imagine you haven’t always seen things so clearly for what they really are so it must’ve been real hard. The way you described your experience sounds so familiar to me. However you’ve made it through and you now see everything from such great angle. I know maybe you would prefer to grow and learn things in different ways.. I know I do, but I think our gifts and wounds reside in the same aria.
I am only starting to put more light on what has been going on in my childhood and there are so many new things coming up. What a crazy start of the month. I called my mum today to ask her about the exact time of my birth, to find out she actually had a minor stroke yesterday. Later on after talking to her I went outside to do a workout when I received an e-mail from the company I collaborate with. They are slowly giving me less work / money and I guess my financial situation might get worse. Many things are changing now. I’m changing, the way I see things, my work, the way I see my relationship.
But in all this mess, I do feel like I’m exactly where I should be. I’m slowly knowing myself, creating my own space, my own life.
Thank you!
February 1, 2023 at 2:08 am in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #414820
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Good morning ! What a strange month January was.. I feel February has a different energy to it and good, important things are happening now. We started looking for rooms in shared flats and it feels hopeful and good. For a long time I felt like It will be an uncomfortable move. It’s funny how I was uncomfortable to move from an uncomfortable place… It’s almost like a self-torture I’ve been inflicting on myself by staying here.
I just realised, how much this topic has changed from its original title. The plot got indeed thicker 🙂
You know I’ve been asking myself why do I feel so bad around her mother ? It has to have something to do with my parents / childhood / that apartment where we lived. I don’t want to focus too much on getting an answer to this, I guess better to focus on what I want to do next but I do very often ask myself where some things come from. I believe this is for me at least, the way to dissolve these kind of things. Once I put light on them they start losing their power. It’s strange, because I feel like she triggers something in me. She triggers the f*ck out of me and I don’t quite know what it is. All I know is that I feel angry at her, like I want her to go away. I can’t even look at her, so 90% of the times I avoid any kind of eye contact. It’s ridiculous.. we have food together the 3 of us every day, and I don’t even look at her mother. We don’t really communicate because she only speaks very little English. Why didn’t I learn some Polish? Well, it’s very a very difficult language and it sounds like a construction site. Maybe the real reason is that I don’t care that much about communicating with her mother. I guess I can live with that. However not with her.
So I avoid her almost at all costs, I avoid eye contact, I keep conversations to a bare minimum both because she doesn’t speak English and because I don’t feel like I want to talk to her. The thing is, at first it wasn’t so bad.. we did make eye contact every now and then and I always felt tension coming from her ( or myself ? / both ). So I would look at her and I would instantly feel tension. She immediately looked away, and so did I. She seemed and still seems nervous around me.
Then this question arises. Could it be that the language barrier is creating this uncomfortable situation where, trying to avoid spending time together without talking at all I decided to avoid being around her at all costs? I think there is more…
The worst is the way I react to this situation. In time I started being irritated by the sound of her in general, walking, talking etc. so very often I would get angry inside, sometimes I would just say things. Bad things, like: oh, she’s here again.. I would even insult her in all kinds of ways. It’s like I’m angry with her but.. I mean.. there is no reason to be angry with her. But I’ve felt like this before, for a long time during my childhood. I’ve said those kind of things in my mind and I acted in a similar manner. I think It was my mum I was always angry with.. and even today I find it hard to spend time next to each other.
Dammit !
I just don’t really know what to say. I paused for a while without words. I knew this is probably related to my mother and my childhood but often I didn’t think about it in more detail, I often avoided it. Now that I wrote it down and said it, I feel like I hit the nail in the head. So I’m basically experiencing a past experience that had a traumatic effect on me and caused me a lot of discomfort and anger. It made me feel trapped, constantly monitored, constantly seen but not really seen for real. I hated it and I’ve had no choice but to bottle up, get angry in my head, call her ( or them ) names, get angry at them. I suppressed my authenticity, my voice, myself in order to keep the relationship, the shelter. I’ve had no choice as a child and for months now, It felt like I’ve had no choice as an adult.
I’ll be honest, there is part of me which is still looking for an excuse. ( but I don’t make that much money and It would be difficult living somewhere else ). But again, I’m in the exact same situation. Before, my parents gave me shelter and later on, even though I lived in a different city as a student my parent’s paid for my accommodation and expenses. Later on, when I moved to Spain they again did the same thing. Gradually I managed to earn some money but It wasn’t enough for me to cover everything so they’ve been paying my rent. Now I earn better money and since June I’ve been fully independent from them. They haven’t send me any money. Here, I’ve contributed to the expenses of the flat but they haven’t been that substantial. So, even though I feel very proud my of myself for finally managing to be fully independent from my parents, I still see a similar situation here. I didn’t leave this place that causes me discomfort in order not to lose shelter ?
It is true that it would be more expensive to live somewhere else than living in this flat, sure. But.. Could it be that my past-programming / conditioning didn’t let me leave and kept me here? I’ve said it at the beginning of this post.. self torture I’ve been inflicting on myself. My girlfriend kept asking me afte I recently told her that its very difficult for me to live here because I don’t like being around her mum and I don’t have my space/privacy etc. She kept asking me: Why did you stay for so long? Why would you live with someone who irritates you?
Well…
I do believe things happen for a reason. I know it sounds like a bumper sticker but there I believe is a lot of truth in it. Very often I’ve been amazed of the things that showed on my path when the time was right and I know that this particular situation is indeed extraordinary. I don’t know exactly right now, what did this really show me so far? What is this teaching me? All I know for now that this has the potential to put me on the right track, on my way to healing one more painful childhood experience.
Thank you!
January 29, 2023 at 2:07 pm in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #414716
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Everything you said resonates deeply. Dammit! By now I understand all these things come from my childhood and I know I keep reliving my childhood experiences. I think I knew it for a long time before I understood it. Why do I ”go back to sleep” every time I re-realise this over and over instead of working on a strategy and speed up the process …
It amazes me how very often we choose to be uncomfortably comfortable. I gotta do a little more. I was thinking of visiting Paris for a few days but maybe I could invest in some coaching instead. F*ck Paris. I often invest in things… and forget the most important ones. I wonder where I’ve learned that. 🙂
Thank you Anita, I’ll write soon !
January 29, 2023 at 10:11 am in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #414709
Robi1992ParticipantOh, I’ve only read your previous post now ! Thank you, for both your post and telling me about you! I really apreciate that 🙂
January 29, 2023 at 9:58 am in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #414708
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
Where do I begin ? There’s so much going on and depending on how I feel sometimes it feels like a total mess and other times it’s all good and comfy. It’s been 6 months since I left Spain and came here to both start a new chapter and live with this woman. It felt right for me to step out of that life and try something new so I came to Poland. Everyone questioned my decision to live Spain but I didn’t let myself be affected by that.. I wanted to go because I felt this is the right thing to do. Everything was pointing me towards it, so I’d like to believe I followed my gut feeling. I guess I’ve always had a very strong connection to my gut, which I very often suppressed. There’s nothing like that feeling when you feel something is right or wrong but you don’t act on it and then find out your gut feeling was right. Well, I’ve learned that only in the last years so I lately pay more attention to what I feel and I try to guide myself based on that.
The thing is that sometimes it’s very hard to know which ”voice” I’m hearing. Is this my gut speaking or my mind ? Am I really following my instinct/intuition or I’m guided by my fears and insecurities ? I know.. this is subjective and there are many ways to see it.
So lately I’ve been really questioning my relationship. Being here in Poland of course is less engaging, less vivid and surely more quiet than living in Spain but that doesn’t seem to be my main concern. There are 2 things that seem to keep me busy thinking over and over. 1) Do I want to be with this woman ? 2) Should we go somewhere else ?
1) I often feel like I got bored. We spend time together but it’s not as interesting as it used to be.. I don’t feel like I want to be myself around her the way I wanted before. I don’t think of her when she’s not around and very often If I’m away for a few days/weeks I don’t really feel like I miss her… I also don’t really feel like connecting. Quite the contrary, when she texts me I feel resistance.
All these shouldn’t bother me that much if I didn’t think they might come from my fears. There is nothing wrong with feeling like someone is not right for you.. Sometimes I guess things just don’t click and that’s fine. But the ”what if” question is the one that makes it tricky for me. What if she really is good for me, and we are good for each other and the reason why I’m not able to enjoy if fully is my f*cked up programming ?
Also, I seem to drift away often thinking before things were better.. I often remember the way I felt when I was going out and talked to girls and had complete ”freedom”. I often feel like that way actually worked better for me. Also here, the question is the one that makes everything difficult. What part of me was I feeding when I was going out with these girls? I enjoyed a lot impressing them and acting cool around them. I enjoyed a lot this initial stage when they don’t really know me.. I do see the stereotype we often see in the movies when emotionally damaged people often engage in such superficial, short relationships. I have to say I did enjoy those kind of relationships but always felt like I wanted something serious. I wanted a woman in my life, who will be by my side and share great moments together. I wanted something authentic, something real.
And.. I guess I have it. I think I did recognised it right away but something gradually ”took over”. I often feel like there are 2 parts of me which are quite different and I don’t seem to be able to merge them or make them work together.
2) Should we stay or should we go.
The thing is… our living conditions here are not ideal. Because none of us earns that much we decided to live with her mother, in her apartment. Prices here got through the roof since we have a war going on not far from here. It’s very nice of her mother to let me live here in her flat but I don’t feel right here at all. First of all, for whatever reason which is still unknown to me, I can’t stand her. I just don’t want to be around her at all, and I avoid that as much as I can. I don’t know… she doesn’t speak english and we cannot comunicate. We sometimes exchange a few words but that’s it. I really don’t like sharing any space with her so very often get frustrated about this. I know most probably it’s something in me that I’m facing but still, I cannot get any clarity around it. At first it was just a little itchy but now I feel tense when she’s around. I also almost never look towards her, I feel like there is something energetically wrong between us.
Besides all these complex dynamics: me and girlfriend / me and girlfriend and mother / girlfriend and mother / etc. here is also another thing I find challenging. Do you remember when during my childhood I’ve had no privacy, and I basically lived in a room which wasn’t at all suitable for me, the one with the glass door ?
Well, you’re not gonna believe this.
None of the rooms except the livingroom and bathroom have doors. They have some sort of accordion type door which folds and unfolds. It basically does nothing so very often no one bothers closing them anyways. Now you can imagine how someone like me who lacked his privacy during his childhood would feel in such apartment. I really feel like I’m lacking my own space, and I’m being challenged on a very deep level. I know! I know! It does sound like these issues are reaching out to be healed/fixed .. but I’m not sure amongst all the things going on I have the space to deal with that. It really feels like a lot to process. I stayed because I thought I can deal with it somehow, or I might even be able to overcome this discomfort. There is always a teaching in everything, especially in such coincidences.
Now, after almost burning out all my mental energy and almost going nuts, I told my girlfriend that I hate her mum and I’m going crazy. Well, I didn’t exactly say that.. but I told her I don’t feel good around her mum and I miss my privacy. These weeks we’ve discussed many things, going through all kinds of roller-coasters. She’s been very understanding and suggested we should look for a room somewhere else. I think that’s a good idea, maybe it would be good for both of us and I do believe that living here also effected our relationship. I think we could benefit from a better setup, a more suitable space where we can grow together as a couple. Her mum’s alright you know.. but I don’t think this kind of dynamics are suitable for this stage of relationship we are having. We are still getting to know each other… and we should be having better intimacy.
Dammit.. what a mess right ?! But the mess has changed and that I like. It means I’m learning something, and moving on. Nothing worse than being stuck in the same places. 🙂
Anita, thank you for reading this ! Of course I’ve haven’t been very brief.. Once I start..
I’m looking forward to hear your thoughts about this and I wish you a lovely evening, or day !
January 28, 2023 at 2:31 pm in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #414635
Robi1992ParticipantAnita ! I hope you started the year well and good things are happening over there! I’ve been thinking of writing here so many times but I don’t know why I didn’t. Tonight I decided to check this thread and I’ve just read your posts. I feel grateful to see your posts but ashamed because I didn’t check at all. Thank you so much for your concern!
I’m still in Poland, and I’ve been thinking about moving or not moving for some time now. Overall I’m alright, but I’ve been struggling a lot with a few things. I’ve become very unsure about my relationship and my feelings and I often feel like I’m with the wrong person. Could it be that we are not right for each other ? Or maybe I’m not ready for it / not capable of a healthy relationship and I’m looking for all kinds of scenarios why she isn’t right? Often missing my past couple of years where I was single and having a good time in Spain. A lot has been going on and I often feel like I’m about to explode.
I can’t write much right now, but I really wanted to write to you now. Tomorrow I’ll be writing more. Talking to you is one of the most beneficial things that ever happened to me but still I wasn’t able to convince myself to write more to you. Funny how these things are sometimes.
I hope you too are doing alright! I never asked you anything about yourself but wish I knew more about you.
Robi1992ParticipantDear Anita,
I’m so happy and surprised to see your post! It’s good to hear from you! I’ve been sometimes wondering how have you been and how these last years changed your life. I regret not reaching out. Every now and then I would think of this forum and this thread. I even checked it every now and then, but not this year. At times I would picture this moment when I write a continuation of this long story I’ve written here, where I tell you I’ve ” made ” it, or I finally got it / I found it /solved it – or something like that.
Well, a lot has happened. And yes, I’ve made it. I’ve made it big time actually. I’m still on the road, still working on myself but this time both my mind and body stronger.
Before the pandemic started I was working already for a few months in this language school as a teacher, in Spain. At some point I was quite busy but It has been a struggle to motivate myself to go to work every day and not feel like an impostor in front of my students. Suddenly we all stopped working and we went into a full lockdown. It felt strange, but it also felt like this is the moment of a big change. Not sure if I felt it on a personal or collective level. ( both I think ) It also felt good because suddenly I had no responsibilities, it was out of my hands. I felt confort. Now I can just do nothing and not feel guilty for it. And that’s exactly what I did. My flatmates left and I’ve been there, in a big flat for a couple of months by myself.
At first of course I felt like I was going crazy. I wasn’t going out anymore, I wasn’t getting drunk, I wasn’t trying to impress anyone with anything, I wasn’t really escaping anymore. I was just there by myself, learning to enjoy my own company. Right before the pandemic I’ve already started working out, I was slightly overweight and I wanted to look and feel better. So now since I’ve got an empty flat, time and a nice terrace on the rooftop, I took full advantage. I quickly adjusted and I’ve never felt better in my entire life. I would wake up in the morning, make myself a nice healthy breakfast, go up on the rooftop and train, get some sun, read, later on eat, maybe watch a film. I felt great, I felt like I’m finally moving. My life was finally changing.
Months passed, I kept training, reading and getting to know myself better without filters. I found my confidence slowly, I noticed I have a voice that has something to say and can be trusted. I’ve learned to trust myself, to trust what I feel. I slowly learned to listen to my gut feeling. I’ve learned to be compassionate to myself. I came much closer to myself. After the lockdown Spain had a very slow and progressive lifting of restrictions so I’ve come back to my ”old ” life in a very progressive manner. It was perfect. In many ways I was slowly merging the old lifestyle with the new me. Might sound naive but I really felt new. I looked different, and I felt different. I was the world through a different lens, and every time I would feel insecure or low, I would have much better judgement and I would calmly and compassionately bring myself back to who I now knew I was. I felt and knew that I was finally on the right track, I was growing, learning, I had appetite for things and for the first time I didn’t feel less than everyone else. I felt good being myself and I’ve learn to say no when I mean no and vice-versa. I’ve learned to have my own opinion and stick to what I feel that’s right rather than what people might wanna hear me saying.
Time passed and I kept getting better at things, I started training on the beach, getting much better social life. Of course the ladies liked me more all ripped and confident. I started also going out with girls more, but not much worked out. Funny enough it always seemed like we were in bad sync… they often had to lave Spain right after I’ve met them. In April 2021 Ive got an online job, part time but It came in perfect sync with everything. The school job wasn’t paying enough anymore and my parents have been supporting me for some time now. Since then Ive been working online and Ive got pretty good working conditions because I can choose when I work, and how much. ( double edged sword, I know.. but I guess there was no better way ). That job also filled this professional aspect, and I was finally earning more decent money and because It was part time I was able to keep working on myself. Train, go out, read, listen to music etc. I was very happy !
So 2 summers passed and during the summer of 2021, after a quick and challenging growth process, there I was. Still in Spain, training under the sun every day, partying quite a lot but more mindful. I kept meeting interesting people and I started to be more selective with my friends and choose people who add good things to my life. It was then when I became more interested in astrology and the univers itself. Of course I knew something about these topics and always felt somehow connected to them but maybe wasn’t ready. I started seeing the teachings every experience has to offer and I begun to truly believe and feel there is guidance. I felt like I found ”the thing” that works for me. With every new/full moon I would feel it deeply in my body and mind and I would take the time to introspect, on my rooftop, under the stars. I would talk to myself, I would introspect on the way things are going in my life. I would ask myself how I feel and what my hearth wants.
I would be there for myself.
Towards the end of the summer season I kept feeling more and more that something big is changing again. I felt like the ground I’m standing on is running away from me. I felt like I’m changing fast, and I often felt overwhelmed by all the big changes that were happening in my life. I did very often say out loud, I’m ready. Whatever is coming my way, I am ready. In September 2021 I met this girl. ( you knew that was coming didn’t you? :)) )
Ok, this has been a big change. Very big. Here I was, happy, strong, confident and in best shape ever. I was very actively going out with girls but nothing seemed to work out for various reasons..we would maybe sleep together a couple of times but then they would have to leave the country. Happened a few times. So one day in September I meet this girl. I don’t know how to go about this, it’s a very intense story and I’m not sure I know how to put it in the right sentences. Let’s just say the way we met was magical in many ways. Things happened, I was there, she was there. I saw her and the world stopped. I knew it wasn’t a coincidence, it felt very real and to me it all made sense. She was there on vacation and had to leave a couple of days after.
Fuck me. really? again?
Well, yes.
But that didn’t matter. We both felt it and knew right away that we are very lucky. She came back to visit me of course after we spent those days together. Got rid of her fiancee and came back to see me. Up until this summer we’ve been seeing each-other every month for a bit. She’s beautiful and she’s such a good person. She likes the same things as I do, we are very similar, we have the same favourite movies, music, etc. Sounds like I’ve met the right lady. Finally! That’s what I always wanted! What more could I possibly ask for? I’m on the right path, I live under the sun every day, I feel confident, I’m dating a beautiful woman who I share so many things with and I have a six-pack. :))
Well. You know. No level-up comes for free.
There is always some work to be done first. I was right when I felt there was some big change coming my way, both before the pandemic and the summer before I met her.
My life in Spain started to feel different, like it wasn’t serving me anymore. I would still love the sun and working out on the beach and I would still love a glass of wine with a nice tapa in the middle of the day. I was changing. I kept feeling like I needed to change something. The way I lived for the past 2 years, partying and enjoying every moment suddenly felt like it cannot be done anymore. There was also the distance. She wanted to move to Spain but needed time for that. It has been her dream to live there, and now she had one more reason to do it. I didn’t want to wait and I kept feeling that I wanted to live Spain and go live with her in Poland. ( for a while at least until we go back to Spain together ) I’ve been telling myself that I want us to be together and make it easier for both of us. Since I work online, my location isn’t a problem. I’m not sure if that’s the main reason. I really felt it, in my gut, that I have to go. That I need something new, that I need to take my first step. And I did it. I left Spain, the place I loved so much, the place where I’ve, in many ways found myself. I left the place where I built this last segment of my path, the one that feels closest to who I am really. I left the place where I was considered to be cool, girls looked at me training on the beach and I was always invited to the best parties in town.
I left the place that recently has became my comfort zone.
You probably noticed how many times I repeated the ” I “. I this, I that during this long post. Well.. here is something I got to work on. You see, these last weeks I started seeing all this for what it is. Why did I leave Spain to live in Poland? Yes the lady’s nice. But I could’ve waited there for her. I left because I couldn’t be the person I used to be there. I was feeding my ego and I’ve been doing it all my life. Getting a lot of attention from both females and people in general fed my ego big time, the parties etc. Made me live a superficial life. I did enjoy it, It was amazing. But I feel this is my next step. I’m learning how to be myself, still.
So, now I live in Poland. I work online, I’m still half lazy but I have ways better control of my life. I’m currently struggling with all these changes that recently happened. There are many questions arising:
Why did I live Spain really? What did I run away from? What pain was I trying to numb while seeking attention?
It has been a little difficult for me lately. It all felt right for me to leave Spain, and once I’ve done it, it started to feel overwhelming to be here, to do all this. You know why? Because there are less ways to escape here. Here I have no parties to go to and and I’m being faced with another layer of myself. Deep down I knew this is what I was doing, but now that Im here, feeling at times frustrated and confused I have to say. It’s damn hard. I again left the confort.
I find it sometimes very difficult to connect to my girlfriend, at times I feel things are getting boring. But I love her immensely. I have some traumas I need to work on and I feel how some wounds I have can make even the most beautiful person in the world look like the source of my frustration. Luckily she is very inteligent and supportive. Today we talked about these things for a bit and after some thinking I believe I’m struggling with some sort of ADD. One of the most influential writers I’ve come across is Gabor Mate, who speaks a lot about it. I wasn’t sure this is where my attention should go but now, it does feel like it. So that’s what I’ll do. I have done a lot of thinking in the last 2 years, I’ve replayed many things from my childhood. As you said a few years ago… it’s all there. I’ve learned a lot about it. I see what triggers me, how and why. Sometimes I manage to smile at it and just see it for what it is. Sometimes.. it gets the worst out of me. Well, like any skill it will take some time. Surely I am not a beginner anymore 🙂
So this is me now, writing from Poland. I’ve started a new chapter and I’m both excited and overwhelmed. It has been a long year this one, a lot has happened. I’ve seen my parents a few times this year, had a few disputes, I see where all comes from. Its a long process but what else am I supposed to do? I might as well enjoy it 🙂
Thank you Anita! I don’t think that moment I’ve played in my head has come. In some ways it did and I could say that I’ve made it ! But then again, there will always be something next around the corner and I guess I wouldn’t change that.
Thank you for reading all this and I’m sorry for not being able to be bief.
Thank you for everything you’ve shown me in the past, all that had later made me understand so much.
And thank you for thinking of me! That means a lot! Sending much love your way and I hope to hear from you soon!
Robi
December 2, 2019 at 1:33 am in reply to: Sex life. I want more experiences but I am too shy. #325555
Robi1992ParticipantWell hello again,
It has been a while.. since I wrote here.. and some things changed. Some things haven´t in the past 8 months.
First of all, I am still here in Spain.. after looking for lots of jobs in February and March, I only managed to get a couple of hours a week, teaching english in a language academy. I finally got some work in a Summer Camp in April which made everything better. It was difficult and challenging.. I felt anxious sometimes but I`ve learned a lot from that experience. I did if for a couple of months and then I was unemployed again. That was the deal… it was only for 2 months. So I finished summer camp and in June I got back to my country. I had to… since I had no work and my money was running out.. I have been there for 3 more months and
Well hello again, after a long time!
Writing here right now makes me somehow guilty.. I feel like I am taking advantage
it was weird to be back at the beginning.. I felt like such a failure.. Like I failed and I had to come back.. Maybe I did in some way.. but not entirely for sure. It made sense to go home for 3 months because they just bought a house and they needed a hand with the moving.. So It made sense to go help them since I had no work… and then come back here and try again.
After being there for 3 months it was hard to leave again.. I cried and I questioned my decision to go back to Spain.. I almost gave up and stayed home… almost. I came back here knowing that I will have some courses in the same academy I have been working for earlier this year and I hoped they will give me more work so I will be able to be here. And, they did.. I am workig for 10 hours a week now.. and I am also taking care of some cleaning, so I get some extra money. It´s a little weird to be a teacher and janitor/cleaner in the same place.. but I could think of worse scenarios. I still don`t earn enough money to live here.. so my mother still pays my rent. I can afford all my other expenses except my rent. Being a teacher is quite interesting.. Sometimes it can be really great, sometimes it can be very stressful. I am very anxious before some of my courses… and most of the time I feel like I have no idea what Im doing… and I am scared of my students noticing that.. I don´t think that is true, but I always feel like that.. After I finish my courses I always feel good and uplifted.. Even while doing it, I could say I feel pretty confident. I´ve been doing this for 3 months now and I am starting to get used to having a routine… I do feel better in some respects.. much better. But maybe I still have too much free time..
The thing is … I solved some of the problems.. that is for sure. But I still find myself crying and feeling down.. and feeling very frustrated. I feel very lonely.. and I guess I felt very lonely for a long time.. maybe always.. Since I broke up with my ex girlfriend, a little more than a year ago, I haven´t been with anyone.. Again, I am in the same situation I have been a 3 years ago… when I somehow managed to be single and have no intimate relationships with anyone for nearly 4 years. I was scared I will get trough that again… and I am.. And it feels terrible. It makes me feel so frustrated, lonely and isolated. And I believe I am responsible for that.. and I think for some reason I want to be alone but I don`t want to feel lonely. I keep comparing myself with my friends and the people around me and they all seem to be in a relationship or at least hooking up with people.. None of them seem to go trough what I´m going.. I keep realizing that everyone is having sex.. at least once in a couple of months.. but I haven´t met anyone in my situation.. I feel like a failure, like a looser.. and I don´t know why is this happening.. I think I am just too shy to make these things happen.. and I just prefer not even trying.. I maybe got so comfortable in this situation so I prefer it now.. and I just suffer and wait for someone to make it happen for me.. And sometimes it happens… but the kind of girls who are willing to make all these steps.. are simply not my kind of girls.
I got to the point where I simply meet a girl, and if she is somewhat beautiful and we have a good conversation I over think and almost fall in love.. It´s ridiculous..
I got to the point where I am feeling desperate for any girls attention.. sometimes I feel like I would do anything for some kind of attention.. for some kind of intimacy.. It really feels awful.. and I feel ashamed to be like this.. I really do… And I simply don´t know what to do.. None of my friends know this… I haven´t told anyone that I haven´t had sex in more than a year and that I feel so lonely.. because they all seem to make those things happen.. and I feel like I am such a freak…
I do know and understand that maybe sex is not such an important thing.. and I am maybe too focused on that..
Maybe I shouldn´t.. but this is the way I feel… And some days I miss ex my girlfriend so much and I feel so guilty for not doing my best when I had the chance.. I keep thinking maybe we could´ve made it work.. I know its an illusion and I only think that way because I got so needy and desperate..
I don´t know what to do…
I think I just needed to tell someone..
Thank you !
-
AuthorPosts
Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine.