Newsletter May 2020 Living by Example

Newsletter May 2020

“Find inspiration within yourself and you will be forever inspired.”

What’s Inside

Living by Example 365 Reasons… Today’s Soul Advice I wasn't always someone that set a good example My Journey Continues for others to follow. I hung out with people I barely knew in bars and clubs. I did things I am not proud A Little Bit of Poetry Self-Care Corner of and hurt people recklessly. I lived life on the edge, What’s New??? doing whatever, whenever without much thought of the consequences. I flirted with danger on a regular basis and then was shocked when things went www.robynanonymous.com haywire.

The consequences of my actions were pretty dire. I found myself on numerous occasions in the grips of someone who chose to lash out physically in retribution. I had been choked, smothered, beaten, had a knife to my throat and a gun to my head. None of these penalties seemed to shake me enough to change the person I was. I kept on using and abusing others like my life depended on it. To mask the pain and heartbreak, I got high.

Eventually the day came when I faced my most formidable adversary, me. I fought and fought and fought. I beat and battered myself until I was finally ready to give up. That was when I could finally see that I needed help. I couldn’t erase what I had done. I couldn’t escape who I was no matter how high I got.

Today, I am no longer that lost, broken, helpless little girl. I don’t lash out at others when I am in pain. I don’t lie, cheat and… continue reading

Today’s Soul Advice A Little Bit of Poetry

The Past

Do I deserve heartbreak, heartache,

loneliness?

Do I deserve to suffer alone in this world,

or is this time alone a gift, the pain

merely a reminder of why my past

must stay in the past?

No Longer Afraid

Fear held me back most of my life. Afraid of failure, I shied away from taking risks. Afraid of being told no, I left many questions unasked and unanswered. Afraid that my dreams would never come true, I didn't bother chasing them. Fear kept me a prisoner. Fear kept me from living.

Today I no longer live in fear. I realized that it was eating me alive. When I put my faith in God and asked for His guidance, the fear dissipated. When I have become a friend. Because I am not afraid to live in God's will and do my part, He takes care of fail, I have discovered that I am a talented writer, me. I may not get exactly what I want but He artist, and speaker; I am living my dreams. always gives me what I need. Because I stay close to God and carry a message of I no longer fear being alone because He has hope and faith with me, everywhere I go, God has connected me with people who understand and taken care of me. I have been blessed with a great love me unconditionally. Because I am not afraid to job, a place to call home and a means to stay ask questions and learn new things, I have become connected to others. Spiritually, I am so full that I a more well-rounded, open-minded individual. am overflowing with so much love that I able to share it with others. I am happier than I could have During my journey, I have become a mentor and I ever dreamed possible and I am no longer afraid.

My Journey Continues

MY JOURNEY CONTINUES...

Journaling has become such an important part of my journey of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-love.

I write about my happy experiences, my sad experiences and about all the lessons that I learn along the way. I share my experiences, in the hopes of helping someone else avoid the same mistakes I have made.

I am in the editing stage and hope to release My Journey Continues in July. Stay tuned for the release date.

365 Reasons…

Motherhood

I love, absolutely love being a mother. I can’t think of another thing I have done in my life that has taught me more, brought me greater joy or makes me feel more worthy than motherhood. A close second is being a mentor to other women, though it really feels like a blended friendship, mother-type relationship.

I didn’t have a great experience with my mother growing up, but I learned some valuable lessons that I used when building a relationship with each of my daughters. I am grateful for every minute that I have spent with them. I grew up as a mother, having had my first daughter at the young age of 21 and my second at 24.

I have loved watching them grow since their very firsts, the first time they lifted their heads, rolled

over, sat up, crawled, stood, walked. I loved

watching as they walked into their first classroom,

got on their first bus, rode their bikes for the first time. I loved watching as they went on their first sleepovers, first dates, dances, school trips. I have I am Grateful for seen them graduate, have a child and get married.

Motherhood has been an amazing adventure that

began even before I felt that first kick. I have been

blessed to be a mother for nearly 30 years and every day has had moments that I will cherish for eternity.

Today I am grateful for motherhood and the many joys that it brings.

What’s New

We Found a Way Out

There are so many exciting things going on at Robyn

Anonymous. As many of you know, we created a new website to allow our followers to share their experience. MY QUARANTINE KIT

It all started with a prayer, seeking guidance to rise by Karen, Clearwater, Florida above my own self-pity and fear during COVID-19. During my meditation, God reminded me of how I found my way out of the darkness before and viola We Found a Way Out was born.

I called, texted, and messaged friends and family WHAT MATTERS MOST asking if they would share their experience, by Kimberlie, Dunedin, Florida strength, and hope with others, letting us know what worked and what didn’t work for them.

I was amazed by how many people responded with excitement and how many people wrote stories. I was impressed with what great writers my friends TOGETHER WE WILL THRIV E and family all are. I hope you enjoy the stories as much as I have. by Stephanie, St. Petersburg, Florida

What's the Big Deal About Journaling? Self-Care Corner

Over the years I have heard people say how important journaling is, but I never really got the

knack of it. I remember going out, buying a journal, taking the time to pick out just the right one, bringing it home admiring how cute it was and then

putting it on the shelf with all the other empty journals I had bought.

A time or two, when I was really sad, I would go to

the shelf, pick out a journal and write down my thoughts. I did this for a few days, but then when I felt better, I would stop and return the journal to the shelf.

When I began working on myself, trying to pull

myself out of the hopeless state I was in, I attended meetings with people who had similar problems. In those meetings, I heard the most interesting tidbits of wisdom and I wanted to write them down. I pulled out a scrap of paper and jotted down a few notes.

After a few meetings I realized I was running out of room, having covered the front and back of that little scrap of paper, so I pulled out another scrap

and wrote more notes. After a month, I was

reaching into my purse, pulling out scrap after scrap of paper and I thought to myself, if I had a little journal, I could keep all of these thoughts in one place.

What's the Big Deal… (cont.) Living by Example (cont.)

I went home, went to the shelf and selected a steal. I don’t isolate and hide from my problems or journal. I transferred all my little scraps of paper the world. I don’t need to. I have taken inventory of onto the pages of that journal. Before I knew it, I was who I was and who I want to be. I have discarded scribbling a few of my own thoughts. I was making that which no longer serves to better me, with help lists, writing poetry; I was journaling. from God and those who surround me in recovery.

If someone would have told me I had to journal, I Today my journey is about bringing hope and peace would have refused, if for no other reason, I hate to others, helping them find freedom from active being told what to do. I can remember telling my addiction and turning their lives around. I live the mentor and my therapist that there was no way I basic principles that I learned, incorporating them was doing any kind of homework and here I was, into every aspect of my life. I am honest and sincere, writing in a journal, on my own time, of my own free acting with integrity, to the best of my ability, in all will. my affairs. I am loyal, gentle and kind. I love without expectations, knowing that people will fall short and Many years have passed since I suffered quietly, in that’s okay. I know I fall short myself sometimes. a state of hopelessness. Today I have an AMAZING connection with my Higher Power. I am surrounded I am open-minded, willing to try new things and by friends that I can talk to, share my thoughts and entertain new ideas. I have the courage to face feelings with, but journaling has become a crucial situations that make me uncomfortable. I have faith part of my recovery and survival in times of despair. that God has my back and can help me through anything that life throws at me, if I stay close to Him If you are struggling, pull out a journal and write and help others. down your feelings and see how much better you feel. What can it hurt to try it? I have learned the true meaning of humility and it has nothing to do with humiliation. I have surrounded myself with people who don’t judge me and who understand who I am, at my core, so I am Need Some help??? able to admit that I don’t have all the answers. I am able to ask for help and I do so, every day. It has Check out our journal prompts. been such a blessing to be one among many instead of standing on my own trying to be unique.

Connect with our Facebook group I have learned discipline. I have a schedule, a routine @BeingMeAnonymously that I follow. I even follow the rules. I pray. I

meditate. I ask for guidance and do my best daily to

turn my will and my life over to God. I have made

things right with others, in my heart, when it would do more damage to do it directly. I don’t harbor any grudges and I no longer carry any guilt. I check myself daily, so I can maintain my serenity. I help others daily, so I can know peace. Today I live my life on purpose. I am living by example so that when I guide someone else, I am walking my talk.