I'm sure that what might help a whole bit is a gratitude list at the PROGRESSION you've made since find the front door to this family.  You've done better than just well and I'd say better than expected?   (((hugs)))

Hey, AlmostThere" letting go" of the expectations of being perfect(as Serenity suggested) is the answer. Once I did that I was" almost cured" but alas after 30 years of working this program I am still a work in progress, and still need to keep coming back.
Missing you. Love to hear of your great recovery --Remember-- Acceptance is the key and I think you are well on the road to that.

Ha! I often ask when I am going to be "done growing up"? Never. Also, I ask myself when I will really be able to (insert the serenity prayer) perfectly. Never. All three lines in the serenity prayer are approximations and the third line, the wisdom to know the difference, that is a judgment call every time in which case our choices will always have positives and negatives both ways and we will never know exactly whether it is best to make changes or accept certain things. BAH!!!

So here's to us (raising non-alcoholic toast). We are all perfectly imperfect for today!!!! Yay us!!!

Hey Almost There - if you didn't vent your head would pop off.

Progress not perfection works for me. I can sit peacefully in my today life and look back to how things used to be and be happy with my progress, happy that I'm no longer "there". I take comfort in knowing that my HP loves me just the way I am, maybe he shakes his head at something I'm doing - ha!

Last night I sat playing my piano - long story short I was discouraged from banging on it when I was young, always wanted to play but was always discouraged from it - punished for it, I even got myself a keyboard with headphones but time away from he who wanted to be the focal point of my life was discouraged as well. (funny how that was not just husband #1, #2 didn't like me not paying my attention to him always). Until last November I enjoyed the freedom of just being at the piano and hitting keys till the urge was spent with no apologies (Mozart I definitely ain't), then I chopped parts of two fingers off - yes O F F off! and sitting there in the ER looking at my hand I lamented that I wouldn't be able to play anymore (right hand, first two fingers, kinda needed to hit the right notes in any melody eh?). Time heals, the body is an amazing thing and part of my self-motivated therapy is piano and lots of it, scales and finger work to retrain fingers to move just a tad different. My middle finger gets stuck between the black keys and sometimes I hit it wrong and shoot pain through it, but its working and my natural talent is still there. I love the song Amazing Grace and picking out the melody is a cinch for me, the accompaniment, not so cinchy - but last night it was just there, in about ten minutes I made up my own left hand accompaniment to the song and, probably to the chagrin of nearby neighbors, I played it over and over and.... ha - I absolutely LOVE the swell of emotion that fills me as I play! I've also spent the last years working my way slowly through Moonlight Sonata and am on the last few measures of the movement I want to be able to play - I don't read music and have to commit the notes to memory playing the same measures over and over until its like tying my shoes. I'm getting there, to the end and someday I will be able to play the entire piece without stopping and having to figure out what's next.

Progress not perfection - when I'm playing I feel like I'm as close to perfection as I'm ever going to get! I am better than I was, I am living my life more true to myself and my God that ever before.

Hot water heaters have a pop-off valve - humans need one too.