In the event that you have not read Part I and Part 2 of this article, please click on these 2 links:
Second Chance to Live — Lessons from my Journey Part 1
Second Chance to Live — Lessons from my Journey Part 2
Hello and welcome back to Second Chance to Live my friend. I am happy to see that you decided to stop by to visit with me. Thank you. In Part 3 of this article series I want to begin to share with you the awareness’s that I spoke about in Part 2 of this article. During the course of the past 80 months I have written a series of articles in which I shared how I came to a place of acceptance on many fronts.
Because I share in detail how I arrived at my awareness, I will subsequently re-post the articles in which I share what I discovered through my process. As you read these articles, I believe you will be able to identify with me. May you be encouraged, motivated and empowered my friend.
What is Keeping You Stuck — revisited?
Posted by Second Chance to Live on March 21, 2007
In many families where ongoing conflict persists, a heightened tolerance for emotional pain ensues. Denial, rather than resolution become the goal. Repression, shame, and blame then become the tools that are used to perpetuate the need to deny what exists. Overtime all the members of the family unknowingly assume different roles in an attempt to mask the pain or secret. Unknowingly, each family member — through the role that they are given or assume – absorbs the unresolved pain, conflict or secret. Denial then acts as a buffer that keeps the family system intact.
Denial perpetuates the drama that contains the conflict. Each member within the family system unconsciously denies their authentic self to avoid conflict. Maintaining the role becomes more important than becoming a separate and autonomous individual. The role becomes the person’s identity and drama becomes the vehicle to feel alive. For many years, I stayed in my role as a scapegoat because I believed that I was responsible for people, places, and things. By focusing on the drama, my ability to individuate atrophied. My time and energy were devoted to managing the conflict.
Rather than focusing on solutions, I was duped into believing that the drama would somehow save me. It was only after I experienced an emotional bottom that I became willing to look for solutions. Through this process, I came to understand that the role I had been living did not represent God’s will for me.The answers to my questions came from my willingness to be honest — with myself. Through my recovery process, I discovered why I felt comfortable in the role that I sought to justify on a daily basis. Over time, I was able to identify behaviors that shackled me to that role. With my awareness, I was able to:
Stop saying, “I am sorry” for everything under the sun. With my change of behavior, I slowly was able to make the decision to allow people the freedom to take responsibility for their own restlessness and discontent. I also decided to give people the dignity to be responsible for how they chose to react to things that were out of my control. In the process, I found myself breaking free from the yoke that once controlled my world. In the process, I discovered that I no longer needed to identify myself with the role that I unknowingly sought to identify with for many years.
In the process, I discovered that I could break free from the denial system that sought to keep me in a role — in a family system role — in an attempt to contain unresolved conflict and pain.
In the process, I discovered that by changing my behavior, I was able to break free from the drama and family system role. I discovered that I could stop acting out the role and subsequent drama in each of my relationships – beyond the nuclear family. I discovered that by breaking free from the role, the drama and my denial, I was able to start living life on life’s terms. I discovered that by breaking free from the role, the drama and my denial, I was able to start trusting the process, a loving God and myself. I discovered that by breaking free from the role, the drama and my denial, I found hope.
Today’s Thought
In the event that I find myself slipping back into the role, drama or denial, I now realize that I can make changes. In the event that I find myself buying back into the illusion that I can control the drama, I can choose to remember that I can get off of the merry-go-round called denial at any time. Through my awareness, I realize that I no longer have to fight the drama. Instead, I can step back from and detach myself from the drama. By detaching from the drama, I am able to use that energy — that I previously used to maintain the role, the drama and the denial system – to empower my gifts, talents and abilities…
In ways that work for me.
Note: For more information on Family System Roles, please read Virginia Satir’s book: Conjoint Family Therapy
Please read Part 4 of this article by clicking on this link: Second Chance to Live — Lessons from my Journey — Finding Freedom Part 4
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