My Book Club recommendation for November is “Present Not Perfect” by Aimee Chase.

My dear friend gave this to me when I was in the thick of my trauma with my days filled with a lot of triggers and nightmares. This book offered ways to help bring me present and pull me out of what feelings I had that would spiral me quickly downward.

My big D-day was 2 AM on Christmas morning…so technically still Christmas Eve for me. Although I am doing well and my triggers are less often a simple smell, sound, or item can quickly trigger me. I choose to acknowledge it and feel the hurt. I actually tap my right hand over my heart as a small personal gesture of loving myself in that moment. I do this to connect my mind to my body. Then I quickly choose to let go of the memory and what it was. I remove him from the recollection and then it just becomes a bank, hotel, car or song etc.

I know I need to bulk up my layers especially this time of year to help buffer the reaction of the unexpected triggers to come. This book is one of those great resources to help me be prepared.

I know that we can try and be as ready as possible for triggers we have experienced before. For me it’s the new ones that almost knock me to me knees. I also work to be patient with myself in my healing as I extract the poison out of me. I know it won’t just take time but possibly my entire lifetime.

Purchase at Target at $12.29 for paperback.

#healing #betrayaltrauma #addiction #divorce #mindfulness #selfcare #presentnotperfect #triggers #holidaytriggers #emotionalabuse #survivor