Milestones

[Tangled Web]

Recently we have had a HUGE light bulb moment in regards to moving forward on our journey to heal. I like to think of these things as milestones, like the milestones you track when you have a child-their first tooth, when they started to crawl or walk……..
I think it is important to recognize the milestones you have in therapy or actually not just in therapy – the milestones of accomplishing anything big or small in your life.
We have started kind of a journal to keep these things in kind of like our very own “baby book” that we can look back in and see how far we have come, or show us that we have made progress. It helps in those stagnate times when we are not getting anywhere or feel like everything is hopeless.
For us recently our T said something to us—The phrase that helped everything make so much more sense. She said-you need to be able to remember things in order to heal. In our system we have an archive that can be accessed with a lot of information about our past. We figured that because we have this information, it was the same as remembering—that is not the case. The archive is just like reading a book to us and there has never been any connection to the things we have read, that is where the remembering piece comes in. They are NOT our memories-we have the information but we don’t actually remember these things ever happening. That has been our missing piece. The people inside who have those memories need to be allowed to remember them and talk (when they are ready). This was a HUGE milestone for us that helped so many things fall into place.
So what are some of your milestones you have made in your life that have helped you along on your own personal journey? Do you have a way of keeping track of them? Do you have a keepsake box or book or something that you can place them in so they can be remembered?
We would be interested in hearing about them if you are comfortable with sharing 
TW

[Cammy]

As I write this I am looking at a large book case filled with hundreds of journals. These started when I was eleven years old. I have kept them all. To pick up any one of them and open and read, is akin to time travel for me, and each time I do it I am always astounded at what I was thinking 'back then., and I also never fail to learn something new about myself when looking at them from my present perspective. Capturing thoughts, feelings, ideas and writing them down is my way of doing 'cognitive book-keeping'. This process has been and always will be an essential part of my/our life.

[The People]

When people ask about Milestones I look to my university ring. While I wasn't even close to being an honours student and came close to quiting more than once, the ring represents so much to me. It was my first step away from FOO. It was proof that I was not stupid. And most importantly, it was a pointer, leading to further stepping stones. It is my most prized position.