Made them worse and better. Worse - well that is obvious. Better because I now am more intuned with myself as well as I know what I WILL NOT put up with anymore!

DITTO!

“

Kelly said ...
Made them worse and better. Worse - well that is obvious. Better because I now am more intuned with myself as well as I know what I WILL NOT put up with anymore!

”

It's easy to blame them for ruining your life, but the reality is that I allowed it to happen.  I'm not into beating myself up over it... he was really good at acting and manipulating, but I did allow it to go on... until I didn't.

I must be healing because, right now, I'm thinking of all the ways my life is better because of what I went through!

Yeah!!!! Good to hear :) That means you have been doing your work, you should be proud!!

“

Billie said ...
I must be healing because, right now, I'm thinking of all the ways my life is better because of what I went through!

”

My life has been affected by more than 1. Lose the loser, then life is happier without them! It's hard, but can be done.

I was affected by more than one too.. My ex was a very good manipulator and I was young and dumb! I allowed it to go on for so long I didn't even know what was going on. He finally did something stupid (drinking and driving) and was sent to prison for 3 years. Thats how I got out of it! I look back on my life with him and it looks like I was a puppet on a string! I am better off without him in my life. I am so much happier!  The only good that came from him was my beautiful daughter!

It's amazing how similar stories most victims of abuse have. The puppet on a string is a familiar sentiment... and I feel teh same way about my daughter.

“

Allison said ...
I look back on my life with him and it looks like I was a puppet on a string! I am better off without him in my life. I am so much happier!  The only good that came from him was my beautiful daughter!

”

Wow. Where do I begin? My self-esteem, which was not great to begin with, became worse; then, it got better. Nothing made the self-esteem issue clearer and pushed it to the surface more forcefully than being in an abusive relationship. I realized what attracted this person to me; why I tolerated it; that the things he did were wrong and not my fault; and that I deserved love, acceptance and respect. It was eye-opening to say the least. 

And yes, the most beautiful thing that came out of it was my daughter. :)

I hate that I had to go through abuse...I pray daily that it doesn't have long term affects on my children because they were witness to it...but if I hadn't, I wouldn't be the strong woman I am now.  I wouldn't have learned some lessons.  I wouldn't be near as compassionate or even half as understanding as I am now.

And I wouldn't have been where I was to meet the man who is in my life now...and he is such a precious gift from God...I hate I had to go through this to get to him...but in so many ways, he is worth it (as are my children).

:-)

Spoken like a woman who has learned many lessons and who has grown in wisdom as well as years :)

“

K.T. said ...
And I wouldn't have been where I was to meet the man who is in my life now...and he is such a precious gift from God...I hate I had to go through this to get to him...but in so many ways, he is worth it (as are my children).

”

Thanks Suzie Q!