Life is indeed like a box of frogs for me! For you it may be like a box of spiders or snakes depending of course on what your phobia is or whether indeed you have a phobia at all.
Let's face it, how many of us go for very long before we are faced with something we find difficult to cope with? During my forty four years of life I have been faced with many difficult traumatic situations.
I suffered from physical and emotional abuse at the hands of my father when I was little. He used to bring a blanket downstairs and then he would make me lie at one end of the settee, him at the other and then he would put the blanket over us, pass sweets under the blanket... and do "other things". He called this the "two headed llama game" as he knew I loved the two headed animal in the story of Dr Doolittle.
This experience impacted on my life for years as did other situations such as the suicide of both parents, being diagnosed with MS to name just two things.
I was not a victim but I could become a winner. I could start learning how to allow these difficult ordeals to make me a stronger person.
The first task was to get me to believe I was in no way to blame for any of the abuse which had taken place. I was an innocent child, one who should have been able to see her father as protective. I did not know what was happening was wrong. I got quality support and help.
I found that by being positive I was beginning to change; to realise nothing need hold me back.
I then heard one phrase which is with me every day. "I DECIDE". I had to decide whether I wanted to be a winner or a victim, I had to decide if I was going to seek out people who would help me fight and win.
It came to mind that each battle or problem was no different to overcoming my phobia of frogs. I had to feel the fear, face the fear, take the fear, then use the resources within me to overcome that fear.
I started to see a new way of looking at challenges, they were like a box of frogs I could not jump over it, I could not go round it, I had to go through it, experience it and overcome it. Once overcome I could put the lid on my box of frogs, knowing in turn I was also securing the resources I had for overcoming anything in life.
NEVER FORGET THE CHALLENGE. LEARN FROM IT AND REMEMBER YOU CAN NOW SAY "NOW I DECIDE", WHETHER TO SURVIVE AS A VICTIM OR LIVE AS A WINNER.
On the 10th of December 2004 I (Lynn) had the chance to tell my story for the first time in public. It was amazing, a standing ovation and a realisation that everyone has a box of frogs to deal with. What's yours?
Abused as a child. Tormented as an adult. Mental illness. A double suicide. Multiple Sclerosis. Anorexia... And this is a success story? Read the shocking yet inspirational true story of Lynn Grocott's life here... http://www.bookshaker.com
