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There is a way!
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TOPIC: There is a way! 1094 Views

There is a way! 15 Dec 2020 20:47 #358779

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Thanks to everyone and to Hashem, I am now over 100 days clean. 

Seeing as I feel, to a certain extent, liberated, I have decided to start a thread highlighting the stages and methods which have brought me here. 
I will bl"n elaborate a little on each point with a separate short post when I have time.
  • Hierarchy of values
  • Temporary feasible plan
  • Realising that there is no actual need, it's only a perceived one, a habit which I can break
  • Realising that there is a way. For everyone
  • Avoid all triggers in sights and in thoughts
  • View an urge as an external desire
  • Distractions list to fall back on
  • Value a clean day. As opposed to 'a fall is inevitable, may as well do it now'. Especially important as a way to cut down and appreciate that
  • (later on in the journey) Viewing myself as a normal person with a challenge, not as a consistent faller
  • Viewing myself as able to fight. Even just for today (mindset)
  • Not touching (really just avoiding another trigger but I didn't see it that way at first)
  • Realising, during a nisayon, that falls won't make me happy 2 minutes from now, choose other pacifiers/stress relievers
  • Phone call * Phone call * Phone call
  • Downplaying the pleasure to what it really is as opposed to the y"h's exaggeration
  • Viewing myself as 'I don't do this. Period'
  • Accepting that voice inside me from the yetzer tov as the real me not the yetzer haras opinion
  • Viewing a fall as a faraway notion which is pleasurable but out of reach

If I think of anything else which deserves it's own post I will Iy"h add it to this list
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
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Last Edit: 19 Dec 2020 22:27 by starting. Reason: Added point about urge management

Re: There is a way! 15 Dec 2020 20:59 #358782

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Thank you for this great thread!

Can you please also include how you started the successful clean streak? Like was it a strong resolution or a rock bottom situation etc... 
"If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?"
feel free to reach out @  ahavayirah@gmail.com

Re: There is a way! 17 Dec 2020 03:28 #358874

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So this streak started off like any other. You can read what I wrote at the time in my 90 day thread. 
But what pushed me along at the tougher moments were mostly the mindset of 'I can manage without it' and later on 'this is not my thing, I am a different person' and I meant it.
This is a line of thought that needs serious internalising and I am forever grateful to @Hashem Help Me for believing in me when I didn't and showing me how to get to that shift in perspective which was a real gamechanger. 

I would be grateful if someone can link my 90 day thread here; I don't know how to do it from the phone app
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
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Re: There is a way! 17 Dec 2020 03:37 #358882

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Hierarchy of values:

This is a list you write down what are your values in life. 
Include everything. Eg happiness, serenity, family, Nachas, financial security, wealth, serenity, pleasure, religion, relationships, honor, peace of mind, the list goes on. 
Take your time and include everything. Be honest with yourself. 

Once you have this list, single out the top 5 which you value more than anything. 

Why is masturbation not on there? 
In fact, it contradicts some of my top values (serenity made it to the top 5 by me, for example) 
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
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Re: There is a way! 17 Dec 2020 03:52 #358886

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Temporary feasible plan:

This was a suggestion from menachemgye and its power surprised me. 

​In my plan I included
  • How important is this to me (1-10)
  • Why (hierarchy of values) 
  • How long for (at the time it was 10 days) 
  • Confidence in the plan (1-10, change plan/shorter time frame if under 8)

​This idea of making it temporary and assessing confidence in it made me step back and think long and hard about how to cover all things that could go wrong 
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
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Re: There is a way! 18 Dec 2020 03:30 #359027

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starting wrote on 17 Dec 2020 03:28:

I would be grateful if someone can link my 90 day thread here

I think this is it: guardyoureyes.com/forum/4-On-the-Way-to-90-Days/352806-There-must-be-a-way
Last Edit: 18 Dec 2020 03:31 by eved41.

Re: There is a way! 19 Dec 2020 21:59 #359081

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Realising that there is no actual need, it's only a perceived one, a habit which I can break:

On one of my first phone calls with HHM he asked me following. I was falling about once or twice a week, I think. He asked me, what would happen if you don't masturbate for two weeks or a month? Would you fill up and release 4 times as much because you should have done it 4 times in these 2 weeks? So what if you don't do it for 2 weeks. 
Your body can tolerate that, gladly. 
Others here say (I think it comes from cordnoy) the need is a perceived one, there are no deaths recorded due to abstaining. 

I thought a lot about that phone call these past few months. Why do I do it? My body does not need it. My mind is convinced that this habit is too ingrained. But habits can be broken. Seeing as it's entirely in the mind I need to change my mindset. Once I believe that this habit can be broken my body will adjust. 
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
PM me for my phone number

Re: There is a way! 19 Dec 2020 22:11 #359082

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Realising that there is a way. For everyone:

Look around, plenty have broken free, many were steeped into it, some were totally addicted to the point that they would endanger themselves (while driving etc) or risking their reputation in very serious ways. 
And people come here, get guidance, work on themselves and change. Become better persons. 

So yes, I can and I will break free. It will take work. I will need a lot of chizzuk, guidance and an occasional extra long and powerful phone call. 
I expected it to take a few tries and it did. 
I expected it to take many months. It didn't. Within a few short months I felt like it is a different struggle. No longer about days and stopping myself from falling, it is now more about awareness and avoiding triggers. I don't automatically reach down then try to stop myself, it's now about reminding myself that I don't do this. 
There is a way here for everyone. B"h I got the guidance and help I needed to get to this point relatively quickly. 
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
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Re: There is a way! 19 Dec 2020 22:24 #359083

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Avoid all triggers in sights and in thoughts:

Filter Filter Filter

I have apps only on my phone and it gives me all I need, white listed browser is on the computer only. 
I'm starting to be more aware of what turns me on on the street and trying to look away, think of something else etc. 
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
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Re: There is a way! 19 Dec 2020 22:28 #359084

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View an urge as an external desire:

Very importantly, a thought that comes to your head is not necessarily something to dwell on.

An urge is and should be viewed as, an external desire, not something that I have to do. It's an idea, an option but then again, there are other things I could be doing, many more options and I give myself the right to consult my list of values before I decide whether to give in to this desire or not.
​Having an urge is not something that comes from me, not my will speaking. It is the y"h talking and he should not be in my head. He should be standing outside, maybe offering ideas but not presenting them as my own. And not blowing them up to fanciful proportions
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
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Re: There is a way! 19 Dec 2020 23:01 #359085

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Distractions list to fall back on:

My distractions list included many types of activities to suits many different moods, hobbies, academic, tinkering, chores, exercise, random things to think about, random memories which could put me in a better mood, random stupid things to notice and more and I keep this list in my wallet (together with my Plan - which happens to be now expired but still want to stick to it more or less) 
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
PM me for my phone number

Re: There is a way! 22 Dec 2020 16:28 #359414

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Value a clean day. As opposed to 'a fall is inevitable, may as well do it now'. Especially important as a way to cut down and appreciate that:

There are so many incredible advantages of a clean day that mostly just fall into the sidelines. 
Being clean today means that I had (at least) one less fall this year. 
Being clean today means that my mind registers me as a stronger person than I had previously believed, though I don't actively notice this. 
Being clean today means that I have less fresh thoughts lingering at the front of my mind. 
Being clean today means that I am a clean person. The uncertainty of the future does not affect that current fact. 
Being clean today means that today I can appreciate my wife as a person. 
Being clean today means that today I can look my wife in the eye and think, I am here for you. I am only yours. I worked hard today to feel closer to you. 
Being clean today means that I can daven maariv and feel like I am davening as Hashems warrior.
Being clean today means that i can concentrate better on everything I'm doing. 
Being clean today means that I am paving the way for my children to grow up clean. 

There is so so much more that can be added to this list....
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
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Re: There is a way! 22 Dec 2020 16:41 #359416

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I love this thread. Very important and helpful points. Thank you. Keep them coming!

Re: There is a way! 23 Dec 2020 02:34 #359448

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I hope chevra have the seichel to reach out to our chaver "starting" as a mentor. He has it - a real leader here b'ezras Hashem.
Feel free to contact me at michelgelner@gmail.com

My threads: Lessons Learned: guardyoureyes.com/forum/20-Important-Threads/335248-Lessons-Learned

                    My Story and G-d Bless GYE: guardyoureyes.com/forum/17-Balei-Battims-Forum/303036-My-story-and-G-d-bless-GYE

Re: There is a way! 29 Dec 2020 06:35 #360071

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Viewing myself as a normal person with a challenge, not as a consistent faller:

This is a huge step. 
It means taking away the obsession. 
3 times a day when I daven I can now stop having this habit at the front of my mind. 
Every time I meet someone I don't have to be thinking of my secret. 
Every time I speak to my wife I don't have to remembber my disloyalty. 

In short, I don't carry all that guilt around with me. 
I don't have to feel like a loser whenever I daven or speak to my rav etc. 

Everyone has challenges.
This is one of mine. So what if I have fallen for it so many times in the past? 
It is something I really struggle with so I don't have to compare myself to others. I don't have to consider myself a loser. 

Feeling low is a real trigger and stopping to feel like a loser minimises that trigger. 
The start of 'STARting' is 'star'. Just start and you're a star!!

'the cleaner I stay, the cleaner I stay' - AlexEliezer
העבר עיני מראות שוא, בדרכך חינו (תהלים קיט, לז)
PM me for my phone number
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