Commitment is an Exclusionary Process

A couple of months ago, I recorded an emotional vlog about the state of my marriage. Watch this week’s vlog for an update on what’s happened since the jumping off point, and how it relates to your Bright Line Eating™ journey.

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Comments

  1. Sara Sohn

    I loved this blog but would just like to speak for the minority of polyamorous people that it can actually deepen your connection with your partner not make them feel less special. It takes a lot of trust, love for others and self love to be in a polyamorous relationship . Although not for everyone, and I think the sentimate of the box is beautiful.

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  2. Jenna C Reed Livingston

    A most excellent vlog. I’m going to try these things with my husband as well. I can relate to many things you were sharing and felt like my husband and I were at a loss because therapy (which we tried) really wasn’t for us. Hiring a coach sounds like a perfect alternative. THANK YOU.

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  3. Susan Finkleman

    This practice you and David began is rejuvenating our marriage. My husband and I have been doing it every day for a couple of weeks and we both love it. It has increased our sense of connectedness a lot! Thank you, thank you, thank you from both of us!

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  4. Julie

    WONDERFUL!!! You’re best vlog yet! Thank you.

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  5. Mercedes (from Argentina)

    Thank God I found you on a January 3, 2016. I love you, Susan

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  6. Christina Moss

    What a powerful vlog! Your jumping off point vlog moved me to commit to BLE, and I cannot believe how this program has changed me and my life in positive ways. I feel better physically than I have for years. My aches and knee pain are completely gone. I have consistently lost weight or inches every week. I have a birthday coming up next week and have been agonizing over whether to have cake on that day. I have had no sugar or flour since October 17. This is A HUGE accomplishment for me! This vlog renewed my commitment to BLE and keeping my bright lines strong. I have been a Weight Watcher lifetime member for decades but always regained my weight when I stopped recording my food and going to meetings. Your emphasis on commitment is key. No cake for me. I don’t need it. I would be setting myself up to fail one more time. This time I feel unstoppable! Susan, I am so grateful that I found you and BLE. Your blogs have such timely and helpful messages! Keep up the amazing work! I am delighted that you and David are strengthening your marriage. Your tips about reconnecting and showing appreciation for each other will be helpful in my own marriage, and again, your timing is perfect. Love and light to you and your family. Sending you a virtual hug!

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  7. Toni S

    Once again – you leave me in awe. 2016 must have been the year for it, it’s spooky how similar some aspects of your story are to mine. Thank you for being so open and comprehensive. xx

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  8. Lynda Dahl

    Dear Susan,

    Thank you so much for being so open in your vlog! My heart goes out to you with this struggle. It’s a bit familiar to me. I’ve been through a similar experience with my marriage. Ultimately, my husband & I were able to honor each other and find a way to give each other what we needed.

    I loved that you brought up the Mastermind Group and how you were coaching someone who was reluctant to join one because of the weekly commitment. That’s what’s stopping me at this time as well. I want to join one, and I’m going to have to find an hour and a half some time in my week where I can be unavailable for anything other than that call. It’s a challenge that I want to face and an issue I plan to solve. Especially now that the Boot Camp has ended.

    Thank you for all you do!

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  9. Lauren

    I hope you put some serious Bright Lines around your marriage and your alternative sexual urges. To give in to something as ridiculous as polyamorousness defies the entire point of marriage- loyalty, commitment, and forsaking all others. You have been putting others outside the marriage ahead of him. Even in your thoughts and temptations. David deserves a medal of honor. I pray it will be your committed heart and actions. Polyamorousness will destroy your marriage and will truly end up impacting your children in a very negative way. And I believe it will lead to great regret. I do hope you will approach these temptations as another form of addiction that seeks to destroy you and your family- and will apply your Bright Lines theory to your marriage. I am learning a lot from you. Just praying you won’t get duped by poor sexual morays of our modern culture. They will not lead your marriage or life being happy and free. The only thing you should screw outside of your marriage is your March 1st deadline. Get rid of it. Instead- Bless your husband, and honor. him with loyalty of your body, mind and heart- the way he is doing to you

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  10. Margaret Mohamed

    Loved this and the impact of the choices we make each day in terms of commitment.
    I wanted to share a meditation from Sacred Moments by Linda Kavelin Popov on Commitment

    The practice of Commitment
    I am ready to commit to my highest calling
    I am open to Divine assistance
    I have the courage to face my resistance
    I am willing to stretch and grow
    I am guided by a clear vision
    I surrender to the passion of my soul

    I am thankful for Commitment
    It focuses my life

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  11. Shari Nelson

    This was just what I needed as I navigate similar issues and come off of probably my least Bright weekend since I began BLE in January. Onward I go, with the mantra “Saying yes to something always means saying no to other things.” Simple. Brilliant. Thank you, Susan!

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  12. Kerry

    Oh wow! I don’t have words but I want you to know that I am deeply affected by what you said. Thank you so much!

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  13. Victoria Romero

    This vlog has been very important to me, thank you so much for sharing. I just listened to it for the second time with my husband and we are thinking we need some coaching. Can you recommend us your coach, does he/she work on line ? Thanks in advance.

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  14. Sue

    YOU are a gift. Thank you.

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  15. ronald letzin

    thank you so much. got me thinking.

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  16. Debbie

    I highly recommend the work of Dr. Sue Johnson as you navigate these issues.

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  17. kristie smith

    so so so appreciate your honesty and transparency. you are such an encouragement to me.

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  18. Melissa Kerby

    One of life’s most valuable lessons and a basic premise of BLE seems like an oxymoron: freedom abounds with limits. Commitment IS exclusivity; submitting to monogamy facilitates and enables growth and self-actualization for numerous reasons, but for one, because it’s not easy. The importance of “happiness” is often exaggerated; it is not the highest or greatest emotion. Self-respect and respecting others, joy, peace, self-control – keeping one’s promises to oneself and others – are deeply soul-feeding and exponentially more satisfying than giving in (or submitting) to temptation. I think most of us are “polyamorous,” “restless,” or “not intimately fulfilled” in marriage often or much of the time; in fact, I would say – without a consistent and concerted effort (especially during child-rearing years) – it is the NORM to be unfulfilled, dissatisfied, or tempted to look outside marriage for something else or “more.” Like much in life, to get to a deeper level, we must dig in deeper, esp. once we have children. We have an obligation to create stable and healthy homes for our children and to role-model commitment. This demonstrates we value others as much or more than ourselves. Congratulations on your continued growth in marriage and thank you for your role-model, Susan.

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  19. Mike

    There are a number of BLE clients who are polyamorous. I know two of them intimately. Thank you for reminding me that all paths are valid, including the sweet commitment of monogamy.

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  20. Carol

    LOVE LOVE LOVE you and BLE!

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  21. Sylvie Fradette

    Dear Susan, life is so great!!! We are December 8th and I just took the time to listen to your vlog that you sent me yesterday morning December 7th. Yesterday at 11h12 Eastern Time, I wrote the text below in the Bright Lifers community Facebook page about the October 25th Accountability call where you gave me the coaching about the Mastermind groups that you are talking in the vlog. It gives me goosebumps all over about the synchrocity of all this!!!! I just love when life is marvelous like this!!! Love to you dear Susan!!!

    #Celebration
    Some of you Bright Lifers are listening to the every day accountability calls and some of you are also raising their hands to talk to Susan for coaching. This is so powerful!!!
    On October 25th, I raised my hand because I was struggling with making a commitment to a Mastermind Group. Two things happened: 1) At the end of my call, I commited to find a group and tell them that I want to have a 3 months trial, 2) Susan asked me if it was possible that I would have a block against being happy… As usual she was right on for the big subject for me.
    The result of this is that I have thought a lot about the block of being happy. I knew that this came from my childhood. So I worked it out with EFT and also be making actions to be with others and to let my joy just pop up!!!! Since I said yes to this doors, that I did not even knew could exist, just opened up in front of me making my life so much better and colorful. I feel so alive now!
    Also, I am now in a great Mastermind group and it is not just for a trial… Bonding, supporting, exchanging, listening with such great woman just grew on me and now I have fully commited to it and I actually could not leave with out it!!!! In the process I even bonded with a great buddy!!! Doing all this makes me be happier and happier each days that comes by!!!!!
    Love to the 5 wonderful woman of my “The Chrysalis” Mastermind group and to my unique and loving buddy!!!
    Yes, when I choose to commit to one thing, the other pathways are not available anymore, but my God, the path that I have chosen is so intense and powerful that I don’t even look back!!!
    Thanks again dear Susan Peirce Thompson for your listening, your wisdom and the gentle way you have to tell us difficult but important things that will help us grow!!!! Big hugs and lots of love to you!!!

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  22. Ann Kiburz

    Love your parallels. Inspiring and so right on. Keep em coming!

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  23. joan

    Thank you –that helped me a lot ! Very brave of you to be so honest .

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  24. Jennifer Emrich

    Thank you for sharing this! So much to think about in this vlog. I am so happy to hear that your marriage is in a good place again. My husband and I have been married for almost 25 years and during that time we have definitely had our ups and downs. Marriage, like anything else in life, takes work and commitment and you are so right about it being an “exclusionary” process. Every decision we make involves some sort of compromise. Thank you for being so transparent. I really love that about you. So happy to be connected to you through BLE. xoxo

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  25. Fran Otto

    I so appreciated this blog. As a Bahai and someone who has never married, I was saddened by your blog regarding “jumping off”. So this follow up was uplifting and renewed my hope because my deeper sense is that you applied the principles of Faith. I’m so glad to hear of your recommitment. Because I have never experienced that deep sense of love from a monogamous relationship , a well of tears came up . I too was promiscuous in my younger years. Having been on pilgrimage I envisioned that action of the prayers & roses at the Holy Threshold!! What a great bounty and blessing for you and David. I so appreciate this program and the gifts that you have been given. Your honesty and openness is so refreshing. The thoughts regarding commitment is inspiring and reinforces my commitment to BLE. As I transition to being in the seventies decade, I pray for guidance as to how I can contribute to the betterment of our world through healthy behaviors and increased spiritual focus! (I am a retired nurse after 47 yrs of assisting in healing). Blessings & prayers to you, your team , your husband and you daughters. Love you much.

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  26. Judy LaCroix

    OMG OMG you were talking to me!!!THANK YOU. I needed that. Blessings.

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  27. Cat

    Hi Susan, great vlog! You are so right when you talked about commitment to oneself. I had an emergency appendectomy last week, my appendix burst during surgery, although the surgeon explained this would happen, any moment I don’t think I really recognized how close I was to not being in the right place at the right time. After surgery i thought about how I seemed to never take health issues seriously, and what that meant about me. I’ve had three major surgeries in the past 10 years, 2 of them emergency surgeries. Being overweight, I need to lose 50 pounds, but that I’ve not taken seriously either, although I’m really unhappy with my body image. Listening to you and your journey is my weekly kick in the buttt, but still I commit to 2-3 days and then I’m back to my old habits. But my ah-ha moment came today, with your story. I’ve let myself go, I’m neat and tidy, but I don’t go the extra mile! It’s like I don’t think I’m worthy of that depth of self indulgence, so I’m determined to make taking care of myself, a top priority. Thank you for your continued inspiration!

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  28. Diana

    This was so timely for me and really made clear what I already knew. I remember my trainer at the gym said to me a couple of weeks ago when i was lifting some weights…crossfit..she said why don’t you just commit commit to it..and at that moment I responded as I had a ah ha moment or what I sometimes call a message moment. I said that is my problem I find it hard to committ for once in my life I need to commit to somthing. And it is a struggle I fool you not I struggle but I want to committ I want to as you said Susan get the full benefits of commitment. I am going to prepare for the grief of letting go the thing in order to get the outcome or desired results. Thank you so much.

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  29. Aviyah

    The prayers of the lady who gave you the rose petals is being answered. Walk in the light and remain true to your values. God bless you both on your journey. Thank you for sharing

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  30. Vik

    Bravo Susan !
    I have been away from BLE group interactions for a while now. Focusing on ‘BLE and me’ practically experiencing on day to day basis.
    The journey has been definitely with a lot of bumps and rocks on the way. But I’m not giving up after watching today’s vlog . As always you have stirred an emotional wave once again to be MORE Committed than ever.

    You are an honest HUMAN INSPIRATION…Qudos to you ! and THANK YOU once again.
    Vik , Ottawa, Canada

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  31. Selina Mugodi

    Thanks dear for sharing your thoughts and love for life. Yes commitment.

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  32. Teri M.

    Perfect timing Susan!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this important message, and reminding me why I need to be exclusionary in my choices. I have been veering off the path, and you just pushed me right back in the center. #bleandsusanforlife

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  33. Manpreet

    You touched my heart…am a fan and follower…but your comments on commitment are so true just the right answer to my dilemma. That’s called synchronicity. Thankyou, dear.Bless you.

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  34. Nancy

    Thank you for your extraordinary honesty and wisdom.

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  35. Jackie Stapleton

    Susan your honesty and deep commitment to BLE shines through your every word. You are a truly amazing role model. You fill my heart with love and gratitude. I’ve been a BLE person for 420 days now and am happy, thin & free thanks to what you have created and you. Thank you for being you. Love Jackie Stapleton

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  36. Liz

    Thanks… I can relate to the part where you unintentionally let him know he wasn’t first or important. It’s hard to admit it’s true, that I have put other things ahead of him consistently. Knowing he would of course still be there. Intent doesn’t really matter… what matters is really… he needs to know he is first or at least up there among the most important priorities in my life. I broke my leg and had to stop everything…. it gave me space to ask what I want for my life. I set a goal for a year from now that he would know that he is first. Not in an unhealthy way…. but really… he matters. Good goal.

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  37. Rachael

    Thank you, Susan! I appreciate you so much. You and your words are a refreshment to my soul.

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  38. M.A.

    Thank you. See, this is why you’re a good teacher — you teach from the heart, and if your heart is breaking you teach from there anyway. Nobody here but us messed-up humans, all trying to figure ourselves out. Good to hear both you and your husband are willing to work this all out!

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  39. Antoinette Mary Lincoln

    Thank you, Susan. This has been very useful and makes a lot of sense. I’ve been going through a little crisis with my BLE over the last few weeks and I now sort of understand why. It’s true, I have had to exclude stuff from my life and I suppose I am mourning some losses and I am also feeling guilty about the people involved in this. However, what you’re saying is perfectly true and I have taken confort from your words. Since I am one of a very few people doing BLE in Italy, I often feel a bit lonely and misunderstood and I’m grateful for your Vlogs because they keep me on track despite my weaknesses. Love to you and your husband. Keep up the good work!
    Love,
    Antoinette

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  40. L

    Love your honesty. Your husband, David, is a saint. You are def high maintenance lol! I have learned a lot from you though. Already tonite I have been planning what I will prepare & bring for myself to eat at my in-laws gathering on Christmas Eve. I feel so good eating with bright lines. I am in! I did the same planning at Thanksgiving & it was easy to succeed.

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  41. Deanna Napier

    Susan – my deepest and most heartfelt appreciation for your message. I love that you acknowledge the sorrow of our commitment being an exclusionary process – what wisdom! It’s so entrapping to say ‘yes’ to everything when discernment is not only good but honorable – to ourselves and those we most love. Thank you for giving oxygen to the process we need to go through as well as the example that you and David are establishing for us. May God bless you!

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  42. Gunther

    I feel sorry for David since he did not learn gratitude, emotions, and appreciations since most American men are not allowed to developed them. I sometimes I wonder why people get marry when they can’t or won’t give each other and to their children equal time like they do with their workers, their businesses, their friends, their hobbies, etc. Very refreshful honestly compare to all the outright, blatant lying.

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  43. Betty Iams

    Thank you Susan for this awesome, insightful, and inspiring vlog. You make yourself so vulnerable it effects me deeply. I’m 80 years old, and when I grow up I want to be more like you! THANK YOU.

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  44. Val

    Susan,

    You are an awesome role model. and a truly authentic human being!
    Thank you for all you do to inspire others.

    Val

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  45. Gina Heese

    This was SUCH an insightful VLOG and I need to watch it again!!
    Thank you Susan , for this “reinforcement ” of what we dp when we say YES to BLE…….it’s saying NO to many other things.
    The timing of this vlog ritin the midst of the holiday season
    Couldn’t have been better. I’m very grateful to have received this in my email!
    Thank You!

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  46. Shelagh Bradley

    Susan, thank you from the bottom of my heart for this deeply amazing vlog. Your honesty is to be admired. It encourages me to be as honest as possible with myself. I love you very much for dedicating your life to helping me and everyone else reach our potential. Your vlogs and your emails inspire me to be my best self. To really go for it. To make good choices and follow through with them. You make me realize that it is possible to rise up and require more of myself so that I can become new and improved. I feel like I know you so well from listening to you for the last several months. I think of you as a good friend even though we have never met. Thank you for everything!

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  47. Alice

    I really respect the wisdom that this blog illustrates. It is wisdom to choose what REALLY matters : family, commitment, LOVE in marriage. Your self giving shows in the way you descrbe your 4 things to truly connect with your husband. It’s so wonderful you appreciate him and that you are both taking such care of your kids, by loving each other. In our throw away, disposable culture, your commitment to staying the course of fidelity is beautiful! Those rose petals are a beautiful symbol of that love. Thank you so much for your witness and honesty about food choices and relationship choices , and being an inspiration in how to truly cherish those we are close to, especially those it’s so easy to take for granted.

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  48. Danielle

    So powerful. Thank you for your vulnerability and openness. This was amazing.

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  49. Barb

    As always, just what I needed to hear. Thank you Susan!
    Much love,
    Barb

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  50. Terry

    Beautiful and courageous vlog. So inspiring and true. Just what I needed to navigate the rest of this holiday season.

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  51. Sara

    Wow! I give you a lot of credit for revealing intimate aspects of your life–but it makes you real and makes us feel connected. Thank you for sharing.
    Important lesson to remember–we cannot “have it all” so we need to figure out what is most important and focus on that—thanks for bringing that to forefront.

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  52. Judy

    Your authentic honesty and sharing such personal details on how you moved through your huge marriage crisis with balanced view on challenges and struggles from both sides, moved me deeply.
    Thank you Susan,

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  53. Susan in California

    Excellent vlog. I thank you for dropping the other shoe: had wondered about your husband’s side of things, as I figured all you do required a good deal of support from him.

    Best wishes for your healing journey. Glad you are doing it together. The best is yet to come. Many parallels between your life and mine. Commitment is a choice, and I have never regretted mine.

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  54. Tammy

    Do you think like I do, I just assume where I go my husband goes I don’t ever invite him , I just feel he knows it,is it wrong

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  55. Carrie

    Wow, Susan…really great and poignant vlog..thank you for your honesty and openness.

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  56. Karen B

    Dearest Dr Susan…that is how I refer to you to others. WOW! Talk about being transparent, I don’t think anyone else in the world could win that race with you! Raw…coming completely from the soul. I celebrate you and David making that commitment to each other and to the gift of your precious daughters having their parents together. Believe me now, that when you are older, you will appreciate more the commitment you made to each other at this time in your life! So many will see their own story through your vlog and God only knows how many will benefit and make commitments anew. Awww…commitment….what an enlightening view and perspective you have presented. After 48 years of marriage, our story still evolves…two sons and those wonderful grandchildren that believe me make it all worthwhile. Go ahead and be all God intended you to be and change the world!! You can and are doing it! My youngest son called today, we are having our family Christmas early and he was fixing gumbo and potato salad….and I thought, well you can eat that for one day. Now after this vlog I know I won’t! I will go ahead and plan and take my own food and eat when they eat, it doesn’t matter what is on the plate, we will all be together and that is what is so important! More important is keeping my commitment to BLE and being part of the research project. You inspired and encouraged me today and for that I am so very grateful! Keep up the great work and I can’t wait for your book to come out, already preordered with Amazon. I plan on using that and having some friends join me and we become that mastermind group you speak about. Again “Thank You” for being you, for being real and bringing such healing and joy into my life. May God richly bless you and your family always and in all ways.

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  57. Rose

    This was very good and super gutsy.

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  58. Jane

    Fantastic. Well communicated Susan. I am a relationship coach and authentic responsible communication and deeper connection is what is missing in a lot of relationships. This is the new model of relationships that we now need to evolve into for relationships to work in today’s world.

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  59. Carol

    Thank you Susan. I appreciated how you took this situation apart for us, the nightly four components you use to keep your marriage together. That one has to give up things when taking on commitment.

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  60. Shira Lesin

    Thank you Susan and David for sharing of yourselves with us. May you have continued closeness, happiness , luck, Blessings and love always! Your children are so lucky to have you as parents. Happily married parents is the biggest gift that you can give them!

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  61. Ann

    In those moments when I feel negated or undervalued as a spouse or parent, I have to remind myself not to depend on others in my life for validation, because first and foremost I am a child of God. This liberates me from self-criticism, self-doubt, and defensiveness, and gives me the confidence me to be the loving, giving good person God created me to be, When being God’s child means asserting my value, I can do that from a place of self-confidence rather than desperation or neediness for outside validation.

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  62. Sharon

    Thank you for a great vlog! Great guidance. Appreciate you sharing your life.

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  63. Sheri

    Thank you Susan for your honesty. In October I joined the bootcamp, however when it came to the mastermind group, I felt like I couldn’t commit, so I left and you refunded my money. I am trying to figure out why this was an issue for me. The positive is I have been sugar and flour free since Oct 3, and feel really good. I am looking forward to your book release, and love your weekly vlogs.

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  64. John Samphier

    A successful Marriage requires Falling in love many times always with the same person!

    Being someones first love is maybe great but to be their last love is beyond perfect!

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  65. Laurie

    Thank you for this VLOG. It came just as I was considering my New Year’s resolutions.

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  66. deborah cambria

    Sounds very familiar. 31 years married. I appreciate your honesty and sharing. It makes the rest of us feel more normal

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  67. Marilyn Wells

    Susan, this is the best vlog ever! Thank you for the update and the reminder about the costs of commitment, as well as the benefits. I think this is especially appropriate for me as I think about the commitment to BLE I want to make especially over the Christmas season, to the exclusion of other things and other food. You are such an inspiration! Thank you so much!

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  68. Mich

    Wow! Powerful blog.

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  69. AMY

    What a poignant, powerful vlog! Thank you

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  70. Marjorie Erickson

    That was amazing. Thank you so much for sharing!

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  71. Lynda Hahn

    As usual Susan my dear, beauifully put, as only you can do!!
    Love you and you honesty and openness.

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  72. Katie

    polyamourous? it is just like anything else. Alcohol, drugs. This is psychobabble. EVERYTHING is now a disease to use as a reason (excuse) to do something.
    Bottom line ALL of these things are CHOICES. You say yes to them or no. No need to over analyze this stuff.

    I think she sort of says this the end.

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    1. Helen

      In line with that Katie, I seem to recall the marriage vows state “forsake all others” = that’s a commitment but perhaps too
      tough for some people…… who should not get married in the first place! However, Susan’s honesty and frankness is super.

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    2. Cris

      Yes, I was really struck by this. Couldn’t we all be called “polyamorous”? Isn’t that why marriage is a covenant made before God and others to be faithful to one person “for better or for worse”? If it were easy or instinctive to remain committed to one person for life, no vow would be necessary. It’s a *bright line*!
      Thank you for sharing such personal struggles, Susan. I’m sure that’s very difficult. And I am so happy that you and your husband are choosing to honor your wedding vows!

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  73. Kathy

    So timely, and THANK YOU for this talk. I opted out of my commitment to BLE due to choosing to “fit in” to the culture from my childhood, where I recently spent 3 months, because I knew that I couldn’t face the challenge and not believing that I had enough courage to hold my own with all family and friends with one exception, carved out by BLE, to no sugar, no flour. I’m still off sugar and flour, with one slip on returning back to my normal life. I am so grateful that I could keep that much of BLE so that now, next time I return to my childhood home, I believe can go full throttle, commit to the full out program knowing I WILL have that courage and commitment to the full program . I had a taste of “can do” with my commitment to BLE, it was slow but good, and now, after a time going back to the childhood home, I believe I will be able to follow the BLE plan fully next time I travel back. I liked your video because it lit up the courage part of me that you speak of, in your situation. Monogomy for you, will be what I expect BLE kept well, will be a turning point that will give ME an ownership I’ve never felt I could have. I will think of your vlog and what you’ve discovered for yourself. I plan to watch this again and perhaps, again. Ownership. Powerful. Freedom. Monogomy. It comes with a price, but the reward is a gift we give ourselves. So big. You are such a gift!

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  74. Lorraine Warshaw

    I so needed to hear your message in relation to lots of things going on my life. Thank you so much for your authenticity and your commitment.

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  75. Ann Seitz-Brown

    Susan, i’m continually amazed at how openly you share about your life, and how that deep sharing can change other’s lives. your words hit my heart, and encourage me to commit – daily – to my family, those in need, and my bright lines. sending you so much love and thanks.

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  76. jeanine mancusi

    What a powerful Vlog! I adore you Susan.

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  77. Mary Contrary

    Superior

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  78. Jean

    I honestly couldn’t finish your blog today. It was so close to my marriage situation, so painful to hear you express what I’ve felt, so overwhelming to feel your hurt, too, that I felt my chest contract, unable to create and tears well up and my head pounded…well you get the picture. I can only say I’m sorry for you. My ex-husband eventually walked out 32 years ago and although I felt strong enough to go on with my life, to seek the fulfillment I desired, in hindsight I’ve realized that I never fully recovered the loss of trust. My loss of trust manifested itself in negative ways. Please don’t fool yourself like I did in thinking you were handling it well. Dig deep and heal from within.

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    1. Michael Blackstone

      Hi Jean, I empathize with your pain and overwhelm. There was a good end to Susan’s vlog. They are staying together in a wonderful way, and they both dug deep.

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    2. Jennifer Emrich

      You should finish watching. I think your perspective will do a 180 if you listen to the whole thing.

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  79. Linda Smithson

    What a wonderful blog Susan, thank you!
    I would like access to the radio talks etc you mentioned were available by liking you on Facebook. I am committed 🙂 to NOT being on Facebook. Is there another way to access that information?
    Thank you and David for all that you do, you guys are an inspiration.
    P.S. how was Half Dome? When I was first dating my husband I mentioned that hiking Half Dome was something I had always wanted to do. 2 months later we were doing it, he made it happen! Been married 33 yrs! Wow.

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