Me?

I left my former career behind and started nursing school at age 50.

You?

;o)



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2012 04:37PM by shannon.

I drink an occasional beer when I want, and, don't waste time thinking about or doing things for TSCC. For me, that is a big change.

I quit torturing myself every Sunday.
I quit letting members in my house to torment me.
I quit giving them money.

My marriage has gotten a lot better, which is surprising since my husband still considers himself LDS, despite not really living the life right now. I think in a way he'd like to go back because he never really let it get to him in the first place - never pressured himself to be a Peter Priesthood or do his callings and just naturally didn't drink, even coffee or tea. He always just sort of did what he wanted to but kept most of the rules cause that's who he is.

I was always pressuring him to be more of a Peter Priesthood and for our family to be one of the big deal families in the ward. He never wanted to work that hard so we were always butting heads about who he was v. who I wanted him to be. Now that I don't want him to be that ideal Mormon boy any more, we don't fight nearly as often. We have a lot more fun together and appreciate each other a lot more. I'd say I'm a recovering Mormon woman but I think I've totally recovered from being THAT Mormon woman who is trained to keep her man in line with the Mormon agenda. Funny thing was, a huge part of the appeal of Mormonism was their promise of a happy family yet leaving Mormonism made our family literally 10 times happier.

This. Fortunately we both left so she has stopped trying to make me the next GA and I've stopped trying to make her fit the molly mormon mold. Our marriage and life satisfaction has increased exponentially. We accept each other for who we are not what the latest mormon regime says we should be.

+1

My marriage has also improved for these same reasons as well.

Tank tops. I wear them now, as an outer-shirt. As opposed to under. ;)

I expose my shoulders ;)

TG

Good for you Shannon! :) I've gotten on RfM, and I like it.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2012 12:22PM by hope.

I've accepted myself.

I've realized that just because the things I want out of life don't fit into some predetermined plan TSCC had for me doesn't mean they aren't valid options, and pursuing them doesn't make me a bad or selfish person.

Awesome career choice, shannon! (I'm making that same career change next year.)

So far, in the three months since I apostasized/woke up, I have:

Quit going to church, paying tithing and attending activities
Auditioned for and made it into a choir that I had always longed to join
Ditched the garments for regular cute underwear and sleeveless tops (woo hoo!)
Realized that I already had my own moral code all along, and have started to live it.

I have come home to myself long at last (I was in my mid 40s when I "lost" my belief). I am free of:

* Freindships built only on membership into the cult
* Itchy hot garments
* Losing 10 percent of my income
* Trying into the box labeled "LDS woman"
* Certain scruples that limited me as a writer

And my two great kids are out with me as well. They have such a life to look forward to!

And best of all, I can think for myself. (TBM husband hates that, LOL).

I finally admitted to family and myself I'm gay, and am getting divorced.

Best of luck to you Xyandro.

;o)

The obvious one changes, like not giving away all my time and talents to the church.

But one of the best changes of all is not constantly feeling like ghosts are spying on me. I don't feel shame about having kinky (subjective term, of course) sex or masturbating.

My very favorite, though: INTELLECTUAL HONESTY. And not fearing for my children's mental well-being, as I am not raising them in the cult.

I no longer allow toxic family members to try and steer my life.
I am intellectually honest,
and I have realized that I am a good person, and always was.

That's probably the biggest change :)

Still like to drink, party, and get freaky, but in a much more healthy way now. I'm wayyyyy more honest. I don't keep up any sort of false pretenses. My social life aside, I became the man my mother raised me to be. I had to LEAVE religion to do that. And it feels damn good.

I don't judge other people anymore. That's the number 1 thing I hate about mormons. Always looking down their noses at other people. I like to mind my own business.

No guilt

No depression

Better off financially

Not so judgemental

Dropped 10lbs and have kept it off

Way cuter clothes :)

I no longer fear death.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/18/2012 04:42PM by flanders.

sex is A LOT BETTER!

I am more open and honest than I was as a mormon. No more hidden agenda to appear perfect and baptize everyone.


I am able to have friends and be normal.

Started working on myself for real instead of pretending to always have all the answers, pretending to be perfect.

What a hideous burden gone.

Discovered that the private victories are what lead to joy and living a compassionate life.

And those take place in the present.


Anagrammy

I went back at the age of 45 and graduated at 48. Certainly changed my quality of life, not just monitarily, but in the enjoyment and fulfillment I get out of work. I would never have seen myself here when I was a young, struggling, mormon wife and mother. The next biggest change was getting the hell outta Utah--so far away that I do a double take when I run across someone that even looks mormon. It's just so rare. LOVE IT!

Since it's just one of many, many churches, and it causes confusion, I refer to it at the Mormon church. I refuse to use that horribly long name they like to use sometimes.

Wanna see confusion, see somebody from the East coast talking to somebody from Utah, when one of them says "The Church."

What do you mean, the Catholic Church or the Mormon Church? It's just much less confusing if you say "the Mormon Church."

T-Bone

I'm pretty much the same person I was when I was active (I was never TBM), but after being out of the cult for 10 years, I was able to figure out that I'm asexual. That was nearly 2 years ago.

Been able to really start to forgive others because this life is it!

Quit acting as if I were what I was expected to be, and started being who and what I really am.

I'm able to be my authentic self instead of trying to fit the one size fits all thing of Mormonism. It's also nice having guilt-free sex and being able to save that 10% of my income instead of having it go to build a mall that I have no desire to visit.

I'm much happier.

And way sexier.