Recovery is a long-process because you are not simply learning how to stay away from drugs.
Of course, that’s of utmost importance.
It’s a given. It’s a start and a pre-requisite for life change.
It has to happen in order for you to move forward or to make any progress in Recovery,
but there is just so much more.
As I sit here and type, I am over 8 years in.
I have physically been in Recovery for 8 short years.
However, I have fumbled around and messed up about 4,557,903 times
……….in my mind.
I learned a lot in school by learning about the psychology of Addiction.
It really helped me to understand my own journey with drugs, alcohol, and coming back from severe depression and negative body image.
My mind is what controls how I feel and what I do.
My perception is also relative, and is not allowed to dictate everything I experience either.
I know that internal conversation definitely has an impact my Recovery.
Here are two things that I have am mindful of on a daily basis:
*Where I let my mind wander.
The mind is a powerful thing. We can’t always dream of rainbows and butterflies and prance around with smiles on our faces…but people who are in Recovery from drug-addiction need not allow their minds to get on a negative setting.
I don’t know about you, but this spirals pretty quickly if it’s allowed. For me, it is usually guilt that leads to self-doubt and I certainly don’t need any help. I am an expert when it comes to reminding myself of what I was, or who I use to be.
I can be pretty convincing, and I know it, definitely my own worst (and meanest) critic.
That sneaky whisper of self-doubt tends to creep in and take over if I let it, and I have to be mindful to immediately combat it with the truth.
Lots of truth.
*What I listen to, who I listen to, and what advice I am going to take.
The radio, social media, tv, email. Messages everywhere. Everyone always has a message.
People often give advice and people love to hear themselves ‘justifiably’ talk about other people.
This one, like all else in our lives- we only have control over so much. We have to pick and choose very carefully if we want to stay true to ourselves.
Who I am is pretty important to how I function as a woman in Recovery, a person who loves Jesus, and as a wife, mommy, and friend. Staying true to who I am is important to me. I have lines, boundaries, clear places I will go and won’t go now.
If I lose sight of who I am, other things begin to fall as well.
I just make sure that I stay on track with who I am as an individual.
These are only two of a laundry list of things that are important in my everyday, real-life Recovery.
We all have different things we tend to focus more on as we progress on our individualized journey.
Does the way that you think impact your day-to-day Recovery?