Succeeding at recovery looks different for everyone, but we all question whether or not we really can be successful in our recovery. Keeping up with your recovery is a lifelong journey. You must work at it every day to be successful. Although there will be challenges, it’s worthwhile.
How you think about yourself and your recovery will infiltrate your progress. It’s important to have self-talk that helps you rise to the occasion. The more belief you have in yourself, the better equipped you’ll be to stay on the path to recovery.
Not All Self-Belief Is Positive
The thoughts you have about yourself and your recovery influence the actions you take to continue, or not continue, working on your recovery. When you think of self-belief, you may not think of that negative, nagging voice in your head that tells you that you aren’t good enough. That belief that you aren’t worthy is negative self-belief.
Positive self-belief, on the other hand, is when you challenge the negative self-belief you are having. With positive self-belief, you give yourself the confidence to take down that inner critic. The inner critic will always be there, but it’s how you deal with it that matters.
You Are Right
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right,” said Henry Ford. This encapsulates the self-fulfilling prophecy that we deal with. If you think you’re going to succeed in your recovery, you probably will. But if you think you aren’t going to succeed, you probably won’t.
Our actions are linked to our thoughts, so the more negative we think, the more negative our behaviors will be. The same goes for positive thoughts and positive behaviors. They are forever linked.
Putting a Stop to Your Inner Critic
Putting a stop to your inner critic isn’t always easy. The longer we have been thinking negatively, the deeper those trenches are going to be. It’s hard to climb out from the hole we’ve been digging ourselves for so long. To put a stop to your inner critic, you’ve got to challenge those negative thoughts that have become automatic. You may know them as, I can’t, I’m not, or I shouldn’t.
You may even question what others may think of you, which can piggyback off of one of these automatic thoughts. The longer you think like this, the more time it will take to break the habit. When you are having a negative, automatic thought, put a stop to the thought. Literally tell yourself “stop!” Creating that space between yourself and the thought helps to give you the space to replace the negative thought with a positive one.
Using a Thought Journal
Thought journals are a relatively simple concept that can make a world of a difference. If you don’t have a journal, use a scrap piece of paper. Keep it as simple as you need. Write down the negative, automatic thoughts you’re having. Then, write the feeling that is associated with that negative, automatic thought. Once you’ve done those two things, write a reframed thought.
This reframed thought should relate to the original situation, but be a positive thought. For example, if you are having the negative, automatic thought that you can never do something right, reframe that thought that you are doing the best you can and that, with practice, you will get better.
The Way We Talk About Self-Belief Matters
Very often, we notice self-belief in others. We may even tell our friends that they should be confident when they are feeling like they can’t do something. Why, then, do we tell ourselves the opposite? Why do we have a negative reaction to self-belief when it’s ourselves, but a positive one when it’s the ones we love? The way we talk about self-belief matters.
You should approach your own self-belief in the same way that you would talk to a friend or even a young child. You will most likely remind them to be positive, but when it comes to yourself, you’re often being too harsh. This could be because we often talk about self-belief as being selfish or cocky. This couldn’t be farther from the truth, however. Believing in yourself doesn’t equate to being selfish or cocky. You need positive self-belief in your life to be successful. This includes success in your recovery.
Can I Really Succeed at Recovery?
Yes, you can! You can be successful in your recovery from substance use. You can be successful in your recovery from depression and anxiety. You can be successful! It’s going to take some hard work and dedication, but you are able to succeed when you put your mind to it. Take a close look at what is holding you back and release yourself from those things. You’ve got this! Start to believe it!
The Guest House is here to help you be successful in your recovery. We offer a plethora of programs that can help you succeed in your recovery from substance abuse or co-occurring mental health issues. Call us today at (855) 372-1079. We can’t wait to speak with you and get you started in one of our programs today. Our trained and experienced staff can give you more information about what we offer, so don’t be afraid to call now. We can’t wait to speak with you!