We might think of our attitude, our outlook, and our ways of thinking and feeling as all being totally separate from our recovery. We think of our recovery as abstinence from our drug of choice, and all the work we do as part of our recovery program – the therapy, the support group meetings, communicating with our sponsor, completing the steps of our programs. We might think of our internal belief systems and thought patterns as having nothing to do with our sobriety, but as we come to learn, they have everything to do with it.
Open Your Heart
When we have an attitude of cynicism, skepticism, and pessimism, we are closing our hearts to the possibility of healing. We are sending ourselves a very clear message that we don’t believe recovery is possible, and that we don’t see ourselves being able to get sober. We are telling ourselves we don’t have faith in ourselves. Our perspective on recovery, and on ourselves, can have a drastic impact on our behaviors and our choices. If we don’t believe sobriety is possible for us, we might be that much more inclined to pick up our drug of choice because we think relapse is inevitable and out of our control. We come to believe that our efforts are futile, so we stop trying. When we’re closed off to our healing, we don’t open up to the people who can help us. We don’t dig deep in therapy. We don’t confide in people. We don’t trust the people who are there to help us recover. We harden our hearts and don’t strive to make amends to the people we’ve hurt, causing us more pain and suffering in the long run and stalling our recovery.
An attitude of openness and hopefulness, on the other hand, can literally make all the difference in the world. When we’re open to healing, it comes to us in the form of helpful people, resources and other sources of support, better circumstances, and all the cooperative components we need to help us in our recovery. The energy we apply to our healing is what we use to manifest, and whether that is ultimately more struggle or increased odds of a full recovery is entirely up to us.
The Guest House is a welcoming and supportive recovery home where you will be met with open arms, wherever you are on your journey, without judgment or expectation. Call 855-483-7800 today for more information.