A year can feel like an eternity, depending on your perspective. Changing your perspective changes the way you relate to time. The saying “One day at a time” is popular in recovery communities for this reason. Rather than trying to digest the entirety of a lifetime without drugs, alcohol, addictive behaviors, or relationships, people are encouraged to take things one day at at time. When times are especially difficult to deal with, they are encouraged to take things one hour at a time, even one minute at a time. Philosophically, the approach is sound. There is science to approve that taking things in life at smaller quantities proves to be beneficial in the long run. All we have is now, and now, and now, and now.
Micro-Goals and Micro-Progress
Many people avoid the life changing decision to seek treatment for trauma, an addiction, or a related issue, because that decision is indeed life-changing. Everything changes when you choose to change everything. At what is most commonly a peak of pain and suffering in someone’s life, trying to comprehend everything is overwhelming. As a result, people feel paralyzed in their ability to make a decision. Continuing in their harmful behaviors, their patterns perpetuate rather than come to a halt or transform. Getting started- asking for help, calling a treatment center or a friend- is the hardest part. Breaking down recovery into tangible pieces makes the process easier:
Ask for helpCall a treatment centerArrange treatmentPack for treatmentGet to treatmentAnd many steps in between
These steps are called micro-goals. Accomplishing micro-goals leads to micro-progress, or taking things one step at a time. Rather than trying to tackle such a broad perspective, or a large amount of steps, creating micro-goals and moving in steps of micro-progress is manageable. Recovery is about creating manageability in a life that has become unmanageable. Micro-goals are manageable. Micro-progress moves life forward.
“What’s so striking about applying this law of motion to productivity,” writes New York Times columnist for “Smarter Living” Tim Herrera, “is that once you shift your thinking into this frame – I’ve started being productive, so I’m going to keep being productive – you achieve those micro-goals at what feels like an exponentially increasing rate without even realizing it.” Life in recovery gets easier the easier we take it. Making recovery manageable makes recovery easier until living a lifestyle of recovery becomes effortless. Change is possible. Recovery is waiting.
Come to treatment where your every need is considered like a concierge at a five star hotel. Our private treatment programs offer care for trauma, addictions, and related mental health issues. Focusing on total rehabilitation of mind, body, and spirit, our programming provides an environment of health and wellness for complete recovery. Call us today for information: 1-855-483-7800