Congratulations my friend, you are in recovery! You may be saying, “I know dude. You didn’t have to remind me.” Or maybe you’re more like, “You dad gum right I’m in recovery! Watch out world!” Your response can simply depend on the time of day.
You’ll find that your thoughts are on a roller coaster, and they can change moment to moment. At one point, it’s easy to be fixated on what you had to give up instead of what you have to gain as if they both hold a similar value. They don’t. Another time of day, you’re excited about where your new life can take you.
Everyone’s path is different, but there are a good number of similarities no matter who you are or what your drug of choice was. I believe it’s essential to know many of the potential obstacles of early recovery, so you’re not thrown for a loop and derailed.
An Incredible Opportunity Awaits
I know when I first stepped into recovery, all I could think was how the hell I was going to make it through to the other side. At the very beginning, the only thing I looked forward to was the slightest reprieve from the misery I was feeling. I was coming off a ten-year opioid addiction, and the only thing that seemed to work was a hot bath or a good laugh. (Yes, your laugher box is still operational.)
It started very hard and over time it got easier. It’s like accomplishing most anything that matters, it’s most challenging at the beginning and gets easier over time. Day after day, it would get better and better, and in time, there I was. A much different person. A much better person. I wasn’t prepared for how good life was going to be. The promises were being fulfilled. .
Right now, you’re investing in the promises by doing the right things, making good decisions, believing you can do this, and preparing to win. You keep your promises, and the program will keep its promises.
I’m a testimony to that. I love what I do, and I’m achieving more than I ever could have imagined because God has no bounds, and with Him, I have no bounds. It’s your turn. Take charge and don’t look back. I want you to remember that you have the power to tell your life where to go instead of wondering where it went. Don’t wait and see what happens. Make it happen.
In your addiction, you were on a one-way track to total life ruin and maybe even death, but you were fortunate to get a U-turn. You barreled through the warning signs, and your road back can be a bit bumpy too. Don’t be discouraged.
You see, most people wander through life just getting by or hoping some great opportunity will fall in their laps, and they probably couldn’t handle it if it did. With no real purpose to guide them, they have no motivation or drive. They simply exist.
According to an Australian nurse who authored the book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. the top regret expressed by people at the end of their lives is that they didn’t have the courage to live true to themselves. Instead, they lived the life that others expected of them. They looked back and saw the many hopes and dreams that slipped by one by one.
I bet they wish they had got a wake-up call. Your addiction is yours. You’ve been given another chance. The reset button has been activated for another chance to follow your passions, to love your life, and to fulfill your dreams.
if you can grab a hold of the opportunity in front you and see it through, you’ll look back at your addiction as the best thing that ever happened to you. You too can share your awesome tale of transformation and how your blessings, too numerous to count, have overflowed your cup and spilled over to family, friends, and the world.
You’ve Prepared for This
Believe it or not, you have accumulated great wisdom over the last few years. Your addiction has shown you a side of life that you no longer want to engage. Seeing the dark side of life should make you eager to run to the light and warn others of the traps and dangers. You got to see firsthand the work of God in your life to get you to this point, and he’s not done with you. Not even close. Be the miracle you want to see in your lifetime. You already have more going for you than you may realize.
Tangled thoughts will soon unravel, and you’re beginning to understand what really matters in this world and what doesn’t, what’s good and what’s evil, who is on your side and who isn’t. where to invest your time and resources and where not to.
You were in bondage, and your rescue is still underway. Strive to maintain courage, follow your new path, and cease the opportunity to transform your life, and you will experience true freedom like never before and have the power to preserve it.
We often don’t fully appreciate what we have in our lives until it’s taken away or almost taken away. That includes our loved ones and the people that care. You’ve likely come to appreciate the place people have in your life, and although recovery is primarily about you for now, your love of others is emerging.
You also have compassion for your fellow addicts because you know what they’re going through. A compassion and love that you may not have had before will make all the difference. Embrace the shift in your heart because it is other people who make your life worth living.
You personally came to know how powerful your mind can be. The goal, however, is to get your mind working for you instead of against you.
An enormous amount of time and effort we spent in your addiction. It became the most important thing in your life. Something had to give. With your addiction as your top priority, it pushed other things of major importance down the list. As a result, your family, personal development, work performance, and anything else of value suffered the consequences.
The good news is that now you’re not chasing the whims of your addiction, your valued priorities slide back into top position, and that includes your recovery. This is a time to be intentional about how you spend your time and your attention.
The barrier that kept you from experiencing life has been removed. I’m referring to truly living in the moment. As your new clarity sets in, try to slow down, become aware of the now, look people you love in the eyes, get into their worlds, especially your spouse and kids, and notice your new ability to really feel the moment.
Mindfulness is something most substance abusers haven’t experienced for a long time, if ever. In our addictions, we were good at living for the moment, but that’s vastly different than living in the moment. This may sound weird like some “be one with the world” hocus pocus, but if you can get a hold of mindfulness, it’s really cool.
Our minds are so often focused on what we need to do or the next thing on the list, reviewing the day, or caught up in TV or social media, and we miss the only thing we really have, and that is the present, now. Stop, smell the roses, and be where you are – totally.
Meditation is one way a lot of people achieve and improve mindfulness, and it may be something you’ll want to consider. I encourage you to not take on some religious doctrine or any weird chants, but if the relaxation properties help with stress, depression, or anxiety, it might be a good way to go. It’s not in my realm of expertise.
With fourteen years of recovery and as a Life and Performance Coach, I’ve seen some amazing things from some amazing people. Most of them never considered themselves to be amazing, and in their humility, most of them still won’t admit it, but their lives testify to the bad asses they are.
They are exceedingly grateful for what they have and for who they’ve become. Any shame and condemnation they once knew are distant memories, and their secrets now serve them, not harm them. They take responsibility for their actions, and they know where they are headed. They don’t apologize for their success, and they give the credit to God They know their days are numbered and don’t allow them to be wasted. They choose happiness. They are not confused, but confident. They fearlessly tell their stories and impact many.
I’ve found that in almost every case, the people I work with are smart, hard-working, and tend to persevere in the face of adversity. Some of these traits were already there, and others were developed and fine-tuned in recovery.
You too can discover your unique and powerful mission in this world and make a difference. What’s your passion? What are you good at? What problem, plight, crisis, or injustice would you like to fix if you could? What’s your prayer? You have more power and ability than you know. Stay the course, one step at a time, invest in yourself and the walls and problems will be no match for your unstoppable momentum.