I know that when I say things out loud; it makes them more real, which makes it harder for me to ignore them or stuff them away. Maybe it seems strange that I talk to myself, but when I do it only in my head, I risk being less than honest. When I say it out loud, I notice the ways in which I might be justifying, rationalizing, or minimizing.
Learning How to Have Fun Sober
Fun is life affirming. It provides release and reduces stress, depression, and anxiety. It gives us things to look forward to in the midst of hard work and change.
How Do I Ask for Help?
Somewhere between shame and fear is this place where unfamiliar steps seem impossible to take. It’s not that they’re difficult to understand. They’re uncomfortable, and so we go looking for softer, gentler ways to get what we need.
Overcoming Anxiety (Coping Strategies)
Learning to cope with anxiety through specific coping strategies allows us to improve our holistic health and reduce our use of unhealthy distractions.
Redirection and Self-Blame
Redirection – the horrible art of making everything our fault. Let’s examine this and move away from it!
Coming Back from Burnout
Burnout is generally understood as doing too much for too long. I’ve come to see that it’s never what I do that burns me out. It’s what I don’t do: self-care, coping, letting go, fulfilling responsibilities to myself, relaxation, fun, and most of all, seeking reciprocity in my relationships.
Taking Care of the Inner Child
As cliched as the inner child concept is, it’s incredibly useful. It’s what Freud called our “id” – the part of us that feels, wants, and needs. Freud said that every decision and action we make is a result of conflict between our Id and our Superego.
Why Willingness Is Everything
I’ve learned over and over again that wanting it isn’t enough. Even needing it isn’t enough. It sounds a bit cold but I routinely ask people who are considering change, “What are you willing to do?”
Stop Trying to Find Yourself and Start Building Yourself
We don’t “find” ourselves. We don’t wake up one day with a giant epiphany about who we are and what our purpose(s) are. What it’s really about is accepting the responsibility of developing an identity.
Creating Healthy Relationships in Recovery
Building healthy relationships is no small undertaking. Let’s explore worthwhile investments in building healthy partnerships!