Reflections on the Road to Recovery from alcoholism -Negative thinking

          

  Reflections................................on the Road to Recovery

                                         
                                       Negative thinking


"Alcoholics tend to default to negative thinking."

Negative thinking steals our happiness, joy and freedom sometimes without our even realizing it. If we stay in this state of negative thinking we can easily drift toward the idea of escaping through alcohol, drugs or any other addiction.


Try this test:  For the next 10 days, stop for a moment 5 times per day and think about what your thinking about.

Were your thoughts positive or negative?

Optimistic or pessimistic?

Peaceful or anxious?

Try replacing these negative thoughts with  peaceful prayers, slogans or music- One example people use regularly is the Serenity prayer.

Reflections on the Road to Recovery from alcoholism- Part 2 of 2- Self-Caring

  

               Reflections.............................on the Road to Recovery
    



                                            Part 2 of 2- Self-caring


I recently read about a tool that I have started using and really like. Even when we are on a new path, a good path of recovery and wholeness, we are going to make mistakes - do things we don't like - and although we know they were wrong and we make an amend, to either another, ourselves, or God - we at times continue to beat ourselves up - feeding the "I'm not a very good person syndrome". We learned from our mistake, asked for forgiveness,  and want to go a new direction - but still the self-condemnation continues.

So the tool I was given goes something like this- Write a letter to yourself about the mistake. However, write it from the perspective of what you would tell someone… who made a similar mistake... someone. you really cared about. 

If you were talking to this person who was trying to get better, to be a good person, do the right things... wouldn't you offer a word of encouragement? Wouldn't you suggest they let this thing go and move forward? Wouldn't you point out all the progress they had made in so many other areas? Wouldn't you remind them we are not perfect, just frail human beings on a spiritual path?

Write the letter from the perspective of a caring and loving friend.

Update for viewers of Under Construction: Clean, Sober and in Recovery

I recently encountered a technical problem which resulted in emails on new posts not being sent out.  It appears the issue has been resolved.

For those of you who have subscribed by email you should once again receive new posts as I publish them.

If you have been viewing this blog and want to receive new posts by email I have added a link that describes how to complete the process.

Please pass this blog site along to anyone in recovery you believe would find it useful.

Blessings, Rick H.

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=663810386143408807#editor/target=page;pageID=4945986439419351181

Reflections on the Road to Recovery from alcoholism - Part 1 of 2- Self-Esteem

   

      

                                      
                     Reflections......................................... on the Road to Recovery


In recovery it takes time and positive actions to build self-esteem.  When we were drinking we did all kinds of things we hated- but we did them anyway. In sobriety, it takes time to even begin to like ourselves. There are many tools that are available to help us with building self-esteem. This would definitely include working the 12 steps. 

 Another simple idea- "If you want self-esteem do esteem-able things."

However what about when we make mistakes- do things that are not esteemable?

Watch for the next post. "Self-caring"

Helping others -Reflections on the Road to Recovery from alcoholism

    
                     Reflections ............................on the Road to Recovery

                                   
                                             Helping others (12)
 
One day I informed my home group that I was worried about things in my life, that I felt depressed, and my spirituality was not very good. I asked them to help fix this (me).

They replied almost immediately and unanimously. "Help someone else - anybody."

Why do you think they said this?

Do you find that this "tool" works for you?

What do you think about the "anybody" (meaning the person doesn't necessarily have to be an alcoholic) part of the statement?