Recovery from mental illness and substance use is only possible with a focused recovery mindset. This can be done by having a recovery mentality that you create space for yourself to reach fulfillment in your goals, your relationships, and your life.
Growth Mindset
When it comes to cultivating any sort of change in your life, you must have a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset in recovery means you believe in your capacity to change and grow, even when it feels hard. This differs from a fixed mindset, which focuses on all of the ways in which you cannot change because of how and where you are now.
Orienting your mindset toward growth is the very thing that allows you to experience it. When you believe in your ability to make progress, you start to do so.
Healing Is Not Linear
Perfectionism convinces you that healing is linear and happens in a straight line without any bumps or setbacks. It also perpetuates the idea that healing has a set timeline and a destination to reach. Having a perfectionist mindset does not allow space for self-compassion and self-acceptance to be cultivated throughout your healing journey.
Healing is not linear. There will be breakthroughs, plateaus, and little setbacks along the way. If it was easy, it would not be healing. There will also never come a point where you can say your healing journey is over. This path is one that continually builds on itself to make you better.
Accepting Where You Are
It is not uncommon in any healing journey to feel as if you “should” be healed by now. Comparing your journey to someone else’s is a natural human inclination, but it is rarely helpful.
Regardless of what feels hardest to accept within yourself and your journey now, allow this to serve as an invitation to accept where you are rather than measuring yourself against someone else.
Sometimes you may fall into the trap of believing if you accept where you are, change will not happen. However, self-acceptance is the very thing that allows you to gain momentum toward creating change in your life, as you will no longer be resisting it.
Healing from mental illness and substance use is not linear. Having a growth-oriented mindset that fosters self-compassion and allows you to meet yourself where you are is essential in recovery. At Avalon Malibu, we understand how challenging it can be to change old ways of thinking, whether that be in healing from mental illness or substance use. Our team of professionals is here to support you as you begin to lean into recovery and experience holistic wellness. If you are struggling to do this alone, call Avalon Malibu today at (844) 857-5992.
