Healing is a process of tapping into your healthy self and beginning to make decisions from this part of you. This is done with acceptance of unhealthy parts of you that may have kept you stuck in ways that were not in alignment with the goals and desires you have for recovery.
When you can cultivate awareness around the different parts of you that exist and begin a conversation with different parts of yourself, you can also build trust with your healthy self. This is a catalyst to creating change and fostering your expansion and growth.
Healthy Self vs. Unhealthy Self
In reality, you have many parts of yourself. Some examples are the inner child, the rebel, the perfectionist, and the caregiver, to name a few. The different facets of you are endless and you get to determine which parts of you exist in your experience.
Within the parts of you that exist that make up your wholeness, you also have a healthy self and an unhealthy self. The unhealthy self is rooted in fear, self-preservation, anxiety, scarcity, ego, and old ways of being that have kept you safe from unpredictable and uncomfortable environments. This part of you is not bad, it just may not be serving you in the ways you need to reach your goals and potential.
Your healthy self is the part of yourself that is rooted in self-confidence, trust, and compassion. It is the part of you that can guide you toward decisions in alignment with what you truly need and that are congruent with your authenticity and truth. Recovery from substance use and mental illness requires space to get in contact with this part of you and to begin building trust with it.
Starting a Conversation
Beginning a conversation with your healthy and unhealthy selves could involve carving out space to be quiet and reflect. Although stillness may feel scary as it requires being mindful, it is also essential for cultivating a relationship with yourself rather than avoiding yourself.
It could be helpful to ask, “What does my unhealthy self have to say?” and “What does my healthy self want me to know?” Using a journal when responding to these questions could be useful to name what different parts of you are saying, thinking, and feeling. You can then recognize and separate each voice and listen to the healthy one.
Doing the Opposite
Build trust with your healthy self and begin to live from this aspect of yourself more frequently, intentionally, and consciously so new ways of living can manifest. This often requires you to do the opposite of what you have previously done to experience a different reality.
Growth asks you to leave your comfort zone, which can feel scary and unsafe at first, especially as you practice doing the opposite. It is also the medicine needed to come home to yourself and leave that which is not supportive of your wellness.
Learning to trust your healthy inner self may feel challenging at first, especially when your unhealthy self is loud. At Avalon Malibu, we recognize how hard it can be to trust yourself and know change is possible, especially if what you desire has not happened yet. Our team of professionals is here to support you as you continue to take strides in your healing and build trust with different parts of you. Call Avalon Malibu today at (844) 857-5992 to learn about our recovery programs.
