The only thing you have to change is everything it is often said in recovery. Getting sober seems intimidating because many people assume they have to give up and change their whole lives. Ironically that mind state indicates the deeply enmeshed role drugs and alcohol plays in ones life. The power of habit is real and the substances we choose to abuse are but a symptom of deeper habits. Getting sober is primarily a process of changing ones habits from unhealthy and destructive to healthy and productive. Whether or not you give up your entire life is really a choice you have to make.
Jails, Institutions, and Crime
In recovery we call it the “wreckage of our past”. The truth is some of us have pasts we both don’t want to and shouldn’t go back to. Many of us resorted to crime, were imprisoned, and lived a life that our us in constant danger. Returning to such Alice would threaten our safety, sanity, and sobriety. Getting sober also means growing enough to be able to give back to others. Thousands of people who come from such a past end up being of service to those still out there bringing the message of sobriety to prisons,mentoring others, and supporting local communities.
The Illusion Of Success
Addiction and alcoholism does not always end in destruction. In fact some of the most insidious stories are those of people who were high functioning. To be a high functioning addict or alcoholic means to live a productive and successful life on the surface. Beneath, however, there is pain and anguish. Some have careers, families, house payments and lives they can’t just up and leave. Recovery is an opportunity to return to lives we love and love them in a whole new way.
Being an open book
Recovery is a powerful and transformational experience. More than changing things on the outside recovery is about making change on the inside. You’ll have a chance to redefine your life in whatever way serves you best. The possibilities are endless. That is the gift of recovery.
