Getting High on Recovery

Your “Butts” are your minds way of taking the easy way out

___

You have one life to live. How much of your life do you spend thinking about your “Butts?”

.1 Butt I’m broken.

Realize that you are stuck, not broken.

.2 Butt my mind is so hard on me.

Your mind will criticize you, throw you down and bring up your worst. Remember that your mind will do that because it tends to predict the worst and remember that most times our minds are dead-butt-wrong.

.3 Butt I have a diagnosis.

If you have a mental health diagnosis, it is wise to pay attention to what your doctors and health professionals are saying. Also, realize that you are not your diagnosis, your prognosis or your latest relapse. You may make mistakes, have bad days and yes even very bad days. But you will also have better days and yes, even very good days!

.4 Butt I have disappointed those I care about.

You are what you most care about, even if you have lapsed, relapsed or if you are struggling. You care about people, important things in your life and you will strive to improve yourself but you may also fall short. Any attempt at change can be like that.

.5 Butt I have relapsed. Again.

The times when you resist, choose to live with less of, or without your drug of choice, they show that you are not a victim or powerless. The times when you resist your anxiety, your depression, your memories or your inner-judgment machine and still do what is important to you will add up and help you to feel more alive again.

Ask yourself a question: “If I keep going, keep working at it, will this help me to become more of the person I most want to be?”

.6 Butt I’m on medication.

You may choose to take medication or participate treatment. And you may decide to try again and yet again. Medication and treatment do not have to be an end to a life of freedom or doing it on your own. Most people need glasses and they have learned that their glasses help them live the life they want.

.7 Butt I’ve tried to change my thinking and it doesn’t work.

Trying to change your thinking can work for a while, but eventually the thoughts will come back. Thoughts come and thoughts go, just like feelings come and go. If you can’t stop the thoughts or feelings from coming or going, maybe there is another way?

• • •

Stay tuned. In tomorrow’s post you will find 6 Workouts for Your Inner “Yes-Butter’
• • •

I invite you to read some of my other writing on the subject:

The Words You Use to Describe Your Mental Health May Be Making You Unhappy

Will Accepting Your Addiction or Mental Illness Really Work?

Let this Moment, Whatever Moment You Have, Be Inspired by Dr. Seuss.

This is where I am supposed to write some serious stuff about myself. But in reality, I just hope that you enjoy what I write. I hope it makes you smile, makes you feel a little lighter and enjoy your life a little more. Nope, it’s not therapy, but I am sharing the good stuff… the stuff that helps me.

If you like it, sign up for my blog and share my work. And if you want to go the extra mile, click here to vote for my page on Psych Central’s list of mental health blogs.

Photo by Mike Maguire

Keep it Real