Thought For Today 5/6/2011: Being positive in Recovery

Hi Dee,

I just wanted to send you a quick "Thank You" for your above "Thought of the Day" as it hit "home" for me in many ways as well. I realize that not all people in recovery attend 12-Step Meetings, but whether or not a person chooses to do so along the path of their own recovery, there are many good qualities & lessons to be learned from others who have had success within these rooms. In many meetings, there are years of good sobriety from others who have gone through the same experiences as many of us have or are currently going through as well. And you are right- as a newcomer, who would want to go into a meeting where everyone is negative & miserable throughout their recoveries? I really appreciated your quote as follows:

“In time, we can relax and enjoy the atmosphere of recovery.”

"Imagine what would happen if a newcomer walked into one of our meetings and was met by a group of grim-faced people gripping the arms of their chairs with white knuckles. That newcomer would probably bolt, perhaps muttering, “I thought I could get off drugs and be happy.”

Thankfully, our newcomers are usually met by a group of friendly, smiling folks who are obviously fairly content with the lives they’ve found in Narcotics Anonymous. What an enormous amount of hope this provides! A newcomer, whose life has been deadly serious, is strongly attracted by an atmosphere of laughter and relaxation. Coming from a place where everything is taken seriously, where disaster always waits around the next corner, it’s a welcome relief to enter a room and find people who generally don’t take themselves too seriously, who are ready for something wonderful.

We learn to lighten up in recovery.

Just for today:
I can laugh at myself. I can take a joke. I will lighten up and have some fun today.


Remember, how we appear to others seeking recovery is important. Just thinking about going into recovery can be a scary event as we all know. We are afraid of the withdrawal, being alone and what others might say about us.
Try and reach out to someone who needs your help, show them that although recovery is not always a walk in the park, it is well worth the work we put into it. What we put into our recovery we are given back several times over. Especially when we reach out to someone else."

Thank you for the wise words & reminders that the "newcomer" is the most important person, as well as how we portray ourselves in recovery to make that newcomer want to stick around!! I know that if I had been shunned in the beginning of my own recovery, it would've certainly deterred me from wanting to continue on this pathway of my own recovery. As we all know, it is a struggle to stick to this journey & it requires work on a daily basis. We all need help throughout this- no one that I know of has been able to do it alone. Again, thank you for that reminder that we all need each other, filled with compassion, hope & understanding!! How would we ever make it through this battle without these people that offer us these emotions? You are a true inspiration of what that type of person is & for that, you have touched the lives of so many struggling people! Thanks again, Dee!

Your friend working on staying positive in recovery,
Beth

Beth, I can remember years ago (1989) My children were mere toddlers and I was heavily using pain pills. I had to get help but back then I didn't know where to go. I only knew that I needed something, anything that would lead me back to who I knew I could be.

I went into a residential facility. It was an abstinence/Christian based program. When I got there I was scared out of my mind. But there was this one young woman there. She was friendly, outgoing, encouraging and had that healthy glow of happiness that I wanted.
I wanted what she had. I believe that if it weren't for seeing her, I probably would have turned around and left after that first day. I know that I have messed up after that and that I went through many more programs before getting to the point that I am today.
But that one experience has always stayed with me. I don't think it matters whether or not you succeed in your recovery that first time. What does matter is the resources and tools that you build up so that one day you are able to be successful.
Each program that I have been in has given me something important to carry with me. I treasure every moment along with every beginning.