Thought for the Week

Timothy D. Stein, MFT, CSAT

October 10, 2016

“One doesn’t discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time.” –Andre Gide

Recovery is a process of “discovering new lands.”  We are moving away from known behaviors, known patterns, and known beliefs.  This cannot be done by staying in “known waters.”  You must take the risk and journey into the unknown, often moving forward without the comfort of a reference point, trusting that something new awaits you.  A life of recovery does not replace a life of addiction smoothly and comfortably.  You let go of a life of addiction, and trust that through your program and recovery community you will find the life of recovery you seek.

What behaviors, patterns, and beliefs have I hung onto out of fear?  What changes have I made when I have trusted?  What gifts await me if I trust my program and community and allow myself to lose sight of land (known addiction) and travel toward something new?