Thought for the Week

Timothy D. Stein, MFT, CSAT

January 8, 2018

You will erase everything you had written in the book of your life up until now: restlessness, uncertainty, lies.  And in the place of all of this you will write the word courage.  By beginning the journey with that word and continuing with faith in God, you will arrive wherever you need to arrive. –Paulo Coelho

Sobriety is challenging.  Recovery is often terrifying.  Recovery asks you to let go of your old patterns.  Recovery expects you to be vulnerable and known.  Recovery demands that you love and accept yourself instead of using sex, power, money, praise, or drugs to numb out.  Recovery requires understanding and acceptance (not approval) of the experiences and behaviors of others.  Recovery is not for the faint of heart.  It requires courage and trust.  Start and continue your recovery journey with courage.

When have I given into restlessness, uncertainty, and fear?  How has holding onto these experiences shaped my life?  What gifts await me as I embrace courage, trust my higher power and the process, and move forward in recovery?