Thought for the Week

Timothy D. Stein, MFT, CSAT

April 23, 2018

Recovery is not blazing a trail alone.  On the contrary, it is walking a well-worn path with peers all supporting each other while traveling to the same destination.

Blazing a trail has its time and place.  Recovery is not one of them.  Addicts who try to invent a new wheel often do themselves and those around them more harm than good.  While it is true that every recovery program is, to some extent, unique, it is also true that a good recovery program is a variation on a proven theme.  Those who succeed in recovery take advantage not only of the knowledge and wisdom of their peers but also of the knowledge and wisdom of those who have gone before them.  Embrace the collective wisdom of others who have walked the path before you and recovery will be more successful.

When have I tried to do things my own way in recovery?  What has been the result?  What gifts await me as I walk the well-worn path?