Living with addictions and mental health issues can feel like an uphill battle, like a fight we aren’t meant to win. Much of our energy goes to fighting our issues, to the relentless struggle of trying to change, and we find ourselves drained and depleted. We have a tendency to dwell on the mistakes of the past, on today’s difficult circumstances, on the likelihood that tomorrow will be the same, full of difficulty and pain. What if we started to see things in a new way – that every day is a new day?
We come to believe that we are powerless when in fact we are anything but. We are powerful, capable and strong. We can make choices every day that reflect this. Sometimes we fall into patterns of defaulting to the same choices, thoughts, behaviors and decisions. It can be hard to break these patterns, but we can look at each day as a new chance for growth, for possibility, for change. We can have hope.
To move forward in this way, we can start by taking inventory of what has not worked for us in the past. What choices did you make that you would make differently now that you know more? Now that you’ve learned more, what kinds of things would you differently? Tomorrow is a new day, and we don’t have to blindly follow the same patterns unconsciously. We can choose mindfulness. Try to dig deep and look at everything that isn’t working for you, everything you’re doing and thinking and believing that isn’t serving you, that’s holding you back and worsening your situation.
Now let’s set intentions to change those things one at a time. Maybe it’s our limiting beliefs about ourselves we want to work on. Maybe it’s an unhealthy relationship we want to distance ourselves from. Maybe we want to work on how we handle stress in our lives. Whatever it is, we can set intentions to learn from our past mistakes and from everything we think we could improve upon. We can set intentions to do things differently and to move forward in new ways.
Encourage yourself to continue this process on a regular basis. Journal about your day, about what things went well, and what things didn’t go so well. Remember that in every journey there is always room for growth. That’s why we’re here, to learn and grow. Every day is a new day. When we embrace this mentality, we can take intentional steps to improve our lives.
We can provide the support you need in recovery. Call (800) 871-5440 for more information.