The general belief about recovery is that the first step is admitting you have a problem. In essence, a person must accept that he has to make serious changes to his life if he wants a better future for himself and the people that he cares about. But the concept of acceptance even goes farther than admitting you have a problem, and is a major part of the process of recovery. The process can be exhausting and challenging, but for people who are actively seeking to recover from an addiction, they will emerge a stronger, and more whole person.
Accept You’re Not Perfect
One of the hardest things for any person to do is to accept that he’s not perfect, and that he’s made mistakes and is not always right. However, that doesn’t mean that he’s still not a wonderful person worthy of love and a terrific life. It simply means that he needs to work on the problems that led him down the path of addiction. By accepting that he has and will make mistakes, will allow him to embrace the journey instead of avoiding it to avoid making mistakes. By being able to let go of perfection, he will better be able to deal with:
- Fear
- Loss
- Depression
- Anxiety
Accept Others Are Not Perfect
Addiction often stems from trauma that has happened in the past, whether involving family, friends, or romantic relationships. It’s important for the addict to forgive these people so that he can move on with his life, and begin to heal. In other words, it’s important to understand the power of forgiveness. While people may have treated you poorly in the past, even traumatized you, accepting their flaws and forgiving them will go a long way towards moving forward.
Accept Help From Others
Everyone needs help and support, and no one can exist on an island. Admitting that you do need the help and support from others, will make the journey of recovery easier. In essence, a person has to re-learn how to live life, and the process should involve a strong support system that can help you stay on the path of sobriety.
Celebrate Your Accomplishments
But with all this acceptance, should come celebration. With each goal achieved, take time to celebrate your achievements with the people who are with you on this journey. This goes hand-in-hand with acceptance, because you are actively, instead of passively, undertaking your journey of recovery. By actively being present in your journey, instead of being passive, you are maximizing your chances of long-term success.
By being able to accept these things in his life, an addict will learn the key of happiness. It may be a humbling experience, but its one that someone will need to learn to find the keys to long-term sobriety. Most of all, a person in recovery will have to learn that he cannot always have things his way, and he will have to learn how to make the best of every situation, without turning to drugs and alcohol. These are powerful coping tools that will serve as the basis for his future sober life.
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Cindy Nichols is an addiction recovery associate who specializes in residential detox at Recovery Now TV.