A large part of recovery rests in the physical body.
Here’s a perspective I hope you can start to embrace.
A Grace-Filled Beauty Routine
The morning reality check: this body will be ash one day, and until then, I thought it would be a good idea to start appreciating and enjoying this body while I still have it — while I am still in it.
Time in a body-bottle: to appreciate the time in this body. My body holds 49 years. There is history in this body. Glorious stories this body can tell. This body holds its very own epic tales of horror, drama, comedy, romance, and adventure.
“Let this year be on you. Guilt-free,” she told me.
And it’s what I’ve been telling clients this year. Slow down…give yourself the entire year…you’ll get there.
Offering mental spaces of hope and inspiration as to the value of committing oneself to 2020 differently. Offering a means to acknowledge that they (you, me, we), in and of ourselves – is a worthy aim.
To let go of unnecessary attachments and obligations (including mental and emotional obligations) (if just for this year) in order to commit deeply to the saving of one’s self – to save one’s dignity, self-respect, and integrity – or if nothing else, to give ourselves a year to gain some dignity, self-respect, and integrity.
To let 2020 be a retreat from such attachments and obligations – and because there is nothing selfish about it – if anything, it’s the utmost loving thing to do for yourself (you are worth it), and you will be worth more to those you love and care about.
To give ourselves the chance to be worthy, valuable, useful humans. To give ourselves the chance for a life of priceless matters. And if we learn this for ourselves, can we, just maybe, give more of that which is priceless to others.
This quote by Joseph Campbell is one I often use with patients. I present the quote, sit silent for a while and allow them to contemplate the words. The quote opens inner doors most of my patients have never entertained and we begin to explore what the words mean. At some point, a proposition is made as to whether they want to use their journey of addiction as this privilege of a lifetime.
Addressing the problem of heroin and abuse of prescription medications is about addressing the pain of our daily lives, and helping people come to understand this, and how to change their lives.
I get painfully fascinated with how much goodness is in our daily lives – in the mundane activities – right in front of us every day, but we miss it. And we wonder why our lives feel dull and lifeless. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
I wrote this article because this is your life– this is the only one you get, I don’t want you to get to the end of it and realize that you’ve lost.
Many of us have given up on ourselves. We’ve given up on our ability to manage who we want to be, and how we want to live. Modern life comes with a plethora of distractions. Abandoning the potential of our own lives has become the new normal 😦
At some point, if you know someone struggling with opiate addiction, you may be faced with great controversy regarding the best approach for opioid treatment.
I am not an advocate for most medication; especially MAT (medication-assisted treatment). Even though I’ve been working with MAT for nine years, I am still not a fan.
Actually, I take that back. I will support MAT if it’s used as proper drug “rehabilitation” but it’s generally not. Much like giving people crutches in physical rehabilitation: some treatments are meant to be temporary.
We (as an industry) and with the rise of pharmaceutical replacements for opioid withdrawal; have gotten in over our heads – but I do want to offer hope if you or a loved one find themselves choosing MAT as an opiate recovery solution.
It’s okay to look at the unhappy aspects of your life. Acceptance is meant to give you the truth; not cover up it up. Pretending everything is fine is enough to drive you mad crazy, and it’s not sustainable.
