Now you have made the choice to get sober and give up drugs and alcohol, all you want to do is stay on the straight and narrow. Somewhere deep down you believe this can happen if you strive for perfection, but another part of you might waver. Fear can creep in that mistakes might happen to mar that perfectionist vision. Relapse may happen and now you may fear what happens next if you can’t pick yourself back up and get moving again. Think again. You really are better at this recovery than you think–here’s why.
Perfection is False
You should never believe that anything is perfect, much less recovery. Once you think you have to be perfect, the next misstep will send you reeling, doubtful about the landscape of sobriety. Mentally you may beat yourself up for experiencing out-of-control emotions and wonder why you are not getting well. Comparisons to others begin to take hold and you realize you can’t really keep up a perfect facade. Cravings, triggers, and relapse can happen to anyone in recovery. It does you no favors to beat yourself up because you are a human being like everyone else. Negative feelings just derail recovery, so don’t even go there. Remind yourself that you are good enough as you are, even if you are not perfect.
Perfection Mentality and Relapse
Relapse is not a reality of recovery but, for some people, it does happen. Taking a few steps backward is sometimes part of the process of getting back on your feet. You can and will learn from your mistakes. Feelings of self-loathing destroy feelings of faith in yourself and the process. Maybe you start to dwell on the idea you cannot figure out how to do it right and nothing seems good enough. Self-abuse is an enemy of the sober life. The more you believe you can’t do something, the more likely you are to fail at it. Don’t give yourself a chance to fail. Set yourself up for success with positive thinking.
Trust Progress Not Perfection
As you travel the journey of recovery, be gentle with yourself. Mistakes happen and you are not perfect. Nobody is and you should not make yourself feel bad because you think this way. Every day unfolds as it comes, one day at a time. You are not going to be perfect by any means but if you put one foot in front of the other, you can learn to be better than yesterday, today, and even tomorrow. Don’t keep questioning whether you are doing it right. Give yourself a pat on the back for everything you do right. If you got through a rough day today, congratulate yourself. If you are healthier today than yesterday, celebrate that victory. Every step is cause for acknowledging the hard work of recovery and it will go a long way to helping you stay the course for the long haul.
Oceanfront helps you put one foot in front of the other with our affordable and supportive programs. Recovery is a choice you make but not without the help of people along the way. Oceanfront staff will help you get started on the journey in our beautiful Laguna Beach location. If you are struggling with addiction, reach out to us. We will help you move forward. 877-279-1777
