Conflict, whether internal or external, can be hugely detrimental to our sobriety. When we are conflicted with ourselves or others, we feel all the happiness, joyousness, freedom, and serenity in our lives begin to slip away. A large part of learning to “go with the flow” is by practicing acceptance and allowing ourselves to branch out into areas that may be uncomfortable for us.
Eckart Tolle, in his book Stillness Speaks, says, “Whenever you are able, have a ‘look’ inside yourself to see whether you are unconsciously creating conflict between the inner and the outer, between your external circumstances at that moment—where you are, who you are with, or what you are doing—and your thoughts and feelings. Can you feel how painful it is to internally stand in opposition to what is? When you recognize this, you also realize that you are now free to give up this futile conflict, this inner state of war.” Giving up on the conflict that exists between the internal and external is not an admission of weakness or giving up in a broader sense. It is simply recognizing that there doesn’t need to be any internal conflict at all and we can accept the moment as is.
Learning to go with the flow is something we can learn to do and will protect us from unnecessary internal conflict. Dr. Theo Tsaousides, in a 2016 Psychology Today article entitled 4 Ways to Go with the Flow (Even When It Seems Impossible), explains, “It means being able to respond to changes and disruptions calmly and creatively. It means being cool-headed, flexible, and adaptive. It means being able to shift your priorities without abandoning your goals. It also means being open and playful. Going with the flow requires a special kind of creativity. And just like other aspects of creativity, it is a skill you can develop.” We can go with the flow by accepting things as they are, or we can go with the flow by letting ourselves get outside of our comfort zone. Any new experience will cause some level of anxiety, but we can allow ourselves to branch out and get comfortable with being outside of our comfort zone. We will find that it allows us to grow both personally and spiritually in our sobriety.
Your story doesn’t have to be caught up in the cycle of addiction. You can make the courageous decision to seek help now and embark upon the rewarding journey of sobriety. Oceanfront Recovery, a men’s treatment center in the heart of beautiful Laguna Beach, is staffed with passionate professionals dedicated to providing clients with all the tools necessary to build a brighter future in sobriety. For information about individualized treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
