What is recovery anyway???? Well, recovery is one of the most misunderstood and beneficial things that one can do for themselves. I once read somewhere that everyone should be in some type of self-improvement program. Well, recovery is that and so much more and if that is the case then recovery is definitely the answer.
It's more than reinventing oneself. Recovery is a lifestyle of living life free of any baggage-hurts, habits, or hang-ups. It is the guidelines or a spiritual remedy for a total overhaul of ourselves; our personality, our character, our coping mechanisms, our boundary systems, our thinking, and the difference between us being reactive (negative) and proactive (positive). It's a way of looking at oneself through a magnifying glass, it's self-examination, self-evaluation, and self-improvement.
Recovery is for the divorced, the abused (physically, emotionally, sexually, or verbally), the raped, those who have been pleasing others to the point where it's surpassing their own self-care, the sex addicts, the over-spender (debting), those who want to control everything and everyone around them; it's for those who are not living a prosperous life. We need recovery from anything that is blocking our way to living an abundant life.
To often the church only focuses on the spiritual well being of the person. We are triune beings, we live in a body, we possess a soul (mind, will, and emotions), and we have a spirit. Unfortunately, the soul is often the part about which that the church forgets. Recovery focuses on the soul. There are two Bible verses that I think of when I think of recovery. The first is Philippians 2:12 where it talks about working out our salvation with fear and; trembling and the second is 3 John 1:2 which says, beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. These are truly recovery verses.
That's what we do in recovery. We focus on our souls so that we can be prospers in relationship with ourselves, God, and others. How can your soul be prosperous (your mind, your will, and your emotions) if you don't attend to them?
Many people think that recovery is just for alcoholics and addicts, "Those" people, but recovery is for anyone whose hurts are greater than their fears. Anyone who gets to the point where the pain is too much to bare and who no
longer care what anyone else thinks about them. Anyone who just wants to be
relieved of the pain and the unmanageability of their lives. This is when we seek recovery, when our lives seem to be crumbling all around us.
What drew me to recovery was codependent behaviors (I will discuss codependency later). I started my recovery program over five years ago and have not looked back since. I attend a Christian recovery program and sometime a secular one called Codependents Anonymous. This programs have helped me to face the horrible tragedies, the pain, the guilt, and the shame that I carried for so many years. They also helped me to build and maintain healthy boundaries which in turn all helped me to develop healthier relationships.
If you haven't considered a recovery program, you should at least think about it. Ask yourself these simple questions:
1. Do I take responsibility for my actions?
2. Do I live in the moment?
3. Do I mind my own business?
4. Do I respect other's "No"?
5. Do I respect other's right to their decisions?
6. Do I have to always be busy doing something or helping others?
7. Do I have to do something that is unhealthy for me daily?
If you answered no to any of these questions, please consider a recovery program. You won't regret it.
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