When I was 15, my art teacher asked the class, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” My response was simple “I have no clue!! I know I want to do something with art and helping people.” Fast forward 31 years, and I sit in my office, grateful for the journey that has given me the opportunity to do both.
Bridge to Recovery is home for me. It took numerous hours of working on myself, traveling across the United States trying to run away from my problems, falling on my face, and getting back up again and again, leading me to come home. Many of us have a “plan” of what we think our life will look like. Go to school, graduate, have a stable job, get married, have a couple of kids, etc. No one includes trauma or addiction in their plan. Someone told me, “If you ever want to hear God laugh, just tell him your plan.”
Once, a therapist told me to “Trust the Process!” I have shared this with many clients. This asks us to surrender, let go, take the first step, and be willing to accept we are powerless. Not an easy thing to do. If you are anything like me- asking me to do this was like asking me to believe in unicorns. When I finally surrendered, I began to have hope.
Life’s disappointments can be emotionally overwhelming and often the reason to seek help.
Difficult situations, failures, and secrets that we carry from the past often affect the present moment and can add to feelings of discouragement. It is important to remember that there are people who can help and will walk with you to bring a sense of encouragement and inspiration.
Change will not come about from wishful thinking. Commitment to realistic goals, asking and being willing to receive help from others, and a change in behaviors and attitude are all necessary. When you change the way you look at something, the things you look at change.
The journey is a gift only found when we let go and let God.