Focus on Hope
Guilt vs. Shame
I learned that in order to change any part of myself and my life, I must first “own it” – you can’t change what you don’t own. Imperfections, mistakes and shortcomings are part of the human condition. This is why we apologize, we pay fines and restitution when necessary, we excuse ourselves, we make amends, we self-correct and then we try our best to do better and not repeat our mistakes. This is humility, this is healthy, this is human.
It’s Progress Not Perfection
One of the guiding principles of the many 12 step programs is “Progress Not Perfection”. This is a vital concept to recovery for several reasons and when you employ it you will immediately benefit from the change of focus. Perfection is a false standard. I’m not “perfect”, You’re not “perfect”, life is rarely “perfect” and…
Great Questions Beat “Learned Helplessness”
It is so easy to fall into “Learned Helplessness” during times of stress. Before I got sober I lived in a state of “learned helplessness”, that frame of mind that looks and feels like “life is happening to me and I can’t do anything about it”. Basically a stuck, frozen victim mentality that leads to…
Why Fear and Shame Don’t Work
