Thursday, February 5, 2015

Small Steps

Much of my job as a counselor is to help people see the good in themselves.

Clients come into our program physically or emotionally beat up. Dissipation and self-indulgence have cost them everything. 95% are homeless.

They haven't succeeded at much. They've spent time on prison yards. Maybe in tent city. Perhaps homeless. Or else their spouse left them. They might suffer from health conditions. Maybe hepatitis C.

They might be in bad health. Or they can't hold a job.

In other words, there's little to feel good about. They have limited self-discipline or impulse control.

Yet, if they want a chance a recovery, they need to improve self-worth.

And that can start by looking at the progress they're making in their recovery. At the baby steps they're taking.

Maybe they're going to meetings. Perhaps they found a sponsor. They're performing their responsibilities around TLC. They've found work and are paying service fees. Maybe the family's taking their calls.

These aren't big deals for a non-addict. But for those of us in recovery it's the beginning of changing our lives. It's something to feel good about.

These simple things can be the start of a lifetime of recovery.