Your inner dialogue can be pretty powerful – and it can either work for you or against you as you strive to meet your goals for recovery and beyond. This is because self-talk can greatly influence your behaviors.
Telling yourself that you’ll never be sober or that you aren’t as good as other people, for instance, can reduce your feelings of self-worth and deter you from overcoming your addiction. Instead, an important recovery skill is to learn how to develop a more positive and productive dialog with yourself. Here are a few ways to tame that inner critic:
- Treat yourself like you’d treat your best friend. Would you remind your friend of his or her every mistake, inadequacy and missed opportunity? Would you judge or berate her? Of course you wouldn’t – so why is it OK to do it to yourself? Strive to treat yourself with kindness and gentleness – just as you would a friend or loved one.
- Avoid labels. Calling yourself “fat” or “selfish” or “worthless” is self-defeating and can cause you to spiral into a destructive pattern of negative thinking. What’s more, putting a label on yourself doesn’t articulate who you are as a person. A better solution: Make a mental list of your positive traits and behaviors.
- Carve out a daily time slot for self-appreciation. Schedule five minutes each day to think (and even write down) three things you’ve done that make you feel proud. And remember that even small things count – from cooking a healthful meal to remembering to breathe before reacting to a stressful situation.
- Pick a simple affirmation. Try to make it short – like “I can do this,” or “I deserve a sober life” – so you can quickly say it to yourself to replace any negative thoughts.
Ongoing Support in Orange County
Gaining self-confidence and creating a life worth living is a process – and we’re here to support you. At Rising Roads, we have developed a specialized addiction program solely dedicated to the development of women in recovery. To learn more, call today: 866-746-1558.
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