When we are ready to do the work needed for our recovery, one of the most challenging but important elements of our work is the process of self-discovery. When we have been living with addiction and mental health issues, we can feel as though we’ve forgotten who we are. We lose sight of the person we used to be. Many of us have isolated ourselves and been completely alone with our pain. We’ve lost our connections with other people, which are often how we inform our own sense of self. The journey of self-discovery is about unearthing past versions of ourselves so that we can learn what elements we want to keep with us and which we want to shed for our growth. It’s also about moving forward and creating an entirely new version of ourselves that reflects all of our growth. The more we learn, the more we change. Self-discovery is about finding the inner self we might have lost our connection with over the course of living with our addiction, and it also about creating a version of ourselves that we can be happy with as we grow, learn, build and change.
The recovery process asks that we go inward and face parts of us we’ve buried under layers of self-destructive behaviors, toxic thought patterns, depression and anxiety, anger and conflict. We have to confront parts of ourselves we’re inclined to want to reject – things we feel ashamed and embarrassed about, things we would rather hide, things we definitely don’t want other people to know. Rediscovering ourselves means coming to terms with all these things, accepting rather than resisting them, allowing them to be a part of who we are, allowing ourselves to be open to them. Until we can do this, we’re never really in touch with our true inner selves.
The more we embrace and accept ourselves, the more we’re able to move forward rather than staying stuck, limiting ourselves and holding ourselves back. As we learn and change, we grow into a new version of ourselves, a version that has the same defining characteristics but with the added strength, power and courage of having come to terms with our own darkness.
We can define who we want to be and create the best version of ourselves. How do you want to feel? How do you want to think and act? Start to embody these things. If you want to be someone who is calm and balanced, embody those feelings of being at peace and in control of your emotions. If you want to be someone who is grateful and appreciative, embody gratitude mindfully in your daily life. Self-discovery allows us to recreate ourselves and manifest a truer sense of self as we grow.
We’re here to help you plan your treatment and are fully committed to helping you with your recovery. Call Vista Taos at (575) 613-4810 today.
