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It’s time to check in. How are you? How’s it going? Are you struggling? What are you struggling with?
Call it a bump in the road, hitting a wall, or feeling off track—it’s normal to struggle from time to time. How you think about that, and how you think about yourself, can determine how you’ll get through it and move on.
What if you were to say, “I’m in relapse,” or, “I fell off the wagon”? What does that reveal about how you feel and think? Some all-or-nothing thinking, including the dichotomies of right and wrong (“I am wrong”), and good and bad (“I am bad”).
Compare that to, “I had a slip.” That has much less of an emotional charge. A slip is in the past. What do you do when you stumble? You wobble, you catch yourself, and you keep moving.
“I can’t get myself out of the house,” contains blame and self-condemnation. Whereas, “I’ve been feeling more isolated since the pandemic started, but I feel ready to take steps to getting back into life,” shows a commitment to change.
Some people avoid thinking or talking about their struggles out of fear, or the notion that if they ignore them, they’ll go away. They may not even read this article because they don’t want to consider the possibility of struggle or relapse.
Sticking your head in the sand doesn’t help. Here’s what does:
- Recognize the issue and get honest about what you’re struggling with.
- Acknowledge this truth with compassion and curiosity.
- Create an action plan.
If you’re struggling, don’t go it alone. Reach out to us, or to a trusted friend.