Hello, dear reader. I’m happy you’re here. You’re doing a great job.
I have been thinking a lot lately about finding comfort while existing in the gray areas. Often times humans grasp for a label, an achievement, or a goal as a way to achieve certainty. There is a theoretical safety in certainty, but what if the assurance isn’t actually helpful or true?
Questioning our relationship to substances is a meandering path.
Instead, could we find comfort in balancing acceptance and effort? Would being more in touch with the reality of growth, change, fumbling, mistakes, and re-calibration bring us relief? What does it mean to accept myself exactly as I am today, and still work towards changing the things that aren’t serving me?
Is it ok for us to sit together in this gray area?
Change is a process. That’s ok. However, each time we don’t act perfectly in alignment with our goals, the Inner Critic is ready to let you know what it thinks. The invitation here is to acknowledge our mistakes, get curious about how they happened, forgive ourselves, and make a plan for next time. Letting the Inner Critic run the show will break us, and we are not here to break, we are here to find ways to heal.
Finding ways to accept ourselves fully is not in opposition to working towards change. Holding ourselves with gentleness and compassion is essential to foster an environment where curiosity can flourish. We have two hands, and that is why we can hold two things at once. You’re doing amazing work. Thank you for sitting with me in this gray area.
May you be happy and free, dear reader.
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This week on the podcast, we hear from Colleen. She talks about how shame and self-loathing led to binge drinking. Click here to listen.
Support groups are still every Monday at 6pm at The Library Vintage.
