I woke up but kept my eyes closed.
I was lying on top of the blankets because the sheets were soiled, but not from me.
The sound of booming bass and laughter from the parking lot at 6am might seem abnormal in most situations.
Not at the Greenleaf Inn.
My home away from home: the streets.
My physical body ached from my 2 am shift the night before, but it was time to catch the bus.
Spontaneously, my heart began to soar, and the most overwhelming smile stretched across my face.
I felt gratitude. Appreciation. Peace.
"I'm on my way," I whispered.
I then began my daily imagination work. In my mind I was lying on the most plush and cozy bed in the world.
The breeze from the open window brings in the birds' song.
I could hear my coffee maker gurgling and smell the aroma of its contents.
These moments in early recovery healed my soul, taught me how to shift perception, and projected me out of victimhood and fear.
"I'm on my way."
That mantra ushered in certainty that meth and the destruction I allowed it to bring was behind me.
Certainty beyond the logic of my physical surroundings.
"I'm on my way" instead of:
"How did I allow this to happen?"
"What kind of man am I?"
"What a loser, a failure, an embarrassment I am!"
"My life could look so much differently right now."
I refused to be disempowered by my thoughts.
I chose to empower myself by my thoughts.
That experience taught me the power of labeling life with meaning through our thoughts.
Someone else may have lay there crying, feeling lonely, shameful and blaming themselves.
Both having the exact same experience, but each choosing a different meaning.
Our thoughts create our reality.
Your reality does not create your thoughts.
This understanding has transformed my recovery from a white-knuckled endurance test into a profound journey of self-discovery.
Let's explore how we can use these principles to completely reframe our most challenging moments.
Experience, Awareness, Story:
At the core of our recovery journey (and I believe the key to peace) lies what I've come to call the "Holy Trinity of Inner Freedom" – three distinct elements that shape every moment of our existence:
