Self Portrait. Regarding making a break with the past. Stephen Covey stated “It’s about living and working in ways that will enrich your life and the lives of those around you. It is an exploration into the natural laws that govern our actions and how you can align yourself with those laws that you can then bring to bring true power, energy, compassion, and integrity into your life and the lives of those around you.”
So, let’s picture ourselves. If I blame someone for my past then they are responsible for my past. There is one main problem with that. If it’s someone else’s fault that I got where I ended up, do I need someone else to get where I want to go? I say that because recovery is inside out.
An individual’s self-concept is the core of their personality. Self-talk is critical and makes a difference on each side of the coin. It is easy for me to believe that a strong and positive self-image is at the foundation of a positive and strong and productive life. When the picture of our self-changes we change.
Like any artist who creates images, there are some things the artist will do and they are parallel to things we in recovery should do.
- Decide what we want the finished product to look like
- Start with an unblemished canvas
- Know what colors we want to use
- Use new brushes
- Draw from internal inspiration
- Be patient with the work in progress
- Don’t be afraid to start over if needed
- Draw off things learned along the way
- Be proud of what you have created
- Share the process and art with others
Remember, the most important relationship we will ever have apart from the God of our understanding is the relationship we will have with the internal self. This relationship is called the “personal” and it is taken from the self-portrait. I hope and pray that your journey will lead you to a self-portrait that celebrates the recovery you have found.
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Robert Pardon
Robert is the Recovery Guy. Getting clean and sober on April 25, 1986 has given me the insight and practical skill set to not only stay sober, but to also re-invent myself to the person I always wanted to become. Showing others how to do this is my life goal.
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