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Broken Promises: Learning to Trust Yourself and the Recovery Process

Did you trust yourself when you first stepped foot into the recovery process? Most people I talk to say no. They had repeatedly made promises to themselves and others that they would change, but they continually found themselves doing the same old behaviors. When they started getting sober or abstinent, they would get nervous about certain situations, not knowing if they could be trusted to maintain their new way of life.

As time went on, their recovery strengthened and their sense of self-trust began to increase. They learned how to decipher the difference between their authentic self and the voice of their addictive self. This distinction allowed them to live life differently, making choices from the place that they felt had their best interest in mind.

The Lingering Addictive Voice

Personally, in my life, I can still hear my addictive self, my authentic self, and my intuitive self. Even though it has been a while since I was in a full-fledged addiction, I will always carry all three of these aspects. All that has changed for me is which part of me is calling the shots.

Thankfully, today I spend the majority of my time interested in my intuitive guidance. I have learned it is generally more spot on than any other part, so I have been able to cultivate a greater degree of trust by seeing how well it serves me. Just like I once had to see that my authentic self was more trustworthy than my addictive self, I also had to prove to myself that my intuition was trustworthy part of me.

Strengthening your degree of trust in your intuition is no different than the process of rebuilding trust in the beginning stages of recovery. It is a time of being willing to try something new and evaluating how well it is working for you. In the beginning, this requires faith. Faith in the voice inside that is always guiding, directing, and protecting. By trying to let go of the need to control, which the mind always wants us to do, and surrendering to the deeper guidance, is the pathway to seeing just how helpful your intuition can be.

It may go against what feels comfortable initially, but as you see that your intuition has your back, you begin to trust it more and believe in yourself more. In fact, I’ve found the clients I have – the ones that are dedicated to hearing and applying their intuition – move through challenges and uncomfortable feelings significantly faster than those who do not. Additionally, they begin to notice that it strengthens their relationships and how they show up in them. They find that they intuitively know who they can trust, who they can invest in, and where their boundaries need to be applied. They start to use their voice more, express their truth, and ask for what they need. In essence, they begin to honor themselves on a whole new level.

Beginning to Trust Yourself

So, how did they get started? How did they make that shift from self-doubt to self-trust? The answer is in baby steps and having someone mentor them in reconnecting to their intuitive nature. It is normal to lose connection to your intuition if you have struggled with addiction, so asking for help from someone who you see embodies the ability to live life from that place, is incredibly helpful. After all, don’t we find teachers and mentors for other areas of our lives? Why not utilize the teacher student relationship here too?

My brain has all sorts of ideas and opinions about how things should go, how I should feel, and what I should do. I have learned to decipher the difference between my mind and my intuitive nature.-Lesley WirthPersonally, one of my favorite ways to connect to my intuition is through my body. I have a very, very strong mind, so this has been a lifelong journey. My brain has all sorts of ideas and opinions about how things should go, how I should feel, and what I should do. I have learned to decipher the difference between my mind and my intuitive nature. How I do this on a daily basis is by trying to quiet my mind and get into my body. I can do this in seemingly simple ways, such as time in nature, yin yoga, and music that down-regulates my system.

From here, I inquire with my body. I ask it questions. I let it respond through a felt sense, as opposed to the thoughts that my mind relays. I have yet, in my entire life, ever heard guidance from intuition that was wrong. My mind on the other hand, that is another story!

And so, by applying what I hear from my body into my life, I see the miracles unfold. I see what was once a seemingly hopeless situation, resolve itself over and over again. Intuition heals, protects, and guides us toward the most efficient and strongest path for us. It truly is our lifeline.


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