Looking Forward
When you drive a car, glancing backward in the tiny rear-view mirror is an appropriate way to determine what is behind you. Spending a couple seconds now and then looking back is right. The major focus while driving, though, is looking forward, through the much larger windshield, in the direction you are traveling.
So it is in recovery. Most of your time needs to be focused on where you are going, not where you have been. Moving forward in hope, you can be confident that your recovery efforts will change your life. When you constantly look backward you lose your ability to judge where you are, you lose sight of where you are going, and you can’t see the markers you need to navigate your course.
There is Hope
Hope is the belief that there are good things ahead for you. You are not where you were. You are headed in a different and better direction. Having acknowledged the problems and consequences of the past, there is little benefit to keep staring at them.
Making Changes
Use the past to determine how and where to make necessary changes. Once you do, you can look forward to a positive and hopeful future. Keep your focus in front of you. You will work again, love again, raise your own children, go to school, and contribute to others. Acknowledging consequences from the past and holding hope for a positive future combine to move you forward toward a fulfilling life of recovery.
Recovery is a Journey. Enjoy the Ride!
