THE COURAGE TO CHANGE

One of the biggest challenges I’ve found in recovery is digging deep and finding the courage to change.

It is sometimes difficult to accept that I do have the right to ask for something that I am honestly entitled to, that I have the right to say “no” without a long explanation, that conflicts or disagreements I may have with others are not always my fault.

I have to work hard to not take things personally, the way I used to, and I shouldn’t believe that I have any control over how others react to what I say or do.

Perhaps the biggest challenge that has perplexed me the most at times is learning the difference between what I can and cannot change.

But I have learned to accept my own limitations. When I accept myself for who I am, warts and all, and I make the effort to change what I can – my behavior and my reactions – I grow my self-respect, allowing me to set healthier boundaries and in turn maintain my serenity.

SC