Recovery

The road to recovery is a personal journey where we travel from darkness into a brighter and more satisfying life. As with any illness or accident it involves taking good care of ourselves, learning to establish nourishing healthy habits that support our happiness and recovery.

Often we might have to become more aware of what goes on in our mind in order to ensure that we entertain positive and optimistic thoughts and let go of the debilitating and discouraging thought patterns that we may have developed over the years.

We may have to create a safer space around us that doesn’t allow hurtful or stressful people or thoughts too close.

Terry Lynch who is a GP from Limerick writes in his book ‘Selfhood’ about how he helps patients to create personal boundaries through a safe space meditation where one imagines a blue circle light at one’s fingertips when one turns around arms outstretched. Inside this blue light is the safe space where we allow everything encouraging and supportive.

Any problem or negativity is place outside the blue imaginary light, we can still deal with it at some point but it is not getting on top of us. We are entitled to live in this peaceful encouraging space where we can learn to become our own best friend and only allow helpful and supportive connections.

By taking greater responsibility for what goes on in our minds we can slowly but surely create optimistic brain pathways which open us to an enjoyable and creative life-style. We can learn to trust the process of life.

When we open ourselves to the many small but meaningful connections that the day offers, a smile, a thank you, a favour, volunteering or working for a better world we start realising that we are part of something bigger than ourselves – the beautiful family of mankind. The amazing process of creation that offers us the opportunity to extend positive energy into our own and other people’s lives.