Do you ever find yourself shuffling or delaying the tasks you choose to engage in based on the level of pain or suffering you think it/they will cause? That is, do you often put off the most emotionally painful or physically taxing task until there is absolutely no way to ignore it any longer, regardless of how important it might be to the advancement of your life and recovery?
This ranking of tasks is what we call "ya but" prioritizing. What happens is, we plan our day with the best of intentions, but as we go along, we continually delay the tasks that scare us most. The conversation with ourselves sounds something like, “Ya, I know it's time to go to the gym, but ____ asked me to take him/her to the store” or “Ya, it is time to go to a meeting, but it would be nice to get some laundry done instead" or “Ya, I need to talk with my parents/spouse/boss about…, but it's too late so I will do it tomorrow.” It is fascinating the random things we can find to keep us occupied or delay us from taking action on something we don’t want to do. The problem is, when we push off life-improving tasks because they are hard or scary, we push off a life that we love, and we forfeit the new opportunities life in sobriety affords us. While we may think we are clever by finding alternative things to do, we are really just hurting ourselves. The fact is, the perceived pain that keeps us from acting never diminishes; it grows with time. For example, the longer we wait to apply for jobs, the harder it will be to get one, the further in debt we will become, and the less attractive our resume will look. All this inaction does is create more stress and anxiety in our lives. We all have those tasks that we don’t want to do, but we must find the courage to address them regardless of how painful or scary they seem. It is how we grow and advance on our journey in life and recovery. It is how we live a life that we love and realize our hopes and dreams. Plus, we quickly learn that the challenges of life are really not that scary when purposeful action is employed. Keys to removing the "ya buts" from our lives:
Start your day by defining your intentions.
Complete a task early in the morning that will build positive momentum for the day.
Focus on doing all the little things right.
Ask for help when needed without delay.
Never ever give up on those things you know are right. And,
Please do it now and rarely put it off until tomorrow.
About Choice Recovery
We accept AHCCCS insurance for addiction treatment at Choice Recovery which is located in Mesa, Arizona. We accept most AHCCCS insurance plans including Mercy Care, Banner University, United Healthcare and more. Our integrated IOP addiction treatment program is available in the morning, at night, or via telehealth. Included in our intensive outpatient program is group therapy, individual counseling, and personal coaching.
Choice Recovery is a integrated evidence-based program tailored to the individual and his or her needs. Drug and alcohol abuse knows no boundaries, and our approach to care recognizes this fact. Whether using methadone or suboxone in your recovery, or following the 12-steps, we are available to support you on your journey in recovery. For more information please contact the Choice Recovery team at 480-527-0337 or admin@choiceiop.com.
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