June 21

Is your mind your enemy? Often, in recovery, people talk about their brain as though it is out to kill them. It’s as if their brain is separate from their self and lying in wait to attack at any given moment. It may sometimes feel that way, and I can certainly relate to the experience. But you still have control over your mind. You have choice and agency over your feelings, actions, choices, thoughts, and opinions. Instead of thinking of your mind as the “enemy,” why not approach your mind more like a child? Invite it to be playful. Guide it to new locations and encourage it to participate differently. Engage your inner self to seek new challenges and understanding. Push the limits of your mind’s comfort. Disrupt your internal narrative. Rock the boat a little. But stop fighting your mind. It’s not out to kill you. It’s just trying to survive with as little pain as possible, just like the rest of us.

Reflections

What is your inner dialogue? What is the ongoing conversation in your mind? What does it say most often? What would you do to someone else who talked to you the same way?

Daily Challenge

Stand in front of the mirror and say, “I love you,” to yourself. And mean it. Look yourself in the eyes. Awkward! But it does work.