"If you don't know where you are going, you'll probably end up somewhere else." - Lewis Carroll
It sounds so simple, yet almost everyone gets lost in their journey to recovery. That is why goals (and revision of goals) is so important. Think of your mental health or substance abuse recovery as a road map. I first have to set a destination in order to know when I've got there. Then I need to plan the best route for me. If I start out in Atlanta and plan to end up somewhere in Montana, heading toward Maine makes little sense.
Yet if we look at setbacks in our lives, we can see that most of those times, it is due to know knowing where we are heading and/or how we'll get there. Mental Health and Substance Abuse recovery are no different. Are you depressed? A goal such as "I don't want to be depressed anymore" may or may not be the best goal for you. The truth is, we all get depressed from time to time. A better goal might be that "I want to get out of bed and take a shower every day". Even though it sounds minor to some, ask a person who has been severely depressed for a while and just how big of a chore that actually is!
The next step is to then plan a course of action to be able to get out of bed and take that shower. Maybe a behavior checklist. Maybe an accountability partner. Maybe external motivators. Anything that works will work!
If you find yourself getting off track with your treatment and recovery, take a look at your "Recovery Road Map". You may need to revamp your goals and/or the direction you're going to reach those goals.
How do you stay on track with your goals?
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