4 Tips for Facing Your Fears in Recovery

Updated: Aug 31, 2022

Over 11 yrs into my recovery from a deadly drug and alcohol addiction I’ve learned a few things.

If I could go back to April 9, 2009, these are some things I would tell myself.

1- Life doesn’t become perfect overnight

Don’t use this as a cop-out to avoid dealing with personal issues, but my 13 years of baggage from active addiction didn’t magically disappear in a few days. Years and years of unhealthy thinking patterns, destructive habits, and lack of life skills took intentionality and perseverance for me to change. Yes, it did happen faster then I would have thought, but I had to learn to give myself grace as my mess turned into my message.

2- The longer you avoid the problem the worse it gets

Time does not heal all wounds. When wounds are addressed properly time is a component to healing, but I had to realize that God is the healer not time. When the issues of life confront you, confront them back. Pretending the pain isn’t there, pretending the growing problem is not weighing you down, and avoiding the preverbal elephant in the room is a recipe for an even bigger problem. When I began to face the pain and problems properly, real and long-lasting healing and solutions began to flood my life.

Does time heal all wounds? 10min podcast from The Recovering Reality Podcast

3- Challenges are gifts in disguise

That resistance that feels like it is wearing your spiritual muscles to oblivion is also strengthening your spiritual muscles in ways that will pay massive dividends down the road. I used to try and avoid challenges, now I try and not waste a good challenge.

I can look back now and see that there were things that God was teaching me so that I would become mature enough to hold all the goodness He is now depositing in my life. The more I continue to face the trial in front of me, the more my character is built up so I can carry the weight of blessing assigned to my life.

A Victorious Mentality 16 min podcast from The Recovering Reality Podcast

4- Treat yourself according to who you’re becoming, not who you currently are

If you treat yourself according to who you are you will build a security system around yourself that will seem safe, but it will block you from your potential. Who do you see yourself becoming? Write it down, meditate on it, and speak about it.

If you stay stuck on who you are you will stay stuck on silly negative issues and miss the constant opportunities for growth and upgrades in your life. You shouldn’t be the same person a year from now, or even a month from now. See who you want to be, and treat yourself accordingly.