Last night, I freaked out because I ate quite a bit (I laugh now, because even the fact I hadn’t meticulously counted the exact number is a sign of progressing in recovery) of a chocolate orange. And after that, I still ate the bowl of granola I was craving. I lost sight of the big picture.
At the time, it seemed uncomfortable. Scary. It felt wrong, like the opposite of progress. But looking at the bigger picture in hindsight, it was amazing!
Big picture recovery
Yet, I was still annoyed at myself.
But you know what the former me would have done? I would have thought (after the first few bites of the chocolate), “Shoot, you blew it. Might as well eat as much as you can before you vow to start all over tomorrow.“
Then I would have continued to spend the rest of the night clearing out the cupboards and emptying out the contents of my full stomach into my old friend the toilet.
I didn’t do that last night, which is definitely a victory. But I still felt frustrated and like I wasn’t making progress. Why?Â
I think the answer is this:
We need to look at the big picture of our recovery.
Most of us in recovery are so engulfed by this internal struggle that we forget to take a step back and look at the bigger picture.
What is the big picture?
What’s the bigger picture?
The bigger picture is the fact that you’re a warrior.
And you’re choosing recovery every single day. Yes, that might involve slip ups. But warriors know the difference between slip ups and giving up.
Here’s how I took a step back to take in the bigger picture last night.
After my large bowl of granola, I realized that in choosing to mindfully enjoy that bowl, I unknowingly managed to stop a future binge in its tracks. Restriction only leads to binging. Instead, I recognized the fact my body needed nourishment.
In the past, I would have used the immediate worry I felt as an excuse to put recovery on hold. There’s a good chance I would have binged and purged to release the stress I was feeling. But I didn’t.
When we choose to look at the bigger picture and show gratitude for the progress we’ve made, we’re painting the strokes that create a life full of freedom.
Howdy! Interesting article. Thanks. I was interested in art from a young age and loved to draw. Over time, this grew into a professionalism and now I am a graphic designer. I do a lot of custom projects, but I always use icons set vector . This resource offers a vast collection of high-quality images, with millions of options to choose from. I appreciate the wide variety of subjects, styles, and themes available.
Hi! I recently tried the Lilfox Ambrosia Immortalis The Eye Complex and I’m really impressed by the results! It has a light, non-greasy texture that absorbs quickly and soothes the skin around my eyes. I love that it has natural ingredients like green tea extract and squalane https://www.alyaka.com/products/lilfox-ambrosia-immortalis-15ml which are really nourishing. After using it for a few weeks, I can already see a visible difference in the appearance of my eyes – they look brighter and more rejuvenated. I highly recommend giving this eye cream a try if you’re looking for an effective and natural way to keep your eyes looking youthful and radiant.