I hope that wherever you are, you know Recovery is with you.
How does our Recovery affect our natural families? Some of us choose to distance ourselves from, or even dislike, members of our family. This may include our mother, father, sister, or brother.
When we enter Recovery, we may find ourselves at odds with our natural family. Sometimes, a holier-than-thou attitude, emotional immaturity, or rigid expectations about family life can keep us from growing in Recovery. Others may even call us “crazy” because we no longer follow the expected script for our families or our culture.
One barrier to our Recovery is what we call the collective—our family, friends, and society. Some people call this the lobster bucket syndrome. We try to climb out of the bucket, but the other lobsters keep pulling us back in. Similarly, our ideas about Recovery and spirituality may be shaped by the beliefs of the people we grew up with. We may not even realize how much we have learned to think and act this way.
Without deep and honest inner work, some of us may struggle to crawl beyond the early stages of healing. We may break free in unhealthy ways by reacting or rebelling against our families. But finding a healthier path out of the lobster bucket can be much harder.
During the early part of my Recovery, I experienced anger, uncertainty, and anxiety in my relationships with family members. I rebelled against my parents because of how they treated me as a child. I share this emotional journey in my book, SuperHuman Being, available through my website: https://superhumanbeing.net/.
I had little or no contact with my parents during most of my 30s and 40s. Later, in the second part of my Recovery, I challenged myself to look within and discover my own soul and path to healing. Despite my self-doubt, I began to move beyond the wounds of my family of origin. I chose a path that few of us may travel as we seek deeper healing, health, and well-being.
Some of us need to create emotional distance from our natural families to heal. This does not mean we must remain apart forever, nor does it mean we must return before we are ready. When it is safe and right for us, we may choose to reconnect with our families. We can begin to let go of shame, guilt, anger, and uncertainty.
Through this journey, we can learn to love ourselves and others with greater wisdom, compassion, and freedom. This is one of the gifts of a mature Recovery: we can honor where we came from without allowing our past to define where we are going.
Remember, Recovery is happening right now, in this moment.
Please pick up my new book. Your support of my ministry allows me to serve others. Daily Devotional: 12 Steps to Unshakeable Recovery: Winter, L.J.: 9798987012741: Amazon.com: Books
SuperHuman Being
Peace
Larry
email: ljw@superhumanbeing.net
website: https://superhumanbeing.net/