“The process of gaining this new outlook on life was a painful experience for most of us.”

– Life with Hope, first edition, page 33

I have heard it said that the mind can be a very dangerous place. My thoughts can take me in a direction that is a challenge to my sobriety, and in many instances, take me back to old ways of doing and being which no longer serve me. Why is changing perspective so difficult for marijuana addicts like me? For one thing, when I have lived one way for so many years, it is hard to make a sudden radical change. Others have told me that they never had any positive influence to tell them there is another way to live. Ultimately, it really doesn’t matter why. What really matters is how I can create positive change in my life.

Like the master musician, the elite athlete, and the expert craftsperson, as an addict I must practice recovery to gain a new perspective on life, and ultimately find a new way to live. My practice includes prayer, meditation, service, fellowship, and study. Our fellows can also teach us many other valuable practices that have helped them in their recovery like yoga, exercise, chanting, or drumming, and many other practices.

The practice of recovery leads to the building of useful life tools. The building of tools leads to new ways to live. New ways to live leads to new ways of thinking. New ways of thinking lead to an entirely new perspective.

Final thought: Today I know, as I change my thinking, I change my life.