Hello, my dear Addict friends! Welcome to the inaugural episode of what I am temporarily, unappeallingly calling "RECOVERY HOMEWORK." The point is, it works and it’s powerful! So grab your self-reflection materials (beautiful journal; notes app on phone; cave wall etchings, etc.) and let's get started!

Today's exercise is called YOUR ADDICT VS. YOUR TRUE SELF, and it's based on the concepts of "Your Addict" and "Your True Self" that I describe in vivid detail in my book, "The Addict's Guide to Recovery." But you don't even have to head to Amazon to buy it in paperback or Kindle to get the gist of this exercise.

1) Divide your writing space into two sides: Your Addict (left side) vs. Your True Self (right side).

2) On the side for "Your Addict," write down as many of the feelings, behavior patterns, negative thoughts, and any other characteristics you can think of that would describe yourself in relation to your drug, or your addiction. Like, my own Addict list would go something like this: "Extremely evasive. Super sketchy. Unpleasantly selfish. Totally greedy. Annoyingly controlling. Unnecessarily contemptuous. Ridiculously impatient. Frequently self-doubting. Incredibly anxious."

3) On the other side, for "Your True Self," do the same thing with regard to all the feelings, behaviors, characteristics, and types of thoughts/beliefs that would describe who you TRULY are inside -- all the good things! And please, don't confine yourself to strengths you've already demonstrated or gotten validation from already. These could be strengths you want to bring out in yourself, in the future. The only criteria is that it comes from an authentic desire inside you. Here's mine: “Positively inspirational. Powerfully calm. Luxuriously decadent. Scandalously original. Freely generous. Unconditionally accepting. Lovingly protective. Playfully disruptive. Solidly committed. Mostly magnanimous.”

4) Check in with yourself regularly by returning to this list and taking an inventory of how you've been feeling, thinking and behaving lately -- have your experiences been dominated by Addict or True Self programming? Please don't judge or berate yourself, either way. Just make a mental note to move towards the "right" side of the page, wherever possible. Center your mind on Your True Self, move your thoughts towards Your True Self, and the good feelings and constructive behaviors that are part and parcel of Your True Self WILL follow. It's just a matter of how often you come back to center yourself on who you want to live as!

5) Repeat and rinse yourself regularly, with love.

❤️

Copyright 2025 Freedom Recovery Press.

For more, visit theaddictsguidetotheuniverse.com.

Sent with True Love from the Universe ❤️💫