(*H.I.G.H. = Honesty, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility)
Good, strong recovery from addictions and self-limiting habit patterns is built on four primary pillars:
- Honesty – tell the truth, without judgment or manipulation;
- Integrity – live your truth, be authentic to your deepest needs and highest aspirations;
- Gratitude – be thankful for the experiences, connections and opportunities in your life;
- Humility – be teachable… everything is a teacher; what can you learn from what you experience?
When we develop these attributes and apply them to every aspect of our lives, addiction doesn’t have a chance to put its hooks in and pull us back. Our task is to practice these pillars to the best of our ability, and when we stray, to return to them as quickly as possible. None of us was “born to be an addict;” we were born to be “happy, joyous and free” (and I would add to that saying, “to share our gifts and talents,” because that brings a deep sense of meaning and usefulness). The power of these four pillars enables us to be what we were truly born to be by helping us:
- Know ourselves
- Love ourselves
- Be ourselves, and
- Give of ourselves
That is true strength!