We all have different roles in life and just because you’re in recovery does not mean that you are not responsible for fulfilling those roles. In fact, you should make it a part of your recovery. Take some time and think about what your roles are. For example, are you a mother, father, child, brother, sister, teacher, boss, employee, etc.?
Are you fulfilling your role obligations? Write down exactly who you are and what you need to do to be that person. Making relationships a top priority can really help you through this journey.
How to take action
You can start right now by thinking of 5 roles you play. Some common examples are these:
Parent
Child
Brother/sister
Friend
Employee
Cousin
Caregiver
Pet owner
If you don’t have 5 roles right now it’s okay. Start with as many as you can think of.
Next, under each role, write exactly what you are responsible for doing.
Example:
Friend: being available, offering support, having fun
Now, write down 1-2 achievable actions that you can do to be sure that you are keeping your responsibility to that person.
Example:
Friend: being available, offering support, having fun
- Call friend once per week
- Schedule time together at least twice per month
Be specific when writing this down.
Last, take action.
Example:
I will call my friend every Wednesday morning at 10am.
We will make plans to go see a movie this Saturday.
Keep doing this will all of your roles. You will be surprised how busy you will be. This will open up doors you never knew were closed.
Leave a Reply