“It is National Recovery and Suicide Prevention Month; you can help save a life.”

What does that mean?

September is National Recovery Month and National Suicide Prevention Month. 

Most people don’t think they can be of much help to other people, but that just isn’t true. 

There are tons of people in the world right now stuggling with addiction and darkness that no one else knows about, but that might be because you have never reached out to ask. 

Believe it or not, some people do not know about a lot of local resources that can help them with whatever they may be struggling with. 

Some people are also afraid to reach out and seek help. 

When people do not know how to save themselves, they might need our help to save their life.

Check in on your friends and family. Make sure they know you are there for them and that there are resources available if they need help.

An act as simple as telling your uncle about a recovery center, lending a shoulder to cry on, providing the 988 suicide hot-line, or helping your cousin contact the local rape crisis center may just save their life. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Turn down the volume on negativity and turn up the volume on good, positive, and motivational things.”

What does that mean?

We often listen to the same, hurtful and repetitive thoughts all day long. 

We allow the voices in our heads tell us that we aren’t good enough, creative enough, smart enough, etc.; however, we have to remind ourselves that we can control those thoughts.

Jon Acuff, an author and speaker, calls these repetitive thoughts “soundtracks” that we listen to on repeat all day long. 

We walk ourselves in circles thinking we can just turn these “soundtracks” off and listen to something else, but it isn’t that simple.

Our thoughts are more like a dial and less like an on-off switch.

We have to learn to turn down the loud, negative thoughts and turn up the good, encouraging ones.

As much as you may think that you can’t control your thoughts, you are the only one who can. 

Your mindset is often dependent upon what you spend the most time listening to and consuming. 

If you want a better mindset, try turning down the volume on things in your life that take away value instead of add value. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Dig up roots; stop trimming branches.”

What does that mean?

As a society, we have a problem with treating the symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause of our problems. 

We take pain meds to hide the pain for a short time without asking ourselves what is causing the pain.

We take medication for high blood pressure without addressing the cause. 

We try to make more and more money without addressing the mindset and spending habits that cause us to feel like we are drowning financially. 

It is time we start to dig up and deal with the root of our problems.

A lot of people struggle with addiction because they try to use substances to deal with pain, loneliness, depression, etc.; however, they do not address what is causing their pain and illness in the first place.

At The Commitment House, we work with our clients to address the errors in thinking that leads them to use illicit substances.

We aim to cut addiction off at the root rather than treat the symptoms of addiction. 

We need to take the time to slow down, do some inward reflection, and start working on doing away with the source of our problems rather than routine maintenance of the symptoms.  

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“You control you.”

What does that mean?

There are billions of people in this world; however, you can only control the thoughts, words, and actions of one of them.

You.

We often times set ourselves up for disappointment because we place our expectations on other people. 

We want them to do what want them to, how we want them to, and when we want them to do it. 

The sooner we understand that we cannot control other people, the better off our mental and emotional states will be.

You control you; you cannot control the actions and decisions of anyone else.

Stop expecting you out of other people. 

There is only one you and only you can control you.

Stop investing so much time, effort, and energy into trying to make someone else be more like you.

Take that time, effort, and energy and invest it in bettering yourself. 

Make better decisions, think better thoughts, and speak better of yourself and others. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Embrace your diversity.”

What does that mean?

Every single person on this planet is different. 

We have different fingerprints, different DNA, and different personalities. 

Sometimes, we shove our differences aside; we attempt to hide who we are to better fit in. 

We constantly feel misunderstood, and often struggle to properly express ourselves. 

In order to fix this inner turmoil, we must stop trying to hide who we really are to “fit in”.

Emracing your diversity means to accept who you are and to utilize your unique skills, talents, and abilities.

Everyone brings something different to the table. 

Our society should operate like a salad bowl filled with different ingredients that all bring a unique style and purpose. 

You will never be happy or thrive trying to be someone you aren’t. 

The world needs people willing and able to embrace their diversity and make the world a better place. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Reflect on the positive.”

What does that mean?

Why is it so easy for us to think about everything that is going wrong in our lives compared to the things that are going right?

We spend so much of our time comparing ourselves to other people and thinking about how we wish things would go. 

We are constantly thinking about and ruminating upon negativity.

“I wish I had this/that!” 

“I need more of this/that!”

“I’ll never make ends meet!”

“I am always sick!”

“Nothing ever goes my way!”

Stop thinking so much about all the things that aren’t going your way; start to refelect on the positives in life. 

When you are always focused on the negatives, you neglect to realize just how ungrateful you have become. 

Life isn’t sunshine and rainbows all the time, but we have a lot more to be thankful for than we ever verbalize. 

Take a moment today to think back and reflect on everything that has gone well with your life.

Be thankful that you don’t have a chronic disease, be thankful for that car you drive, be thankful that you can walk, see, and hear, be thankful for indoor plumbing, be thankful for the job you have (even if you hate it), and be thankful for the countless other things that are going right with your life.

Reflect on the positive more often and you might just find yourself complaining less.

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Don’t Be A Sponge.”

What does that mean?

The world has always been filled with some rough stuff, but with social media, it is all now available to see 24/7. 

We spend a lot of time doom scrolling and playing the part of “keyboard warrior” all while neglecting the toll it has on our mental and emotional well-being. 

We don’t realize the impact that absorbing negative information has on our mind. 

Don’t be a sponge soaking up negativity all day; be on guard and take a break from all the chaos.

Self-care is very important, but when we think of self-care we don’t often think about taking a break from things like social media.

The constant stream of negativity, arguing, political posts, heart-breaking news stories, and more are often hurting us more than we realize. 

We soak in all of this negativity all day long and wonder why we always feel miserable and defeated.

Take a break from things like social media and see if it helps you feel a little better about yourself and life in general. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Don’t Settle for Sooner. 

What does that mean?

Human beings are naturally impatient. 

We want what we want now, even if it isn’t as good as what we could have later.

We settle for short-term feelings and elation instead of putting in the time, effort, and patience to see better, long-term rewards. 

Don’t settle for sooner; put in the work necessary to obtain long-term, sustaining benefits. 

There have been several experiments done that show even as children we are more likely to take the cookie in front of us than wait for someone to bring us something better.

We need to get better at thinking long-term and having the self-control necessary to say no to something good now for something great later. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Intentionally Add Value”. 

What does that mean?

If the power of life and death lies with the tongue, why do we always only every speak death over others and ourselves? 

People are walking around every day fighting their own battles, and we often act selfishly and look out for ourselves rather than helping others.

There is power in intentionally helping others.

There are people across the world desperate for someone to invest and pour into them. 

It is time we begin intentionally adding value to the lives of those around us. 

It doesn’t take a lot of effort to encourage one another, God knows we need it.

You have unique gifts, talents, and experiences that can be used to help someone else. 

Take the time to go out of your way to intentionally add value to someone else’s life today. 

It may not mean a lot to you, but it could mean the world to the other person.

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Process before progress”. 

What does that mean?

We all want to see the fruits of our labor before we put in any work.

We think we should be able to see progress almost immediately, but that’s not how it works. 

A lot of people will go to the gym a few times and then give up because they weren’t losing the weight they wanted or gaining the muscle they wanted.

They bypassed something very important.

In order to see the progress you want, you must commit to the process to get there. 

We all want to see progress without following the process.

We expect life to simply hand us great things without putting in any work to get there.

You can’t make progress if you don’t trust the process. 

Be patient, keep working hard, and then you will look back at all the progress you have made.

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees.