Back home from rehab
Channel: Andrew Hicks
Date: 2021-07-02

To sum up my thoughts, feelings, and the transformative experience I had in residential treatment for addiction, is no easy feat. Let's start with a hearty, "Mission accomplished."

The mission, of course, being to re-engage with my recovery after a period of destabilization and downward a'spiralin' in 2021.

There were many profound catalysts for personal growth during treatment. Some of my favorites were:

1) Fresh out of solitude, living in a house with 70 dudes of all stripes and basically remembering what it's like to be a human being immersed in the trenches with other human beings; bonding despite and because of differences, finding missing pieces of my own soul in the most unusual and unexpected places and people.

2) Letting go of my futile demands for everyone to like me, and just be myself. Don't like it? Not my problem, dude, I'm just not the droids you're looking for.

3) Valuing my time and energy enough to protect it by assertively and respectfully communicating boundaries.

4) Rehab ran on a daily schedule, which motivated me to use the same style of structure for my personal life. So far, seems to be working well.

5) Before I went to rehab, I wanted to want to reach out and call people and go to mutual aid meetings. Now I actually just want to do those things. I know the muscle of my willingness to reach out will atrophy if I let it. So if you're not used to me calling you up or answering my phone/calling you back when you call me, it's time to refresh those expectations.

6) Clarity on where I went wrong, so I can duck under Rafiki's stick on its inevitable second pass at my noggin. That's a whole other story. Keep an eye on my blog in coming weeks for more (updates bi-weekly, link in profile).

I don't even know, man. So much more to say. Working on some exciting shit. I'll keep you posted. Join my mailing list (sent out bi-weekly for now, link also in profile) for first looks at future books and self-empowerment workshops.

My heart loves your heart. xoxo alh