Family relationships

See that ye love one another….learn to impart one to another

~ Doctrine and Covenants 88:123 ~

As we continue our journey through recovery, standing a little taller each day, we come to realize that part of our recovery is to restore family relationships. Because of our active substance use, we want to rely on our family to help support us. It is critical for one’s recovery to have healthy and supportive relationships. 

We begin to heal and mend ourselves, while we are learning to heal and mend those fragile and broken relationships with our family. It takes time. In order to improve our relationships, we want to remember that our commitment to recovery is for our own good and not the good of others. This self-awareness of our own recovery being our own desire and commitment is what keeps us grounded and focused on living in recovery daily. Through our established routines, and consistencies, our family will begin to be receptive in rebuilding the broken relationship.

Another key component is building open lines of communication. This is something one may learn in treatment, or through family and/or individual therapy. Utilizing active listening skills, deepens our emotional and intimate connections with family members. This helps us share our own feelings and emotions in a healthy manner. We also share optimism, hope, and gratitude.

Recovery is a definite selfish adventure and process (because we are focused on ourselves), however, that does not mean we forget to nurture family relationships. By developing family rituals and traditions, we begin to reconnect, restore, and rebuild. We want this time to be meaningful.

Through empathy, we begin to consider another person’s viewpoint. Learning to be slow to anger and utilizing empathy, we construct bridges of understanding. This requires our own ability to take responsibility for how we feel, and managing our own emotions.

Finally, as we move through the process of restoring our family relationships, learning to love one another, and learning to impart one to another, we are finding ways to be of service through small acts of kindness. As we display concern and care toward our family members, we are building on a foundation of trust, intimacy, and respect. We grow sensitive to the needs of others and willfully help them with no expectations of reciprocation.

Today’s thoughtful meditation

As I continue to focus on my recovery, I will begin to work on bringing healing and restoration to my family relationships where I am able to develop and sustain trust and intimacy. They are my allies and are there to help support me through this process. I am there to help support them through their own healing process.