There are a many ways to express a healthy mindset during addiction recovery: cut yourself some slack, stop self-judgment and start self-acceptance. But Irish poet and novelist Oscar Wilde said it most pristinely when he said that, “Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.”
It’s a simple mantra for those in drug and alcohol addiction recovery, it would be difficult to find a better one. While it may seem so to someone struggling with personal and social issues, there really isn’t anyone who is all perfect or free from pain or doubt.
Drop the Dualities
Accept the fact that the past and the future can co-exist. Self-acceptance during addiction recovery means letting go of saint or sinner and just learning to be fully, complexly human. One day at a time. It also means that society must stop categorizing individuals with pasts that include addictions or mental health issues.
Life was no picnic for Oscar Wilde. But even through personal challenges, tragedies and imprisonment, he was adamant about two particular things: it is better to live than merely exist, and no-one is more qualified to be oneself than…oneself! Neither totally good or completely bad, humans can’t be defined merely by their pasts or in comparison to others.
Above it All wants to hear your comments and experiences! Share your thoughts on how you’ve let go of the idea of all-saints and only-sinners during addiction recovery.