LILTEX41 Posted March 27, 2013 Report Share Posted March 27, 2013 Hey guys! I am so excited! I am beginning a Smart Recovery meeting in The Woodlands, TX on April 19th. If anyone is ever in the neighborhood, come stop by! The location is 25319 Interstate 45 #102 Spring, TX 77380. We will meet at 6:00 - 7:30 every Friday night. Whooo hooo!!!! 7304 Mentor Avenue, Suite F, Mentor, OH 44060 Phone: 440.951.5357 ¨ Toll free: 866.951.5357 ¨ Fax: 440.951.5358 Email: information@smartrecovery.org ¨ Website: www.smartrecovery.org Welcome to SMART Recovery® You are here to learn how to change some things in your life. To do that you must first identify and recognize a particular problem or set of problems that you may have. Sometimes this is not obvious. But anything that causes you emotional distress such as anxiety, worry, frustration or fear is a signal of where to look for the source of the difficulty. After targeting the problem, it’s necessary to learn about and understand some well-known processes and stages of change that can be used. There are many tried and proven modern techniques available that offer excellent prospects of success. You may be thinking: “My problems are unique. No one will understand. I've tried to change before and nothing has ever worked. I am stuck with this mess.†This is just not true. And you are also probably wondering: “What will I have to do to overcome these problems? Where do I start? How do I start?†OK! Here's the first step. If the following fits you, you’re starting out well. Ask yourself this question: "Have I found it hard to resist the temptation to continue doing something that I know is against my better judgment?" In other words, do you have two minds about the "bad habit" involved? Do you sometimes plunge in and couldn't care less, but then at other times you have misgivings and regrets? If the answer is yes, then with some good work and doing things that you can easily learn, you can reverse the circumstances. You will become a happier and more competent person who has learned how to take control of your thoughts and behavior and who has gained a lot in emotional maturity! Most people who come to a self-help group have this necessary first condition. It is called ambivalence. However, most are also very apprehensive about changing much. They have been in the habit of giving in to their cravings, and have no idea what they can do to effectively change all of that, so they think nothing will really work. But that's not necessarily true. Thousands of people every year recover completely from addictions and get on with their lives. In SMART Recovery®, we understand that all undesirable compulsions (and even addictions) are learned behaviors. Some people may have been exposed to a more influencing environment, while others may have a more susceptible nature. But the good news is that any undesirable habits can be understood and relearned, and then replaced with new practices or even a new lifestyle. You also may be wondering, "How did I get into this situation?" First, do not think that there is something wrong with you. It is perfectly natural to seek pleasure and join in peer activities. It is both sensible and healthy thinking to seek escape or relief from pain or distress. It's very easy to fall into habits when pleasure or relief is involved. But these things can sometimes lead to a situation that has a downside that outweighs the original intent. Looking back, maybe you took too easy a road to find that pleasure and avoid that discomfort. It took a quite a long time for the habit or habits to get to be well seated. So the process of change will also take some time and effort. The road you are on now could possibly lead to a wonderful new growth and strength in your life, or the one you have been on could possibly lead to a spiral down to deeper problems. If you make up your mind to go the high road (no pun intended), you are in the right place at the right time. In SMART Recovery®, we often start out with a risk-reward analysis of one's situation regarding any particular issue. Relax! Everyone has some problem areas, often many. By doing this, usually with help, you will begin to put your situation in perspective and see some of its realities in black and white. You will find your group mates both non-judgmental and helpful. You will also soon find out that in SMART Recovery®, we want you to understand about unconditional self-acceptance. Your total worth is not measurable. You are too complex and variable to be judged as a whole person. But if the measure of your worth is permitted as with the concept of trying to have a high "self esteem", then your self-image can also be damaged greatly when a particular "un-good" act or behavior is equated to your whole worth. This subject will take some study, but for now, remember that your mistakes or self-perceived “shortcomings†do not diminish your real worth. As you saw at the top of this introduction, the idea here is to learn about changing things in your life. The first thing is in understanding the problem... and how those problems work in your life. Then you learn the ropes of how to challenge stuff in your own head and get some better things working. In the third big area, you realize that you ARE worth it. Perhaps you have failed to really appreciate how valuable and worthwhile you are. Well, that's the picture. SMART Recovery® is a non-profit organization almost completely made up of both professionals and non-professionals volunteers, who feel there is a great need in our society for the benefits of modern scientific methods to be applied to addiction. This means helping you through a change from a destructive habit to a more rewarding and fulfilling life. Once again, a big WELCOME to SMART Recovery®. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 How are the meetings going lil tex? I just had to write part of a term paper on SMART goals. Goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and with time constraint. The whole time I kept thinking about smart recovery and if that was the same SMART I was writing about, lol. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LILTEX41 Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 You got it! I went to a meeting downtown tonight and we did actually talk about Smart goals outlined exactly as you mentioned above. My meetings don't start till April 19th. I'm really excited though. Thank you for asking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted April 2, 2013 Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 You got it! I went to a meeting downtown tonight and we did actually talk about Smart goals outlined exactly as you mentioned above. My meetings don't start till April 19th. I'm really excited though. Thank you for asking! Not to knock NA or anything, but I like that philosophy so much better! Recovery that is specific Measurable Attainable realistic timely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 By the way lil tex, thanks for posting all the smart recovery material in your various posts. These are great resources, lots of interesting info. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LILTEX41 Posted April 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 So glad you like it! I have a TON of material. I don't want to post too much on this site, but I definitely want to share what I can whenever it seems relevant. Unless you guys want more?? I'll be more than happy to share! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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