Whatever it takes to reframe your thinking can be of help in early recovery (or in any situation, for that matter). Why? Because what and where we think determines how we behave. This is true whether trying to stop drinking, reduce drinking or cope with someone’s drinking behaviors. This post expands on this concept, “Understand Brain Maps | Change a Habit | Change Your Life.”

Images and Phrases to Help Reframe Your Thinking

Because changing where you think – in other words, moving from your Limbic System – reactionary part of the brain – to your Cerebral Cortex – responding part of the brain – will go a long way to changing how your respond vs react. In the world of recovery, this is often summarized by a phrase from the Serenity Prayer as “Courage to Change the Things I Can.” It took me decades to understand this phrase did not mean to dig in and try harder, rather it meant to realistically understand what was within my control and to let go of that which was not. I discuss this concept and process in my post, “Courage to Change the Things I Can.”

In today’s post, I want to share images and sayings I’ve found incredibly helpful to my efforts to reframe my thinking over the years. For sometimes, it just takes looking at a photograph or listening to a song or reading a simple phrase to jolt your thoughts – if only for a moment – because it is in that moment you can give pause, move from the reactionary part of your brain, to that part of the brain from which you can think, and perhaps even declare, “Oh my gosh… there is another way.”

To this end, I’m sharing some recent sayings that were shared with me — just in case you’re in need of seeing a situation in a different light. Enjoy!

Shared by Bryan Johnson

Shared by JoAnn Sisco

Shared by Personality Disorder Support Network

Shared by Personality Disorder Support Network

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Lisa Frederiksen

Author | Speaker | Consultant | Founder at BreakingTheCycles.com

Lisa Frederiksen is the author of hundreds of articles and 12 books, including her latest, "10th Anniversary Edition If You Loved Me, You'd Stop! What you really need to know when your loved one drinks too much,” and "Loved One In Treatment? Now What!” She is a national keynote speaker with over 30 years speaking experience, consultant and founder of BreakingTheCycles.com. Lisa has spent the last 19+ years studying and simplifying breakthrough research on the brain, substance use and other mental health disorders, secondhand drinking, toxic stress, trauma/ACEs and related topics.

Latest posts by Lisa Frederiksen (see all)

• Does a Loved One Have to Hit Bottom? - November 20, 2022
• Resources for Parents of Children with Substance Use and Mental Disorders - October 18, 2022
• 4 Things to Support Brain Health and Function for Recovery - August 30, 2022