Treatment Archives - Page 12 of 31 - Enlightened Solutions

Changing our Subconscious Soundtrack

Written by enlightened solutions on August 15, 2018. Posted in 12 Step Program, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

When we’re able to consciously observe our thoughts, we can determine what self-destructive thought patterns and limiting beliefs we’ve been developing. The soundtracks of our subconscious minds are often negative, critical, cynical and judgmental. They are constantly judging us, other people, and the world around us. When we’re not conscious that this voice is coming from our ego mind, which is often wounded from trauma, we allow it to run rampant and wreak havoc on our mental and emotional health. We feel depressed, anxious, scared, angry, ashamed and sad, and we often try to drown out the voice with our drugs of choice.

The voice that tells you you’re not good enough, that other people are better than you, that you’re a failure, that you haven’t accomplished enough, that you’re unworthy and broken – that voice is not coming from your higher power, or from your heart or soul. It’s coming from your ego mind, the part of your mind driven by the ego, or sense of self. A common problem many of us share is that the fears stored in our subconscious mind cause our egos to function from a wounded place, rather than from a healthy place. We interpret things through a lens of feeling threatened rather than secure. Since the subconscious mind stores our emotional pain and governs the vast majority of our daily thoughts, behaviors and decisions, we’re usually living with subconscious soundtracks that make us act out of fear rather than love.

Try monitoring your thoughts for a day. Write down the major recurring themes your mind tends to return to the most. You might find that many of the themes are negative and fear-based.

What would it feel like to change that subconscious soundtrack? It might feel liberating! Let’s try it.

Consciously start repeating affirmations throughout the day- as well as when you first wake up and as you’re falling asleep- that reflect positivity, love, joy, healing and growth. “I love myself. I am happy. I am fulfilled. I am blessed. This is a beautiful life. I am perfect the way I am.” Use whatever affirmations resonate with you and make you feel good.

Our subconscious soundtrack tends to be exhausting and all-consuming. It can really drain us of our life force energy. Your new affirmations will bring you a lift, and as you continue to repeat them, you’ll have more positive energy, hope and optimism. You will start to feel more grateful and more joyful. It will become easier to reach for the thoughts that feel better. Rather than focusing on the troubling thoughts and trying to force them to go away, create new thought patterns and reinforce those with repetition. The more you practice, the more the new beautiful thoughts will replace the old depressing soundtrack.

The community at Enlightened Solutions can help support you through the healing process. Call (833) 801-LIVE.

Anxiety About the Future

Written by enlightened solutions on August 14, 2018. Posted in Mental Health, Recovery. Leave a Comment

Sometimes we find ourselves preoccupied with anxiety about the future. We become anxious about things that have not yet happened. We panic, we become filled with dread- all about things we’re not yet dealing with.

Anxiety about the future can be based on fear of the unknown. We have a hard time being ok with uncertainty, and we let worry fuel us. We think in terms of worst case scenarios. We jump to conclusions about how things might be. We anticipate and expect the worst. Instead of thinking “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it,” we worry in anticipation. We hope and pray something bad doesn’t happen, instead of focusing on how we can change our energy to attract what we do want to happen.

When we are anxious about uncertainty and the unknown, and when we are anxious about the outcomes we don’t want, we are energetically emitting fear. We fear negative outcomes, without realizing that our fear is a powerful energy that is actually attracting what we don’t want. We can choose different energies to attract what we do want, instead.

Sometimes we feel powerless over our anxiety, but we actually have more control over our minds than we think we do. Fear of the future can be alleviated just like any other form of anxiety. Try calming your mind with meditation, exercise or writing. Listening to music, laughing with friends, and spending time doing things we enjoy are all wonderful anxiety remedies.

Whatever it is you’re anxious about in the future, decide what outcome you actually want. Sometimes we are so afraid we become overwhelmed and confused. Take some time to do some soul searching and get clear on what it is you actually want to happen in this situation. Visualize that happening. When anxious, fearful thoughts pop up, choose thoughts that reflect your desired outcome coming to fruition. Return to the visualization. Feel things working out in your favor. Believe that what you want can and will happen. Write and repeat affirmations reflecting that outcome having already happened. Try writing things such as “I am so happy and grateful that ____” (fill in the blank.) I accomplished everything I wanted to. I received the news I wanted. Everything worked out exactly as I hoped.” Try to fill your energy around the situation with as much faith as you can. Be as secure and confident as you can.

We may not be able to predict the future, but we can make our energy one of faith rather than fear, which will help us to manifest the outcomes we do want rather than attracting the ones we don’t want. We can be prepared for whatever happens down the line, but in the meantime, we can choose to be at peace and focus on positivity rather than worry.

Anxiety is something many of us struggle with. Enlightened Solutions has been helping people for years and can help you. Call (833) 801-LIVE.

Anxiety About the Past

Written by enlightened solutions on August 13, 2018. Posted in Mental Health, Recovery. Leave a Comment

Often when we talk about anxiety, we hear it being described as an inability to stay in the present moment, a preoccupation with the past and the future. While we can be anxious about a great many things, often times our anxiety has to do with things that already happened, things we know we no longer have any control over. We might not be able to change what has already happened, but we can choose not to let our anxiety about the past get the best of us. We can shift our energy to make peace with the past instead.

When we are anxious about the past, it often comes from our inability to let go. We obsess about our past mistakes, embarrassments and regrets. We hold onto the painful memories of a relationship long after it has ended. Sometimes we feel we can’t let go of something or someone because we haven’t yet gotten the necessary closure. We hold onto the pain of the past and carry it with us into the present.

How would it feel to consciously choose to let go? For many of us who tend to dwell on things and obsess, this might feel impossible.

Even if we can’t change the past, we can change how we relate to it, how we perceive it, how we think and talk about it. What are the lessons learned? What can we take away from it? How can we apply what we’ve learned to other similar situations? What can we do differently in order to avoid the same pain down the line? Focusing on the lessons and how you can apply them in the future can help to reduce the anxiety.

Sometimes our anxiety comes from frustration with how we handled things. Sometimes we’re holding onto a grudge and can’t forgive the person who hurt us.

How would it feel to choose forgiveness, for ourselves and others, for the sake of our own peace of mind? Can we prioritize our own inner peace whether or not we reconcile, whether or not we even address the issue?

We have the power to choose how we think about things. One suggestion is to write everything down and feel the release and relief that can come from the writing process. It can be calming and therapeutic just to write it all out. Another suggestion is to use affirmations and meditate with them. Try repeating things like “I let go. I choose to move forward. I choose to forgive. I choose peace.”

The past doesn’t have to keep haunting you. The community at Enlightened Solutions has years of experience helping people. Let them help you. Call (833) 801-LIVE.

What Am I Actually Afraid Of?

Written by enlightened solutions on August 10, 2018. Posted in Addiction Recovery, Sober Living. Leave a Comment

Those of us with mental health problems, emotional challenges and addictions often have troubling issues we are facing simultaneously. They can cause us all kinds of inner turmoil as well as relationship conflict. We get so wrapped up in these issues that we don’t think to take a look at the underlying fears. We focus on what’s on the surface, such as recent occurrences and temporary circumstances. For example, we might become consumed by the latest argument we had with our partner rather than addressing the fears that fueled the argument in the first place. When we look deeper at the existing fears, we can face them head on, and as we work to heal them, the surface issues will improve. Here are a few common issues and the fears they represent.

Insecurity

When we feel insecure within ourselves, it can touch every part of our lives: our self-love, our confidence, our body image, our sense of security and groundedness. It can make us lose faith in ourselves and our potential. We might feel insecure about the mistake we made last week, or the new haircut we hate, but deep down what we’re really afraid of is inadequacy. We are afraid we aren’t good enough.

Arrogance

Similarly, when we are arrogant and put other people down, we are often insecure and so afraid that we are inadequate that we compensate by trying to make ourselves seem more confident than we actually feel. We aren’t happy with ourselves, so we try to bring others down to make ourselves feel better.

Jealousy

When we feel jealous in any relationship, whether romantic or not, we are often afraid of being abandoned or rejected. We fear losing their love. We fear losing their attention or validation. Our sense of security has been threatened. We might fear we are inadequate or inferior to the person we feel is robbing of us that love, attention and validation. Sometimes more than anything we fear being alone.

Envy

Envy hits us when someone else has something we wish we had- an accomplishment, a personality trait, the family we always wanted. We feel threatened by other people’s happiness and success. We might become bitter, resentful, even mean-spirited. We might ask ourselves things like “why do they have that, and I don’t? What’s so great about him?” Again, this comes down to fears of inferiority and inadequacy, but it can also indicate fear of failure, fear of not being happy or fulfilled, fear of not having the life we want.

Looking at the fears beneath our issues is an important step in the healing process. Our issues are often just symptoms. They are manifestations of our fears. When we focus on the underlying fears, we come closer to finding real healing solutions.

We can all use help looking at our deepest fears. Let Enlightened Solutions offer you their support. Call (833) 801-LIVE.

Why We Have to Believe in Ourselves in Order to Recover

Written by enlightened solutions on August 8, 2018. Posted in 12 Step Program, Addiction Recovery. Leave a Comment

Our addictions and mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety, have a way of taking over our lives and our psyches, causing us to feel ashamed of ourselves and to feel undeserving of happiness. We lose our sense of self and purpose. We have a hard time believing in ourselves at all. We can go through the motions of getting help, we can even go so far as to start therapy or to check ourselves into rehab, but if we don’t get to the underlying feelings of self-worth, our recovery won’t be genuine, and it won’t last. Being in recovery doesn’t just mean abstaining from our drug(s) of choice. Just as importantly, recovery means working on the mental and emotional challenges that come with our addictions. Many addicts share the commonality of carrying excessive shame, not being able to forgive themselves, and losing faith in themselves.

We’ve all done things we’ve regretted and been ashamed of. Sometimes the difference between happy people and addicts, and people with mental/emotional problems, is their ability to forgive themselves for their mistakes and wrongdoings. They are able to feel guilt without letting it morph into all-consuming shame- the feeling that you are a horrible person, that you are inadequate, unworthy, or undeserving of love as a result. They are able to let things go and move forward. Addicts and people with mental/emotional health issues, however, cling to their shame and carry it with them for years, sometimes most of their lives. Sometimes their shame causes them to hate themselves so much they become self-destructive, racking up more mistakes and regrets, causing them to accumulate even more shame. They bury their shame under their addictions, unhealthy behaviors and toxic thought patterns.

To recover and to be happy, we have to believe in ourselves. Having self-forgiveness can feel impossible at times. We feel like we don’t deserve to be forgiven. We have to believe in our ability to work through that process, though. We have to be able to start telling ourselves things like, “even though I have regrets, I believe in my ability to change. Even though I’ve made some devastating mistakes, I believe in my ability to get better.” Depending on where you are in your recovery, the words “I forgive myself” might feel too loaded and too unrecognizable, too heavy and too sad. Try simply saying “I believe in myself.” Invoke the feelings of what it would be like to believe in yourself and keep affirming it until you start to feel a genuine renewed sense of hope and confidence in yourself. When we believe in ourselves anything is possible, including full recovery.

The community at Enlightened Solutions offers therapy, mentoring, connection and friendship. We help each other to believe in ourselves. Call (833) 801-LIVE for support.

Do Something Good for Yourself Every Day

Written by enlightened solutions on August 7, 2018. Posted in Addiction Recovery, Healthy Living. Leave a Comment

The idea of making time for self-care can be daunting. We feel like we don’t have enough time, or we feel like there is so much to do, it would be selfish to make time for ourselves. The truth is, the more we can find balance and take care of ourselves, the more we can give to others, and the less likely it is that we will burn out. How would it feel to set the intention to do one good thing for ourselves every single day?

The demands of daily life can be so overwhelming, the last thing we want to do is add more obligations to our already full schedules. If we can carve out even just a little time, however, we’ll start to see huge changes in our mental and emotional wellbeing. Chances are we’ll feel less stressed, reactive and overwhelmed. We might be more patient and more present. We’ll enjoy the small, beautiful moments on a more regular basis and pause to feel grateful for the blessings we’re experiencing in those moments. Incorporating just one small act of self-care on a daily basis can do wonders for your mood and emotional resilience. You might find appreciating yourself feels so good you’ll want to find ways to add more self-care to your daily routine.

Here are some thoughts:

Commune with Nature

Nature’s healing benefits are transformative. Taking a few minutes to listen to the wind in the trees or to sit by the ocean can be soothing and help calm an anxious, restless mind. Find a nearby park or body of water, take off your shoes, and let yourself feel more grounded and centered.

Meditate

Taking on a meditation practice might sound daunting in and of itself, but once you’ve practiced even a little, the calming effects of meditation will be something you look forward to. Pick a mantra or affirmation, focus on your breathing, or do something meditatively i.e. focusing on one thing with intention, like walking or cleaning up.

Solitude

Give yourself some alone time. Take a bath or read a book before bed, go for a walk in the morning, pause on the porch before coming in after a long day. However you can do it, give yourself time to recharge. Always answering the demands of daily life, we get little time to ourselves.

Some of the emotional stresses that can contribute to depression and anxiety can be alleviated by focusing time on self and self-care. You deserve it, and the people around you will benefit from a calmer, more present, happier you. You’ll be better able to focus on the tasks at hand, and more prepared to deal with whatever comes your way.

Learning to prioritize self-care is something many of us struggle with. Enlightened Solutions can help. Call (833) 801-LIVE for support.

Why Do We Avoid Therapy?

Written by enlightened solutions on August 6, 2018. Posted in 12 Step Program, Addiction Recovery. Leave a Comment

Many of us have a hard time getting the help we need because we avoid therapy, for multiple different reasons. Even though we know therapy might be beneficial, even when we’re desperate for help, we postpone finding a therapist. Addressing our deeply rooted fears and emotional blocks is so important for our mental health, but understandably we avoid it. Here are some of the reasons why we avoid therapy.

We’re afraid.

Plain and simple. We’re afraid to face our stuff- our issues, our problems, our pasts can all feel like… a lot. Too much sometimes. Where to start? We might be nervous to talk with a perfect stranger. Sometimes we feel embarrassed and ashamed about the painful things we need to talk about. The truth is, that painful stuff- that’s what therapists are there to help with. Be brave. The right therapist will never make you feel judged and will work with you to address your stuff at your own pace.

That being said, some of us have had-

Bad experiences in therapy.

Many of us can say that the therapist we love came after a few we didn’t. Some of us have even had traumatic experiences with the professionals we trusted, where our trust was betrayed. Maybe we felt judged, criticized, misunderstood or violated. This can be extremely traumatic. When you feel ready and you’re open to it, the right therapist can provide a safe space where you feel comfortable talking about difficult things, including past experiences in therapy.

We don’t want to get better.

Not too many people would admit that they want to stay depressed, but many of us subconsciously don’t want to be happy. Whether it’s because deep down we don’t love or value ourselves, or because we feel we don’t deserve to be happy, for many of us the comfort zone of depression can make us stay in that place. Therapy is one of the many self-care practices we don’t prioritize. Sometimes staying stagnant is easier than doing the hard work of recovery.

We don’t know where to start.

Some of us have never tried therapy before and aren’t sure how to start the process of looking for one. Some of us have done therapy but have discontinued and find ourselves trying to start the process all over again. Starting therapy can be overwhelming and daunting. We feel intimidated by the whole thing, so we procrastinate, make excuses, and continue to put it off.

Enlightened Solutions includes therapy in the recovery process. We’re here to help. Call (833) 801-LIVE.

Human Nature – It’s All “Normal.” What Can We Learn?

Written by enlightened solutions on July 31, 2018. Posted in Addiction Recovery, Sober Living. Leave a Comment

When we judge ourselves and each other, and when we have expectations for how we should or shouldn’t behave, we’re often forgetting one really important concept- that of human nature. Human nature is expansive and all-inclusive. It encompasses all the different and unique variations of humanity. When looking at other people’ behaviors, as well as our own, many of them leave us feeling baffled, confused, angry, sad, horrified. Human nature is all of it. Human nature is objective- everything that is in our nature to do, feel, think and be.

Everything is normal, so to speak, because everything we do as humans makes up the big picture of what human nature is. That means that all of our behaviors are “normal,” even the ones we don’t agree with. Al of our fears are normal and common, even when they are irrational. Everything you’ve ever done or experienced that made you feel embarrassed, guilty or ashamed, is normal. It’s all “normal.” Human nature includes our mental health problems and addictions.

This is very far removed from how we usually perceive things. We judge everything a person does, has, thinks, feels, is. We assess situations based on what we think we would do, hypothetically. We judge people based on how we think they should be. We view things from our narrow perspectives, not realizing that our viewpoints are limited to our personal experiences and not taking into account that human nature is much broader than that- not to mention that when we judge, we are acting from a place of fear.

When we judge others, it is often because we judge ourselves, and these other people represent something reflected in us- whether that is a behavior we can’t admit to, a fear we carry, something that triggers us, or some aspect of ourselves being mirrored back to us.

When we judge, we reject, and that means we’re potentially missing out on important information and teachable moments. We can learn something from everyone and everything, from every experience, every story. Mistakes hold lessons when we are open to them. Relationships, including the unhealthy ones, teach us so much about ourselves and each other, about life and the world. We receive all kinds of guidance and wisdom from our experiences and from other people. When we are willing to give up our expectations, assumptions and preconceived notions about how things should be, how people should be, and how things should go, we open ourselves up to learn so much that we can apply to our own healing journeys.

The community at Enlightened Solutions has helped many people with their healing and recovery, and many of us have personal firsthand experience. We understand. Call us at (833) 801-LIVE.

We Judge Each Other Constantly – Let’s Stop

Written by enlightened solutions on July 27, 2018. Posted in Recovery, Sober Living. Leave a Comment

We have a tendency to pass judgment on people around us, whether it’s someone we know, are just meeting, or see on TV or social media. We critique and criticize, usually without knowing the person well at all. Why do we do this?

One reason might be- if the subconscious mind’s role is to keep us safe, maybe one of the ways it does that is by convincing us to be wary of others and to keep our distance. Maybe it’s a result of the turbulent societies we live in and the stories we hear of violence, turmoil, hatred and oppression. We instinctively and purposely separate, isolate and distance ourselves.

If we look at things cosmically, we’re all the same species co-existing on a magical ball floating around in space. If we could go so far as to think of ourselves as a human family, then we are brothers and sisters. What would it take to be more kind to each other?

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.”

– Wendy Mass

One thing we all share is that we have all experienced pain of some kind. Everyone’s story is different, everyone’s experience is unique, but we’ve all had pain. We couldn’t possibly know by looking at someone, or meeting them, or following them on social media what their story is- so how can we judge? And more importantly, why bother? Doesn’t it feel better to live and let live?

We judge each other on just about everything under the sun- ethnicity, skin color, religion, sexual preference, accent, socio-economic status, job. And even more superficial- body type, clothing, hair. We usually aren’t curious and want to know more about people, we want to criticize them and belittle them, put them down for being different from us, for not meeting our expectations, for doing things differently, for living life differently. And since everyone is struggling with battles we know nothing about, essentially we’re all suffering differently, handling life’s challenges differently, and trying to figure out life differently. We go about creating our lives differently, and that’s a beautiful thing.

What would it take for us to feel like instead of passing judgment, we were choosing to think “we’re all in this together. How can we help each other get where we’re going?” Can we be inspired by each other? Can we empathize with each other, see each other’s pain and transform our judgment into compassion?

Judgment is toxic, it’s often unkind, and the negativity of it brings us down. It’s so destructive to our mental and emotional health. Let’s do better.

Working to heal our thoughts and behaviors is a large part of recovery. Let Enlightened Solutions help. Call (833) 801-LIVE.

Self-Hypnosis for Healing

Written by enlightened solutions on July 26, 2018. Posted in Alternative Therapy, Mental Health. Leave a Comment

Self-hypnosis is a powerful tool to reprogram the subconscious mind, which stores our fears and emotions. With self-hypnosis, we are taking control of our minds and directing our thoughts more consciously, with intention. It can be therapeutic and really help you to feel better.

We are always hypnotizing ourselves, on a daily basis, with the thoughts and feelings we cling to the most. For many of us with mental health problems, emotional challenges and addictions, our default thoughts and feelings very often are negative. That nagging voice in your head that is critical, judgmental and analytical, that tells you you’re not good enough, or that other people are better than you. It complains. It worries too much. It overthinks. It’s pessimistic. It would rather see the bad than the good. It makes you feel sad and afraid.

The good news is that we can reprogram our subconscious mind, and self-hypnosis is a powerful way to do that.

Start by becoming more conscious of what you think and feel on a daily basis. Try keeping a journal or taking notes. Write regularly, then look back at the recurring themes. Get clear on your thoughts and feelings. Be thorough. What thought patterns and feelings are consuming you, making you feel bad about yourself, holding you back, or taking away from your happiness and inner peace? How do you feel about yourself and your life, and how would you rather feel? For example, if you’re struggling with feelings of insecurity, start looking at those insecurities. Where did they come from? What are you afraid of? What feelings would feel better instead?

Write down positive affirmations that detail the things you want to think, feel, do, have and be in your life. Try writing things like “I am happy and healthy. I am strong, brave, secure and confident. I am at peace. I am financially free. I am grateful. I do what I love for a living.” Get creative and be direct with yourself. Be brave. Reach for the stars. Believe in your power to make your dreams come true. You have the power to be happy, healthy and well.

Read what you’ve written multiple times a day. Keep it in your wallet, or post it on your bathroom mirror, anywhere you’ll read it often. Repeat it out loud to yourself as often as possible. Using a phone app, computer or studio, record your words and if you’d like, include beautiful meditation music behind your voice. Listen to it on repeat while you’re meditating, driving, exercising, or working. If you’re open to it, with time you’ll find that you feel better. You’ll start believing the words and believing in yourself. You’ll be doing the wonderful work of reprogramming your subconscious mind, and soon you’ll be able to feel the changes.

We believe in helping you find holistic healing solutions for your individual challenges. Call (833) 801-LIVE.

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