Creating a visual aid that brings hope can be a very therapeutic. The idea with a few rules can make it more powerful than repeating words to yourself, trying to think positive, or fumbling your way through cue cards. Days that are stressful, have triggers in them or a just plain hard to get through means that often you lose the ability to think, focus, remind yourself of what you should be doing.
The main goal: A loving, gentle, uplifting, positive, inspiring reminder that you and your recovery is worthwhile and achievable.
The secondary goal: challenge negative and automatic thoughts.
You can either create a special book or have it as part of your journal.
You don’t need to make it perfect, just as long as it means something to you.
- Most people respond positively to a visual aid.
- Make the book or journal page interesting, pretty, or engaging so you want to use it and respond to it.
- Have it the size of an A4 or A5 size – this means it is portable or can be put in a handbag, placed around the home but not get in the way.
- Don’t put the cliche kind of quotes that make you want to barf on bad days. Nothing worse when things are going bad and you read a cliched quote. Pick/write stuff that really means something to you, has depth, expresses your recovery, gives hope and inspiration.
- It’s yours and yours alone. Do it anyway you want, any media type you want – it’s not a competition.
- Make it specific. Have one for depression, another for eating disorder recovery, another for self-harm etc. It’s not a one size fits all solution. So tailor it support you in the most appropriate way.