Be Honest & True
INTRODUCTION
Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential (SAMSHA, July 2019). Recovery is not about getting rid of our behavioral health problems but seeing beyond them, recognizing and fostering our strengths, abilities, interests and dreams. This group has come together because each of us wants to be our “best self”. Sometimes this can be a hard, lonely journey.
As a group we will work together, learn from each other and give each other support. We will combine our faith, courage and ideas to help each other. We will talk a lot about becoming our best self and living a better life in this group. When we say our "best self" we mean getting help from our community, family, friends, and a power greater than ourselves to live a strong, balanced life. When we choose to become our best self, we care for our physical needs, social emotional health and spiritual life while finding ways to expand our knowledge. We are better able to give back and help others. Being our best self doesn't mean we will be able to get and do anything we set our minds to, but we can have a life worth living.
Each session we will combine our faith and trust in the group and a higher power with learning skills that help meet practical needs. All so we can become better. Life worth living groups work best when everyone is actively present; shares their ideas; completes the activities; loves and supports each other; works on their promises during the week, and shares what they learned in the next meeting.
CHECK IN
INTRODUCTION
Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential (SAMSHA, July 2019). Recovery is not about getting rid of our behavioral health problems but seeing beyond them, recognizing and fostering our strengths, abilities, interests and dreams. This group has come together because each of us wants to be our “best self”. Sometimes this can be a hard, lonely journey.
As a group we will work together, learn from each other and give each other support. We will combine our faith, courage and ideas to help each other. We will talk a lot about becoming our best self and living a better life in this group. When we say our "best self" we mean getting help from our community, family, friends, and a power greater than ourselves to live a strong, balanced life. When we choose to become our best self, we care for our physical needs, social emotional health and spiritual life while finding ways to expand our knowledge. We are better able to give back and help others. Being our best self doesn't mean we will be able to get and do anything we set our minds to, but we can have a life worth living.
Each session we will combine our faith and trust in the group and a higher power with learning skills that help meet practical needs. All so we can become better. Life worth living groups work best when everyone is actively present; shares their ideas; completes the activities; loves and supports each other; works on their promises during the week, and shares what they learned in the next meeting.
CHECK IN
Gratitude: Taking time every day to be grateful can help our health, relationships, emotions and happiness. Write something you are grateful for this week: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Discuss: Share what you learned when you listened better last week. Write down your thoughts.
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BE HONEST AND TRUE
Think: Remember a time when you chose to be honest, even though it was hard.
Discuss: Can you share a story of how you or someone you know learned the value of honesty? What did you learn from that story? Write your thoughts.
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Activity: Am I Honest Activity
Step 1: On your own, read the list below and give yourselves a number (1 to 4) to see how you could do more to be honest and true. Put a number (1 to 4) next to each line to say how often you do each action. 1 = never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, 4 = always
____I keep all of my promises.
____I speak and write the truth.
____I tell the truth, even if I made the wrong choice.
____I give back what I borrow and don't take things that aren't mine.
____I am faithful to my spouse with what I say and do.
____I don't cheat, even if I think no one will know or find out later.
____If I find something that's not mine, I give it back.
____I always pay back money I borrow.
Step 2: Circle the items where you gave yourself a 1 or 2.
Step 3: Write down what you could do to move that item from a 1 to a 2 or a 2 to a 3.
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Discuss: What did you learn from the activity about ways you could be more honest? Write down your thoughts.
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Read: Being honest means doing what is right, even if the consequences are hard. We show our honesty in our words, choices, and thoughts. Honesty is more than not lying. It is truth telling, truth speaking, truth living, and truth loving. Dishonesty, even small lies, cheating, or taking advantage of someone hurts them and us. Christian scripture teaches that we should, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke) Being honest and true helps us become our best self.
Commit: This week I will:
__ Work on becoming more honest by focusing on one area in the Am I Honest Activity.
___Share what I am learning with my community, family and friends.