Everything, from mowing a lawn to thriving in a marriage is easier with the right tools and techniques.  Recovery is no different. Whether you’re reclaiming yourself from, drugs, alcohol, or relationships; using a few simple tools will make it easier to find and live the true joy and infinite choice that is you.

Here are five powerful tools that have helped thousands of people.

1. Look at what you are making significant.
   What ever that is, you have given it the power to run your life.  If you make your job, spouse or money more significant than you, do you really have choice?  Are you still in the computation of your life? Addicts always make their drug of choice more significant than them. Remember, YOU are the valuable product. Be aware of the pull to make anyone or anything more valuable than you.
   
2. Questions
   Choose to stay in the question rather than go to answer.  Systems, whether theoretical, belief or value, all promise security through answer.  Isn’t that what your drug of choice did?  Promise you everything? Every answer prevents you from receiving anything else in the universe that doesn’t match it.  If you have decided that a relationship is the answer to your problems, will you even be aware of the great job opportunity or new friendship that is offered at the party or will you be too busy scoping out other singles?
   Staying in the question frees you to be available to receive beyond what you have decided is possible.  For example, asking the question: What else is possible? A client was able to side step a seemingly deadlocked family situation and find a solution that was agreeable to all.
   
3. 3.Rewarding Choice
   Ask, “Is this a rewarding choice?” when considering possible actions.  A rewarding choice is expansive and is inclusive of all.  It doesn’t come from the reasoning mind, but from a willingness to receive all that is possible.  Many of us make choices out of an either/or universe.  Either you can have what you want or I can have what I want.  That’s not real choice but “choice” based on scarcity. That’s the “white knuckling” of people stuck in addiction. Rewarding choices go beyond the “place” of either/or to a space that is generative for all. 
   
   One hot summer afternoon after a long day at the office, I found myself not wanting to go across town in rush hour traffic to an open house hosted by a group of new therapists.  As soon as I asked, “Would this be rewarding?” the energy lightened up and I knew that going would be easy and expansive.  Upon arriving I met several therapists interested in alternatives to traditional recovery systems, as well as a woman desperate to find some addiction resources for her son. Had I not asked the question, I would never have gone.
   
4. 4.Follow the energy.
   Have you ever been in a situation where you knew to go somewhere or do something that didn’t make logical sense?  Did you follow your knowing and find a result better than you could have imagined, or did you do what the reasoning mind said to do only to have the situation turn out badly? I know that I have done both.  Following the energy allows you to move beyond what makes sense to embrace what you know.  It is ultimately an honoring of you and the greatness of you.
   
5. 5.Who does this belong to?
   Last holiday season I went to a mall with plenty of money to cover the gifts I was going to buy.  Even though I bought everything I required with ease, I found myself being stressed and obsessed about money when I left. Eventually I realized that I had just picked all of the thoughts and feeling of everyone else at the mall.  None of these thoughts and feelings were actually mine! 
   
6. Have you ever been in a good mood and walked into a room where someone was angry?  What happened?  Did you also begin to feel the anger?  We are far more connected to others than we realize.  It is very easy to pick up the thoughts, feelings and emotions of others and mistakeningly think that they are ours.  The next time you find yourself with a thought, feeling or emotion that is causing you difficulty, ask: Is this mine?”  If you feel lighter after you ask, then you can be sure it didn’t belong to you in the first place.  How does it get any better than that?