- Life will take sudden, dramatic, and unexpected turns at times. At one point you could be riding high in April and shot down in May (cheers Frank).
- A lot of things in life won’t make sense – why we are here, how we got here, our feelings, etc. Making peace with this is key.
- Try and change your own beliefs before trying to change others.
- There’s risk in taking the right steps in recovery, and also a risk of staying stuck forever.
- If you don’t ask, you don’t get (not talking about reassurance 🤣).
- You will have to be a little selfish in your life / recovery journey at times in order to get to where you need to get to.
- There’s nothing wrong with a good 9-5.
- Stronger demands don’t increase the probability of a desired outcome – in fact, it’s often the opposite (look at sleep for example).
- If you don’t think you can, then you won’t. Recovery is no different.
- If it wasn’t OCD, how helpful are your belief systems towards the situation?
- Your reaction to thoughts, emotions, and sensations perpetuates them more than you think.
- Don’t blame the world. Blame yourself. You are responsible for your life.
- Take the harder option when you can (take the stairs, not the lift).
- If someone offers you their last slice, don’t take it.
- Don’t correct others if they mispronounce something.
- See if you can move out as soon as you can. Building your own life while on the journey is great for FT and learning/growing.
- Conversations with baristas, waiters, and shop workers will go a long way in building your confidence.
- See if you can visit a new country now and then. It opens your mind (shoutout 🇦🇱).
- A compliment to another could make their year.
- Give without expecting to get back (no covert contracts).
- Play to your strengths – that can be your job, your appearance, etc.
- Sitting with discomfort is a skill that you have to hone.
- Self-acceptance is a strong antidote to rejection, but not all that’s required.
- M&S white chocolate cookies are the best on earth.
- Do your best to maintain social connections with friends. It’s much harder in your late 20s compared to early 20s. Be the one who organises, books hangouts, etc.
- Learn to please yourself, not others. Watch how your connections improve.
- At least one of your ancestors took OCD to the grave with them after suffering for life. Spare them a thought when you are next coasting.
- Social media is one of the biggest ills to unconditional self and life acceptance – use it carefully.
- Good sleep doesn’t mean good outcomes.
- Feelings of certainty aren’t facts.
- Tell your family you love them now and again.
- Don’t over-apologise.
- Boring doesn’t mean bad.
- An underrated belief for acceptance is: “If you really shouldn’t be (anxious, focusing on your breathing, short, etc.), it would be impossible to be so.”
- You probably only have a handful of core fears.
- Solving isn’t taken as seriously as it should be.
- Spend / drink / eat a little too much now and again.
- Buy a little £ of Bitcoin and Ethereum every month. Global finance is changing (NFA 🤣).
- If you’re not using Heinz for your ketchup, then what’s the point.
- Accept suffering as part of life.
- Recovery will bring a sense of detachment from the world.
- No decision has to be final. You can always adjust and pivot while still alive.
- The time will pass anyway. You might as well put the work in to recover.
- Not much is needed to live a life of contentment.
- Solid self-acceptance will save a lot of anger, rage, and arguing.
- Starting a new class / hobby is one of the most underrated shame attacks.
- You won’t uncover some compulsions until a year+ into the journey.
- Bottling up issues with someone leads to a build-up in resentment. Address conflict early.
- The person you are scared of judging you will be lost in eternity in a very short space of time.
- You don’t have to have it all figured out right now.
