Focus on Learning
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 with the group what you learned when you changed negative thoughts into positive ones. Write your thoughts.
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FOCUS ON LEARNING
Think: How will learning, education or training give you better opportunities in life?
Read: We live in a world full of learning and education and our higher power invites us to learn all we can. Jewish and Christian scriptures teach, "Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open for knowledge (Proverbs). We are not left alone to learn all that we need to know. "If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking." (James)
Discuss: Can you share a story of how education helped create a life worth living for you or someone you know? What did you learn from that story? Write down your thoughts.
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Discuss: How can we keep learning, even if we aren't in a traditional school setting? Write your thoughts.
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Creating a “Life Plan” Activity
Step 1: You have been given gifts and they help you create a life worth living. During this group you have probably had ideas of what you can become. Take a minute to remember these ideas.
Step 2: On your own, fill in the sentences below. This is the start of a "Life Plan" and will help you know where to go.
Where do I want to be in five years?_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How does this plan reflect my values? (Values are personal beliefs that motivate your actions.)
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What are the skills, knowledge, or experience I need to accomplish my plan?
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Creating Goals for Your Life Plan Activity
Step 1: With the help of goals, you can create a life worth living. Your goals should be:
· Clear: You need to see if you are making progress.
· Written down: It's a good idea to put them where you can see them every day.
· Shared: You are more likely to make progress if you tell your goals to someone you care about. They can help you.
Step 2: Your goals should also have:
· simple steps to finish them
· a time for when they should be done.
Activity: Creating Goals for Our Life Plan
Step 1: On a sheet of paper, write two or three goals that will help you with your Life’s Plan. You can follow the example below:
GOAL
Find a better job
WHY?
So, I have money for myself and my family.
SIMPLE STEPS TO FINISH THE GOAL
Talk with 3 people each day. Practice interviewing. Believe my Higher Power will help me.
TIME
Every night I will check how I am doing with my goals.
WHO WILL I TALK TO ABOUT MY PROGRESS?
I will share my progress with a family or friend every weekend.
Step 2: Put our goals paper where we can see it every day.
Commit: This week I will:
___ Keep working on my life plan.
___ Focus on creating a Life Plan and setting goals to achieve that plan.
___Share what I am learning with my community, family and friends.