I do not
choose to be a common person. It is my right to be uncommon, the right to be
myself.
It is my
right to develop whatever strengths and talents that have been given to me by a
higher power.
I shall no
longer be a kept citizen; my pride dulled and without respect for so long, by
having the state provide for my every need.
I must
take the calculated risks that are necessary to raise my self-esteem and to
learn to love myself. When I do this, I will have taken my first step walking
down the road to recovery.
I want to
dream and build, to fall and know I can get up and continue down my road to
recovery. I know there will be hurdles that seem too high and there may be
times when I fall so low I don't think it is possible to get up. But, that's
when I should call out as loud as I can and reach higher than I have ever
reached before for my friends.
I will no
longer hang my head in shame or guilt. I will always hold my head high and
proud, because I have taken the scary calculated risk necessary to walk the
road to recovery.
I have
started making the attempt to journey down the road to recovery. It will not be
easy but I can do it.
It no
longer tells me how to act, think or feel. Sure, it's going to rear its ugly
head just as any beast will, but I am in control. I am stronger and more
talented than it.
I may have
some symptoms or slide back a little but I am the master. I gain even more
power over it every day, even if I do not realize it.
I prefer
the challenges of life to an existence of fear everyday. I also prefer the
thrill of fulfillment to the stale and dull inability to control my own life
instead of having the state or someone else care for me.
If you
remember only one thing for the rest of your life, let it be this: It doesn't
matter what anyone else thinks of you because you are not going to allow
someone else to tell you how to act, feel or think. What is more important than
anything else is that you are the person you tell yourself and believe yourself
to be. Don't let anyone else tell you who you are, you tell yourself who you
want to be.