“If there’s no friction, then there’s no traction. If
there’s no traction, then there’s no action.”
If given the choice ahead of
time, most of us would likely choose to have the smooth and easy path toward
our goals, hopes and dreams. Realistically speaking, however, the more
worthwhile and rewarding paths in this life are rarely ever easy to travel. The
above quote really puts this process into a practical perspective:
A positive way to view some
of the struggles we may face on our journey toward our desired destination is
to consider the reality that:
It is often those times where there is some “FRICTION” (e.g. resistance, irritation, strife, etc.)
…that we learn to proverbially dig in and gain some “TRACTION”
(the state of being drawn or pulled)
...that leads to positive “ACTION” (an exertion of power or force)
Drawing Strength from
Your
Personal Experiences and Struggles:
So often substance use group
therapy can get hung up on negative consequences and losses, which has its time
and place for discussion so that we can learn from our mistakes. However for
the rest of this particular group exercise, focus on the positive gains that
you have achieved personally by first facing friction in your life, then digging in and gaining traction so you were able to bring
about positive action toward your
goals.
Group Activity:
Pick one of the following words below that stands out
to you when you think about a time in life when you faced some adversity but
you made a decision to pull through which lead you to where you are today – Then
take turns sharing your personal experiences associated with your chosen word:
Strength
|
Achievement
|
Perseverance
|
Persistence
|
Survival
|
Endurance
|
Courage
|
“Heart”
|
Stamina
|
Determination
|
Dedication
|
Tenacity
|
Guts
|
Drive
|
Faith
|
Grit
|
Resilience
|
Toughness
|
Fortitude
|
OTHER?
|