Yours to Keep

“But, can I lose my gains?” sayeth multiple patients over my years as a psychotherapist.

No, you can’t. You can’t unlearn what you know. You can’t turn off the lights to a dark room once you’ve found the switch. Growth is permanent.

Now, can you distract, deny, minimize, regress and resist? Of course. But, some part of you will know what you are up to. You will have an inkling of truth somewhere inside.

You can also relapse. Brain neurology is difficult to change and inertia and laziness will send that neuron down the well-worn, familiar path. But again, the new knowledgeable part of you can catch yourself. Do a U-turn. Make amends. And, choose intentionally to do better next time.

So, rest assured that your hard-earned psychological growth is yours to keep.

Now, what to do with it? That is the real question.

For the rise of your life …