In the recovery program where I learned how to live again, I was told that I had to give my recovery away if I wanted to keep it. I had no idea what that meant at first, but I soon came to understand the significance of paying my recovery forward, of sharing with others what has been given to me.
Giving back in recovery can look different for everyone, but everything counts. Just showing up counts.
Some of us are creators and program builders or become therapists, coaches, or other professionals serving people in recovery. Some of us donate to or fund recovery projects and organizations.
Others of us volunteer small to significant chunks of our time to make sure that women know about or can access recovery resources in person or online. We need each one of these contributions for recovery to expand and flourish.
If my contributions are equal to the amount of gratitude I feel for my recovery, I'm giving back fairly.