As we are writing this, a new Star Trek series has arrived. Starfleet Academy features a cast of young people who are part of the first class at the legendary school in generations.
As has become predictably common, the new show has raised the ire of those who do not feel it correctly represents decades of Star Trek themes and ideas. These folks have—again, predictably—headed to their favorite social media app to let the world know the new show has it all wrong and everyone involved should be ashamed of themselves.
Some fans of the new show—or at least those who are willing to give it a chance beyond the first few episodes—are allowing themselves to be drawn into these arguments. But others have found a more succinct approach to addressing the concerns of the upset viewers. That response amounts to: It’s a TV show. You don’t have to watch it.
And what do these ongoing space dramas—literal and figurative—have to do with your recovery?
Well, in recovery, you make all kinds of choices each day. The most important of those choices, of course, is the choice not to return to drug or alcohol use. But there are many smaller choices to be made each day: what to wear, what to eat, when to go to bed, what to do for fun, how to get some exercise, who to hang out with, and so on and so forth.
Making intentional choices that support your recovery is very important. And when you do that, some folks will inevitably not like some (or even all) of the choices you make. These are people who seem dead set on the idea of yucking your yum. That can be a real drag. It can also put your hard-won recovery at risk.
Your Choices Need to Work for You
When you really stop and think about it, it is amazing how easily we criticize each other—and often over things that make no difference at all to the person doing the criticizing.
For example, you might decide it would be a good idea to improve the healthfulness of your diet in order to improve your health and support your recovery. While munching on some raw vegetables or a piece of fruit, someone might decide they need to deliver a comment like, “Don’t know how you can eat that healthy stuff. There are cookies in the breakroom!”
Now, you may choose to have one of those cookies. Cookies are, after all, delicious. But you also might choose not to. But even as you are making that choice, a little voice in your head might be replaying the snide comment about “that healthy stuff.” And that can chip away at your resolve to stick to positive and personal choices.
These sorts of offhand but often unkind comments can pop up in almost every area of your life. Your weightlifting pal might tease you for doing yoga. Your classical music-loving friend might turn up their nose at your choice to attend a pop concert. People might have things to say about your clothes or your hair or your car or your choice of hobby.
The trick—in recovery and more broadly—is to get good at letting these yum yucking comments come and go without latching on to them and their narrative.
That, of course, can be easier said than done. But with practice, you can just let folks say what they are going to say without engaging in argument. That decision supports your recovery, too.
Try Not to Be the Person Doing the Yucking
An important companion idea to the notion of not letting others yuck your yum is to work to avoid yucking anyone else’s. When you are tempted to weigh in on someone else’s choices or preferences, you might find that you really don’t need to. Or you can politely decline an invitation to try something that does not appeal to you. In fact, you could also decide to accept an invitation to try something that does not immediately appeal to you. Who knows? Maybe it will once you give it a try. And if it doesn’t, that’s fine, too.
Kindness and a willingness to hear about the enthusiasm of others without weighing in are excellent traits that can help you forge stronger relationships—and those strong relationships can be a pillar of your recovery efforts over time.
We Are Ready and Able to Help
If you are struggling with a substance use disorder, the staff at The Aviary Recovery Center—located near St. Louis, Missouri—can help. We don’t care if you like Star Trek, Star Wars, Dr. Who, or all (or none) of the above. What we do care about is helping you leave drugs or alcohol behind so you can get back to enjoying your life and pursuing your goals.
We are consistently recognized as one of the top substance use disorder treatment centers in the country. If you are ready to make a change, we are ready to help. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it, either. Starting your recovery is the best choice you can make.
