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In this month’s RCCS Tidbit, we focus on change and the stages of change. We explore ways of supporting others as they think about and prepare for change. Read more about finding and moving through the stages of change inside this post.

In this month’s RCCS Tidbit we share tips on getting in touch with and deepening our awareness around empathy.

This month’s RCCS Tidbit helps us to reveal our strengths, identify others we may wish to develop, and think about how we might use strength to help others as we travel through this life transition together.

Human beings are social animals. Our brains are structured to be in a relationship with others. Having people or other important connections in our lives creates opportunities and enhances our recovery.

How can we reduce our judgments of others and strive towards a judgment-free culture? To decrease judgment, we should strive to increase curiosity. Being curious demonstrates a willingness to better understand others and give others permission to know and understand us in a deeper way.

Our identity is shaped by our childhood, our life’s experiences, our communities, and the people we choose to spend time with. How we see and describe ourselves today is different than how we would have described ourselves years ago, and parts of our identity will be different years from today than it is now. By defining our desired future identities, we can make choices today that can lead us in the direction we want to go.

Since 1949, May is recognized in the United States as Mental Health Month. Each year, advocates work together to sponsor community awareness events like NAMIwalks to educate the public about mental health. At ɫ��ɫ, we believe that mental health conditions are important to discuss year-round, but highlighting them during Mental Health Month (or Mental Illness Week in October) provides a dedicated time for mental health advocates across the country to come together as one unified voice.

Resilience is about the ability to maintain a stable equilibrium — to “bounce back” and return to wellness after a challenging event. It is a powerful tool in recovery, strengthening with life’s twists and turns and bringing us to the present moment. Even if you are still feeling sadness, pain, or hurt from an event — you are resilient and stronger because of it.

In this month’s RCCS Tidbit, we explore the idea of independence. Sometimes, being independent means knowing who or what you can depend on in times of struggle or new situations. This month, we offer a practice for exploring what independence means to you and what it truly looks like.

Listening is one of the most powerful tools in recovery. At ɫ��ɫ and in the RCCS, we say we should all strive to listen with curiosity and a desire to understand. This month, we share suggestions for listening on a deeper level so we can build stronger, more resilient relationships.

In this month’s RCCS Tidbit of the Month, we explore re-awakening hope, one of the five conversations of the RCCS and the fuel for our recovery journeys. Use the practice included in this post to identify areas where you can grow hope and feel energized for the future.