One of the common thoughts people have about the Law of Attraction in recovery is that it is a passive type of process. They would like to believe that it will involve just reading a few books or blogs and thinking good thoughts to get their life back on track and to avoid addictive behaviors in the future.

As I have outlined and stressed in my book, “The Law of Sobriety,” this couldn’t be further from the truth. It takes emotional energy, deep and honest examination of our values as well as the self-determination to make the best decisions for yourself that are needed moving forward. I dedicate a whole chapter in the book to “Living a Life of Right Action” which brings the focus and the responsibility of our sobriety right back to ourselves.

One thing that has to occur in taking responsibility for recovery is to get out of the past and get over self-blame for the addiction. There is not positive energy in heaping blame and self-loathing on our mental picture of ourselves and our futures. Instead, we have to accept the mistakes of the past and set a new course that looks towards the future.

Thinking about life as you want it to be rather than as you don’t want it to be is vital. There is a very big difference between saying “I will live a life of sobriety” as opposed to saying “I don’t want to be an alcoholic again.”By focusing on sobriety (the positive) we send out that positive message to the universe, which it returns with options and opportunities to make positive choices.

When we focus on the don’ts,we create negative thoughts and energy which block our ability to move forward and limit our possibilities for growth and opportunities.

The next step is to take the necessary actions to maximize the ability to act on the opportunities presented. After all, you cannot sit around and visualize yourself in a new job and expect to be working in your dream career if you never submit an application or take the required training for the position.

By sending out positive affirmations to the world, you will find positive opportunities are available. Seeing those opportunities and having the courage to take the steps needed to shows a lack of personal responsibility in your growth and development.

There are different ways to start setting goals, and from goals, you can choose action steps and take personal responsibility for achieving those goals.

· Think big — the Law of Attraction is a universal goal. It doesn’t require you to start small and work up to big goals, in fact, it works better if you consider the level of passion and commitment you have to the goal, rather than the size of the goal. Often our big goals are those we are most passionate about, making them a great place to start.

· Focus on sobriety goals — always check to make sure the goals you are pursuing are in harmony with your goals for sobriety. Some goals that are purely materialistic are not rewarding and are often energy draining because they are not tied to our values and goals for our ongoing life of sobriety.

· Get support — choose trusted friends and family to help you to consider your goals and to set action steps and goal planning. Books, blogs, and seminars can be great opportunities as well, allowing you to explore goal setting with structure and direction.

Taking personal responsibility for sobriety starts with setting goals and being open to growth and opportunities. Your therapists, recovery coach or counselor can be a terrific resource in your goal planning and personal accountability