Recovery is a gradual process that unfolds over time, not an overnight transformation that happens instantly. We explore why it's unrealistic to expect years of destructive habits to dissolve quickly and how comparing your progress to others can harm your journey.

• Recovery takes commitment to a lifelong journey of healing and growth
• Addiction symptoms are often band-aids covering deeper underlying issues
• Small, manageable steps create sustainable progress in recovery
• Focus on "the next meeting" or "the next right thing" when overwhelmed
• Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to someone else today
• Reframe struggles as evidence of growth to transform your experience
• Progress happens through consistency and patience, not perfection

Keep plugging along and be patient with yourself—as long as you're moving forward, it doesn't matter how fast you're going.

Question: How do you focus on your long term progress instead of your short term mistakes?

Jay and Diane's Just For The Day podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Just for Today, any 12-Step program, or any other recovery-based product or organization. The views expressed are solely those of the hosts and guests. Take what you like and leave the rest.