“It is on strength of observation and reflection that one finds a way.
So we must dig and delve unceasingly.”
– Claude Monet
in·ven·to·ry
/invənˌtôrē/
noun
a complete list of items such as property, goods, or the contents
Many people have heard this term in the business world. Taking inventory of something happens frequently. It simply means to track the content of something: a store, a business, etc.
The word inventory is also tossed around a lot in the behavioral health industry and nearly anyone with any type of recovery awareness has heard it be used. But for those not familiar, it can be hard to understand how inventory has anything to do with recovery.
The premise that change only happens with the information that we can acknowledge gives way to the necessity of self-reflection. Self-reflection is possible by taking a personal inventory of ourselves.
A personal inventory means to make a list of our content – or, what makes us, us. This can happen in a number of ways, sometimes intertwined, sometimes inventoried individually:
These are foundational parts of ourselves, such as:
And more.
These are reactions or feelings we have toward the things that make us, us (and thus, others as well).
And so on.
These are examples of characteristic and behavior traits that describe us:
And so on.
These are just a few examples of inventories we may participate in which benefits our emotional recovery efforts. There are many more, and many more versions that utilize similar concepts in different ways.
When we experience trauma, it creates pain. Pain then is part of our developmental makeup, and can become a component of who we are. We must explore those parts of ourselves to understand them and subsequently change the unwanted parts. This is where doing a personal inventory can be helpful.
Without healing, life can become a repetitive state of learned negative thoughts, feelings, reactions, and behaviors.
By taking a neutral look at the parts of ourselves that we become aware of through a personal inventory, change and healing can happen.
At The Bridge to Recovery, we utilize the personal inventory approach in a number of ways to explore, assess, and amend destructive patterns of behavior. To learn more about our program and how we may be a good fit for you, a loved one, or a client, we invite you to reach out to us today.
for a confidential screening
Call Today 1-877-866-8661“ Honestly the Bridge taught me something I already knew but had to remember. I am so damn special, valid, and important. Everyone in my life saw it, but me. The Bridge just showed me how to look in the mirror to see for myself. ”
- Jewel, Alumnus