A Quick Checklist for Staying Grounded in Recovery
In families impacted by addiction, it's easy to drift into someone else's lane—trying to manage their emotions, fix their behavior, or live out their recovery for them.
But your healing depends on staying in your lane:
focused on what you can control—your thoughts, your actions, your values.
This one-pager is your reminder. When things feel chaotic, come back to these questions.
✅ Checklist: Am I in My Lane?
- Am I trying to fix, police, rescue, or manage someone else's behavior right now?
- Am I taking responsibility for something that isn't actually mine?
- Have I paused and checked in with what I am feeling—or am I just reacting?
- Have I asked for what I need, or am I waiting for someone to guess?
- Am I living from my values, or from fear, guilt, or control?
- Have I connected with my own support system today?
- Am I respecting their process, even if I don't like it?
- Have I confused love with obligation—or presence with sacrifice?
🧭 If the answer to most of these is "no"...
It's time to re-center.
- Take a breath.
- Step back.
- Revisit your boundary.
- Call your support.
- Remind yourself: Your lane is enough.
Your job isn't to drive their car.
Your job is to keep your own vehicle steady, safe, and aligned with your values.
You can care without carrying.
You can love without losing yourself.
You can be present—without taking over the wheel.