The process of recovery will be ineffective if we do not continually ask ourselves a lot of questions about who we are, how we behave, what we think, and what we believe.
Such self-awareness is crucial. But in addition to such self-awareness we must add willingness to change. The desire to change is simply not enough—the desire must be accompanied by willingness. In fact, willingness can be regarded as the ultimate higher power, and it’s a key factor in making positive things happen.
Willingness to change is what makes change possible, and willingness is actually easy. It doesn't require anything but focused mental action, and it can occur (and should occur) before one takes a single step of action pertaining to recovery processes.
Willingness requires surrender. Such surrender is necessary because we have an aversion to letting anything go that gives us a benefit of some kind, even if that thing is destructive to us. It's somewhat of a mystery why certain things that bring us degrees of comfort and pleasure can be harmful, but that's a fact that all who are addicted to anything must come to terms with.
Motivations can bring us willingness. And a great many things can motivate us to initiate change for the better—the end of a relationship, a need to lose weight or improve health, the desire for financial security, or one or more of a great many other things.
So, again, willingness is absolutely imperative for anyone who wishes to initiate positive personal change. But that willingness must also be accompanied by an understanding of the psychology behind whatever addiction one is struggling with: Such understanding will help ensure that the individual in recovery will completely rid himself or herself of the behavioral addiction or substance abuse issue that’s plaguing them.