A purpose for using a Tool List is to enable newcomers to more easily and rapidly participate in
a Recovery meeting. With this in mind Recovery International encourages you to use this list
when you initially attend our meetings, until you feel comfortable without it. Your Group Leader
may have other guidelines for you regarding the use of this list in meetings. We are glad that
you are here and encourage you to participate and endorse for your participation!
These tools are quoted or adapted from Dr. Low’s books: Mental Health Through Will Training
(MH), Selections from Dr. Low’s Works (SEL) and Manage Your Fears, Manage Your Anger
(MYF). Citations to Dr. Low’s books are listed for each tool. Many other tools can be found in
these books.
Some Basic RI Tools
Treat mental health as a business and not as a game………………..…...……………MH ch.25
Humor is our best friend, temper is our worst enemy……………………………….…..MH p.108
If you can't change a situation you can change your attitude towards it...MYF p.108, Sel. p.31-32
Be self-led, not symptom-led. …..………………………………………......MYF p.114-118, 280-283
Nervous symptoms and sensations are distressing but not dangerous .SEL p.53, MH p.115, 119
Temper is, among other things, blindness to the other side of the story …………MH p.159
Comfort is a want, not a need. ………………………………..……………......….....MH chs.13, 22
There is no right or wrong in the trivialities of every day life………...SEL p.39, MH p.157, 195-196
Calm begets calm, temper begets temper………………………….…...…….MYF p.245, SEL p.31
Don't take our own dear selves too seriously………………………………....………….MH p.109
Feelings should be expressed and temper suppressed…………………....……...…....MH p.178
Helplessness is not hopelessness………………………..……………….……MH ch.7, MYF p.184
Some people have a passion for self-distrust…….…………...…..…….MH ch.29 & MYF Lecture 2
Temper maintains and intensifies symptoms………………………..…….……….……MH p. 219
Do things in part acts……………………………………………….…….……….……MH p.246-249
Endorse yourself for the effort, not only for the performance……...…….MYF p.13, SEL p.46, 132
Have the courage to make a mistake………………..……….MH p.203, ch.30, MYF p.60, SEL p.108
Feelings are not facts……………………………...……………..………….MH ch.9, MYF Lecture 14
Do the things you fear and hate to do……………...………..…………...MH p. 329-330, MYF p.197
Fear is a belief –– beliefs can be changed………………………………………….MYF p.266-269
Every act of self-control leads to a sense of self-respect....…………….…….………..MH p.166
Decide, plan and act. ………………………….……………………………………………...MH p.42
Any decision will steady you……………………………………...……………….………...MYF p.5
Anticipation is often worse than realization….…………………..…..………….MH p.114-115, 146
Replace an insecure thought with a secure thought……………..……….….……..MYF Lecture 1
Bear the discomfort in order to gain comfort…………………….………….…………….MH p.149
Hurt feelings are just beliefs not shared………………………………….………………..SEL p.21
Self-appointed expectations lead to self-induced frustrations…………….…………….SEL p.35
People do things that annoy us, not necessarily to annoy us………..…...…………….MH ch.48
Knowledge teaches you what to do, practice tells you how to do it……...……………SEL p.118
Muscles can be commanded to do what one fears to do………………………..……..SEL p.123
Tempers are frequently uncontrolled, but not uncontrollable.…………………………..MH p.392
Angry Temper –– negative judgments (resentment, impatience, indignation,
disgust, hatred) directed against another person or situation.
Fearful Temper –– negative judgments (discouragement, preoccupation,
embarrassment, worry, hopelessness, despair, sense of shame, feelings of
inadequacy) directed against oneself.
Averageness — most of the things we experience, including nervous symptoms are
average — most people have experienced them. Only our tendency to work
them up makes them seem exceptional to us.
Self-endorsement — self-praise for any effort to practice the RI method. We
recognize the value of every effort we make regardless of the result.
Sabotage — when we ignore or choose not to practice what we have learned in RI.
When we do not do what is best for our mental health.
Trivialities — the everyday events and irritations of daily life. Compared to our
mental health, most events are trivial
Inner Environment — everything inside your self: feelings, sensations, thoughts,
impulses and muscles.
Outer Environment — everything outside your self: places, people, events, and the
past.
Spotting — identifying a disturbing feeling, sensation, thought or pulse, previously
unseen…then applying the right Recovery tools.
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