“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so,” said Hamlet in the play of the same name.

This a good quote for people recovering from drug or alcohol abuse. How we view things can have such an impact on our recovery and how we face our lives in general.

We’re not talking about being Pollyanna here, of course. Bad things happen to good people all of the time. Sometimes stuff hits the fan and we have to deal with it, mess and all.

But even when bad stuff happens, we might be able to find positive stuff from the wreckage. Facing bad times in our lives can

• make us stronger and give us confidence.
• provide perspective when we face other stressful times in our lives.
• allow us to deal more compassionately with people facing the same problems.
• teach us things about ourselves and others.
• help us appreciate the good times in our lives.

Facing bad times makes us stronger. This strength could give us the psychological armor we need to fight other battles. Adversity also makes us more sensitive. It allows us to relate better to others, especially others fighting the same battles. You can find such compassion in 12 step sobriety programs and non-12 step sobriety programs, programs that allow people to share their stories and guide others through their sobriety.

These programs illustrate that people who struggle with alcohol and drug abuse aren’t bad people, just people facing some bad situations. Despite these bad situations, these people can learn new things, help people, and create positive experiences. These programs use the bad to create the good.

I’m not sure that there’s a silver lining in every cloud, but I do know that many of the bad experiences in my life have taught me things. Sometimes, that lesson is that I don’t want to have that particular bad experience again.