A predicted reaction
“They may think I am difficult.” Name the prediction without treating it as certain. Consider what response you could manage and what support you want.
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Practice making a considered choice when a useful next step feels uncomfortable. Compare options, check real risks and support needs, and make a clear request or boundary without having to prove bravery.
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Courage in this lesson means considering a useful action even when you feel uncertain or uncomfortable. Self-leadership means taking part in decisions about your own behavior, asking for needed information or support, and reviewing the result. It can include saying no, pausing, or choosing another setting.
You do not need to feel fearless or act alone. This exercise is not a test of whether you should confront danger or manage a clinical problem without qualified care.
“They may think I am difficult.” Name the prediction without treating it as certain. Consider what response you could manage and what support you want.
“I do not understand the plan.” A suitable next action may be asking the provider to explain it again or put the next steps in writing.
“I cannot get there at that time.” Check transport, timing, access, money, or other responsibilities instead of treating the barrier as a lack of courage.
Threats, coercion, an unsafe setting, or worsening symptoms call for a suitable safety response or qualified help. You do not have to enter danger to prove commitment.
Several concerns may be present together. Feeling afraid does not by itself tell you that a situation is safe or unsafe.
Fictional example: Morgan wants to see an old friend but is invited to a party that does not fit the recovery plan Morgan discussed with the care team. Morgan worries that declining will look weak.
Morgan considers three options: attend without a plan, decline all contact, or decline the party and offer another way to meet. Morgan chooses a clear message: “I want to catch up. I am not coming to the party. Would you like to meet for coffee on Saturday?”
Morgan also plans a suitable activity for the evening and an agreed support contact. The friend may accept, decline, or be disappointed. The choice does not depend on getting approval.
Was attending the party required to show courage? No. Morgan considered the setting and made a choice consistent with the current recovery plan.
What part of the decision belonged to the friend? Whether to accept the alternative. Morgan could offer it without controlling the reply.
Useful language: “I need to understand ___ before deciding.” “I can agree to ___.” “That setting does not work for me; I can offer ___.” You can adapt the wording or use a different channel.
For a low-stakes conversation, you might rehearse the first sentence with a trusted person. For care questions, ask the qualified provider responsible for the plan. If symptoms, distress, or functioning are worsening, seek professional assessment rather than using this worksheet to judge the cause.
If someone may respond with threats or violence, do not use a direct confrontation as a courage exercise. Seek appropriate help about a safer response. In immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
Self-leadership can include changing a decision after new information. Explain a changed agreement to the appropriate person when possible, and address its practical effects.
This optional exercise is unscored. Use Morgan’s example or a low-stakes decision. Leave fields blank if you prefer and avoid names or private details. The page does not contact anyone. Entries may be lost when you leave or refresh; protect saved or printed copies.
For supporters: ask what the person is deciding and what help they want. Offer information or practice without pushing them into a particular disclosure, confrontation, or risky setting.
For facilitators: use Morgan’s example, compare options, and allow a pass. Discuss what can be chosen and what remains outside the person’s control. Do not reward dramatic risks as evidence of progress.
Current clients should take care questions directly to their team. For non-emergency program information, contact Alpine admissions.
No. You can consider the options, check what is needed, and ask for support while feeling uncertain. You are not required to take an unsafe or unsuitable action.
Yes. A considered boundary or an alternative plan can express responsibility for your own choices. Other people’s replies and decisions remain theirs.
Describe what is known, what you predict, and what information is missing. Check safety and care concerns with appropriate support. Fear alone cannot establish whether a situation is safe.
No. Seeking information, professional care, or agreed support can be part of making a considered decision.
Review safety and what support you need. Their disappointment does not automatically make your choice wrong. If threats or violence are possible, seek help with a safer response rather than practicing a direct confrontation.
The scenario and decision review are original educational tools, not a risk assessment, a validated courage scale, or individualized treatment.
CONTINUE WITH A CLEAR NEXT STEP
Reflect on values, strengths, and the life you want to build in recovery.
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