ABSTRACT
This chapter describes about people's recovery journeys, views recovery as a continuous process of discovery, which leads to a flourishing self and 'a re-enchantment with life'. Participants indicated that recovery from mental distress transformed them from being passively dependent on the help of others to being an invaluable and generous resource for other people. Successful involvement in society is often seen as the main destination or the end point of recovery. Many participants reported that an important part of their recovery and emotional development involved learning to embrace and find meaning in different forms of suffering rather than running away from them. Flourishing involves learning how to resolve past suffering, learning how to enjoy the present, and choosing a life path that enables each person to blossom. Whilst each person described their story of recovery in a fairly logical and sequential manner, most of these stories also contained accounts of mysterious coincidences which many described as providential or chance events.
