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Stress is a fact of life for so many people nowadays. It’s not limited to those in recovery. However, this time of year is especially stressful for people new to recovery and old-timers alike. How can you use stress in a way that helps you?
Stress happens, but avoiding it may seem impossible when you’re in its grip. For many people, feeling stressed and anxious can be a trigger for drinking or drugging. Stress is no reason to get high, but may not know what to do with an urgent-seeming emotion, or maybe you feel anxiety take over and have trouble taking action. Luckily there are ways to reduce the impact of stress in your life.
While you can’t eliminate stress from your life in recovery, there are ways that you can minimize it. For example, if you know that you have to do something that makes you feel stressed out, you can make plans for the aftermath.
For example, maybe you have a large family gathering that you’re planning to attend, and you’re not sure how you’ll cope with any questions. Talking to your sponsor and preparing your answers to challenging conversations can help you feel prepared. If your Aunt Sally wants to ask you about your recovery in front of people you’re not comfortable with, you can go ahead and tell her you’d love to catch up with her later. Or maybe you’re worried somebody will bring you a drink. If so, prepare to have a way of saying “no” that you’re comfortable.
Identifying your triggers and learning ways to react that are healthy is part of recovery. Nobody is perfect, and that’s true about others in your life, too. Learn to respond with empathy and kindness when possible, but don’t go out of your way to make others happy if something makes you feel uncomfortable.
Self-care is a way that you can handle the stress that life throws at you. There’s no way to eliminate most types of stress that people experience, so coping skills are needed to help you get through your tough times. Many people in recovery use self-care to feel a little better.
Meditation, exercise, relaxation exercises, and even doing something as simple as reading or watching a television program all count as self-care. Take some time for yourself and do something that makes you feel better or re-rejuvenated. There are many types of self-care available, so choose what works for you and leave the rest.
Going to a 12-step meeting or calling your sponsor are essential types of self-care in recovery.
Many people new to recovery benefit from living in a sober housing situation. In sober living, there are rules as well as recovery adventures. You’re surrounded by people who are sober, working their 12-step programs, and rebuilding their lives in recovery. To learn more about what our programs offer, call us at 760-216-2077.
Do you have a lot of expectations in life? Many people who struggle with addiction come up with a great list of goals they expect to reach in recovery. Some of these goals may be tangible and easy to work on and achieve. For example, learning to wake up at six in the morning is an immediate goal that you might make so you can keep on schedule. But another goal you have, such as re-establishing a relationship with a family member, may take time to achieve. For some people, these bridges are burned and won't happen any time soon. It may be hard to accept that your action doesn’t have an immediate payout. But it’s merely a fact of life – many things take time to achieve.
You didn’t become addicted in one day. Do you really believe that you can change your whole life in one day? That’s a huge expectation that you’ve placed on yourself. It’s time to learn how to give yourself a break.
In recovery, you’re probably learning a lot about acceptance. Accepting that your life is what it is right now. You can help you learn to slow down and take one day at a time.
When you were a kid, you probably wanted Santa and all of your relatives to give you something you thought was really cool. But for whatever reason, not one person got you that toy. Maybe you got some socks and smaller, less fancy toys. You probably accepted those gifts, anyway, if you were a polite kid. After all, a gift is a gift.
Acceptance doesn’t mean that you’re settling for something less than you want. It means you’re accepting what the world has to give. This is something you can do just for the present. Acceptance can give you a lot of peace.
Acceptance is a way to a more peaceful way of life. After a time, it will be easier to realize that you’ve done what you can, and that’s all you can do. The only thing you have control over is your actions and reactions. However, you can become more mindful of how your personal actions can affect others and treat people with kindness.
Working on goals that you’re not sure that you will achieve requires a leap of faith. But everyone in life has failures and successes. That’s how we learn and grow. In recovery, you’ll learn to accept that life isn’t perfect, and things won’t always go in your favor. But putting in the work to change yourself is still worth it because it’s bettering you. Facing challenges, living your life, and taking action help you grow.
You can’t force your mother to forgive you or your children to want to spend time with you if your relationship is damaged. Getting clean or sober for a certain amount of time doesn’t make you a perfect person. Healing takes time. Now it’s time to work on yourself and take action to become a better person. If you’re not sure what will help you achieve your goals, ask your sponsor or others who have been in similar situations.
Goals can be daunting if you try to fix them all at once. Taking life a day at a time – with daily action towards your goals – will help you keep your focus. Recovery is a journey, not a destination.
Working the steps and taking suggestions will help you make changes in your life. You’ll begin to heal your own issues, and become a better person.
Everyone in recovery has dreams and goals, but accepting your life as it is, and letting go of expectations can help you grow and live a more peaceful life. You deserve peace! So give yourself a chance and take it a day at a time.
After treatment, transitioning to the “real world” can be stressful. Many people find that sober housing offers them the support and structure they need to stay focused on their recovery. Learn more about our inspiring living program and joining our community by calling us at 760-216-2077.
As a person of the modern age, you probably have a social networking account. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are all used by hundreds of millions of people a day. No one is going to ask you to withdraw from the online world just because you’re sober. However, using social media wisely is something that you need to be mindful of while you’re in recovery.
Many people want to announce their lives to the world as soon as they’re in recovery. How do you approach social networking as a newly sober person?
Not all social networks are “anonymous.” Consider ditching old accounts and creating new ones. Unfortunately, using an account with your first and last name may be something to consider.
You may want to create a new account if your old partying friends are a part of your online network. You may have to de-friend some people who are triggers for you to go back to your old lifestyle.
Do you want future employers to see you talk about your life in recovery from addiction? Maybe you want to start a “recovery only” account for yourself. It’s okay to keep work and recovery separate and disclose your addiction to only the people you choose.
One of the most troublesome behaviors in the online world is “stalking” old friends or relationships. This is a slippery slope for a person in recovery.
While you’re at it, keeping up or following people who glorify drug and alcohol use is a big warning that you’re heading into relapse mode.
Choose your online friends wisely, and stick to people who post in ways that touch and uplift you. There is plenty of inspiration online, including from your favorite celebrities in recovery from addiction. There are plenty of Twitter accounts and Facebook pages dedicated to recovery, as well. Also, ask people from your support groups to connect on social media.
There’s nothing better than having people you know in real life to turn to, as well. Shoring up your support network is a great way to make new friends. Sober living homes offer discipline, aftercare, and plenty of ways to participate in living life to its fullest in recovery. Learn more about your housing options by calling us at 760-216-2077.
When you first start your journey in recovery, you live much of your life "in the moment." Emotions and working on your triggers can keep you pretty busy. After all, you may feel like there are a lot of things you need to do and not do to stay sober. You probably gave up a lot of old using friends and avoided places that remind you of things you did while in the grip of addiction. But you might overlook something that can change your life in recovery, finding a passion to look forward to.
Not all of your journey recovery is hard work or dredging through deep emotions. There will also be time for you to do something that you enjoy.
What if you have no idea what you enjoy, you might wonder. You thought you enjoyed getting drunk or high, but that ended up being your downfall. So you might worry that you can’t find a healthy pastime or hobby to enjoy.
The good news is that if you live in California, there is a lot of space to explore outdoor and indoor activities. There are gyms (indoor and outdoor), scooters, bicycle paths, surfing, skateboarding, movie theaters, and so much more. Jumping into something new can be scary! If you’re not ready to explore new outdoor hobbies, there are also plenty of solitary things you can do. (But please, do not use this as an excuse to isolate. Knitting, yoga, meditation, and reading a book are also great pastimes that can help you spend your day in relaxation.
There are also free online classes and movies to explore if your budget is too tight.
The idea is to challenge yourself to find things you like! You deserve to be happy and have fun as a sober person! Eventually, you’ll find things that you enjoy enough to call a passion – and you may even have more than one passion that you’re exploring.
Finding a passion can give you a sense of purpose in life.
A sober living home is a great place for you to spread your wings after you’ve finished a treatment program. You’ll be among kindred spirits who can help you explore the world or just lend an ear when you need it. Learn more about life in a sober home by calling 760-216-2077.
Everyone's first thought. Must be overwhelming. Impossible. Luck. Miracle. Well, there seems to be a pattern with those that 'got it'.
Lots of meetings. Sponsorship. Stepwork. Personal growth. Education. We've seen it all. From big book thumpers to higher education, there seems to be an underlying factor: being connected and being thirsty for growing as an individual.
Paradoxically the inner growth is balanced by the connections for it is easy to get lost wanting to be 'spiritual'. The sense of bond in early recovery is spiritual in itself given the distance from others during addiction. The vulnerability of sharing and being open with others in sobriety psychologically develops trust and belonging, a highly elating feeling and chemically supportive to the healing.
And yet another display of a community's portrayal of stigma and ignorance: not in my backyard. That doesnt happen in your neighborhood, right? The fact that recovery resources are available in a city such as treatment centers, sober living homes and detoxes, are only a sign of the sensitivity and care that a community places to America's addiction epidemic. It is not in a specific zip code. Its everywhere. A sign of a community coming to a realization that punitive efforts are not efficient and that recovery should be part of their culture. C'mon, help your youth or be pulled back by an inability to offer resources.
for more information on addiction, recovery resources, sober living homes and addiction treatment centers, please contact: http:/www.bytheseasandiego.com
