People who have addictions can take some basic building blocks in treatment and restart their lives on the other side. Lifestyle changes are one way to move forward in a positive way. It helps to focus on what will bring positive energy to your life and recovery. When you build your life with positive people and energy, good things will follow. It just takes time to regroup and reorganize after a big shift in life like recovery.
First Things First
It is easy to forget but not a good idea to let it slip from the front of your mind. Recovery should be first and foremost, primary, and front and center of everything you do. It is the landing place you go when all else fails, the reason for everything. Wherever you go, whatever you do, recovery first. The thing they hammer home in treatment is that you cannot do anything apart from sobriety. Lest you forget where you came from, people will not hesitate to remind you who you were under the guise of addiction. The last thing you want is to go back there again. Lifestyle choices matter, but nothing will happen if you are not first sober and clean, then getting all the other ducks in a row after.
Set up Success
The thing people forget about first in recovery is that they take it for granted that it is there. When cravings and triggers subside down the road, they tend to think everything is fine. Business as usual is not so usual for people in recovery. Anything like stress, family discord, death, grief, trauma, or other things may trigger a shift in thinking and behavior. Recovery will fade faster than a tattoo in the summer sunlight because there is no usual way of doing business in recovery. The lifestyle of recovery is about living life by the principles of recovery and treatment set forth for many decades of work from those who came before. The tried and true methods that have proven to help many people cannot be thrown out the window for short-term gain. This means not eating at places that trigger old memories, not visiting old haunts, not seeing old friends from that life (maybe forever) and setting up your life to revolve around recovery every day of the week. This might also mean:
- Going to more meetings this week than last week if that is what you need
- Calling a sponsor many times a day or during a difficult period
- Trying new things to evolve with your recovery
- Checking into treatment again before or after relapse
- Finding a new job, relationships, or living situation if it means staying clean and sober another day
Every day is a new one to make better choices and fight for sobriety. If you have a good lifestyle, that is wonderful but nothing is certain. It is all sacred, but not certain, that you will stay sober tomorrow. Don’t take it for granted and slip up. Remember recovery comes first and the rest of your life will fall in line behind.
We help you realize the need to put recovery ahead of everything else in your life. We are founded on the principle of providing the best in care and services at affordable prices. We are located in beautiful Laguna Beach. Call us to find out how we can help you navigate addiction recovery: 888-981-4295
