In the early stages of any recovery process, it can be comforting to believe that you are not in control of your own life, and that the only thing that you can control is the very next decision you have to make. This allows you to break things down into manageable portions, and to focus on making your recovery the only thing you have to think about. As you continue in your recovery journey, however, it is important to remember that you are indeed in control of your own life, and that no matter how hard the road may be, you alone have the power to make it through. One of the first steps to actualizing this control is to truly define what “control” means to you. People have varying definitions of control, and what works for one may not at all work for another. For you, maybe being in control means being able to remove the thought of a particular substance from your head completely. Alternatively, say, in the case of alcohol, it could mean being able to be around the stuff and have no inkling of a craving for it. The next step to taking back control is to accept that you did indeed have an issue with a particular substance, and that you are now indeed recovering from the effects of that substance. Oftentimes, displacing the blame or making others feel sorry for you may make you feel better, but it means that you are still giving that substance some power over you. Owning your position in recovery (and acknowledging the point you came from) makes you the judge and jury of your own success. After this, identify what exactly you want to make better about your life. It could be as simple as exercising more, or much more complex, like spending more time with family or navigating difficult relationships. Experts indicate that you should always pick one of the easiest things to change first. Building up small victories gives you the ammo you’ll need for much larger ones later on! Finally, make a viable plan to make that change. With a simple goal like exercising more, you can easily decide on a time to devote to exercise, equipment you may need to purchase, or a gym membership you’d like to fund. With more complex goals, you will need to consider a number of factors before making your plan, to ensure that the plan will indeed work. These factors may include time needed for the change, amount of effort required, and, what exactly you hope to get out of the change. The bigger and more detailed the plan is, the more robust your plan need be!
Control is easy to claim in recovery, but not so much when addicted. Isn’t it time to take back control of your life? Here at Oceanfront Recovery, we sure think so. Call us at (877)279-1777 to start your journey to freedom today!
