Sep 26, 2019 | By Tim Stoddart

8 Things People in Recovery Do On A Daily Basis

Recovery

Before recovery, it’s safe to say our lives mimicked a tornado. Our relationships were strained, our finances were poor, and we were in losing a battle between our substance of choice and our emotional welfare no matter what we did. As we began to bridge the gap from addiction to sobriety, we gained some sort of assemblance. Our new way of life was now full new color, scents, sounds, and most importantly, tools to help keep it that way. We gained structure, confidence, and a new footing to tread the path of our new lives. For those who have gained long-term sobriety, these tools seem to have become second nature.

Here are a list of eight things people in recovery do on a daily basis:

We Stay Honest

Recovery requires complete honesty. In our past life, we lived in a perpetual lie. If we’re committed to maintaining this way of life, it’s important to not only be honest with others, but with ourselves. Are you feeling down? Anxious about something. Fearful about a future endeavor? It’s important to feel our feelings, and most importantly validate them. Don’t feel comfortable in a certain setting? Follow your intuition, because it’s usually right.

We Pray & Meditate

Prayer and meditation have been proven to enhance the chances of long-term sobriety. In doing this, it gives us the tools we need to continue to live one day or even one moment at a time. No matter what your higher power consists of, prayer helps us let our worries, struggles, and fears go. Meditation keeps us clear of negative thought processes and anxieties. The great news about meditation is that it doesn’t have to take hours to accomplish. Take 10-20 minutes per day and focus on living in the moment.

We Talk to Someone

Addiction loves isolation. Nobody ever gained substantial recovery solo. Talking to family, having dinner with friends, and being vulnerable with our mentors who know our struggles are essential to long-term recovery. Sharing our fears, our successes, our rants and resentments can help us from keeping negative feelings inside, which tend to cause unwanted stress and anxiety. Talking to others can also get us out of our own head. If you haven’t talked to someone about your day, what are you waiting for?

We Practice Self-Care

Hard work pays off, but nobody gets sober to be miserable. Whether it be something small like going for a walk, playing with a pet dog, reading a book, or taking the occasional trip to do something fun, it’s important to do something everyday for yourself. Remember that self-care isn’t selfish.

We Responsibility for Our Actions

Did we do anything to offend someone? Did we mistakenly hurt someone? At one time, we lied, stole, and cheated our way through life. Today, it’s crucial that our integrity keep a solid foundation. While not taking responsibility for our actions not only hurts the people around us, it can also eat us up inside and cause us to fall back into the slippery slope of relapse. Admitting when we’re wrong is essential to maintained recovery.

We Help Someone Else

Who helped you in early recovery? Helping someone else no matter if it’s as small as holding the door open, or lending an ear to a friend in need not only makes us feel valuable but keeps our perspective on life positive. It additionally can get us out of our own heads, ridding us of our negative thoughts, stresses and feelings that may have seemed like a bigger problem than it actually was.

We Keep Sobriety Our Priority

There’s a saying that goes, “whatever you put before your sobriety you’ll lose,” because it’s true, and it’s happened to many. Changing our priorities change our actions, and that usually changes our lives. Staying committed to keeping sobriety first should always be number one.

We Stay Grateful

Whether you make a gratitude list, or remind yourself of the blessings you have in your life today, staying grateful helps us keep a positive perspective and remember why we stay sober. There’s so much to be grateful for today. What are you grateful for?

2 responses to “8 Things People in Recovery Do On A Daily Basis

  • Lisa Barrett-Gerardi

    5 years ago

    Great article must improve ourselves first try to stay busy. And find hobbies to do and meetings have a lot of faith in yourselves that you can do this. It’s a lot of work for yourself. Spend time with family and rebuild your life as a sober person.

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