Now that you are sober, you may question what is next. Being in recovery means that everything must change, especially your lifestyle. Hanging out with people who drink and use like you did or hanging out in places that bring on cravings, can cause more harm than good. The only thing you should change in recovery is everything. Your lifestyle should revolve around recovery so that you can prevent relapse and exhibit huge sober growth. Let’s go through 8 things you need to have in your recovery lifestyle.
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Principles
One of the keys to staying sober is changing your moral compass. You need humility, integrity, and honesty, along with many other principles, to help you to gain traction in your recovery. Drugs and alcohol make people do things they would never otherwise, but there are still changes that need to be made by practicing the principles in all your affairs.
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Meetings
For sobriety to work in your life, you need to learn about your addiction and why you have to endure it. Recovery meetings are a great way to get an understanding of addiction and how to combat it for long term results. By finding a meeting and becoming part of the group, you will find others who are similar and relatable to you. Your recovery lifestyle is not meant to be walked alone. You can find some kindred spirits in meetings that could become lifelong friends.
- Sober friends
Healthy relationships with your friends play an important roll in a successful recovery. The ability to connect with others who have suffered from alcohol and drug addiction and who are now sober can give you the ongoing support you need.
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Support
Recovering from addiction is not always an easy journey. There will be days that you will want to give up because of the work and growth you will experience. Having a support system in place can give you the boost you need during the low points of recovery and will share the glory in your victories as well. Support allows you to talk about your issues, get a fresh perspective, and gain feedback to lower the stress that comes with getting sober. With recovery support, you can learn the coping skills you need to move you forward in a recovery lifestyle.
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Exercise
You may have done damage to your body during your alcohol or drug use which may require some rejuvenation in the form of self-care such as exercise. Exercise can assist in turning around some of the physical ailments that are caused by substance abuse. Starting an exercise regimen does not mean going from 0-100 in one day. Start small by going for a walk in the sun, doing yoga, going for a bike ride, or a swim are all excellent sources of physical activity. Participating in moderate physical activity will give healthy results.
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Healthy diet
Did you know that food can be medicine for your body? When you eat the right derivation of food, you can assist in the healing process of your body from the effects of addiction. Eating foods that are organic such as vegetables along with cage-free, free-range, or wild-caught proteins can renew the body. Making changes in your diet will improve your overall health and hopefully, increase your life-span.
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Hobbies
Finding activities outside of your recovery is important. You were not meant to spend all of your time in meetings, exercising, attending therapy, or meeting with a sponsor to work the 12- Steps. You were meant to get back into the stream of life and enjoy things once again. Look for the things that you once enjoyed and try them out in sobriety. Cooking, playing sports, crafting, or knitting are all ways that you can spend some quality time.
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Relaxation
Taking time out of your busy day to pause is beneficial for your sanity. Adding some meditation into your day by taking even just a few minutes to connect with your Higher Power can make a huge difference in your serenity. Life can be overwhelming, but when you implement some tools that are meant to slow you down and get you back on a positive note, you will find some peacefulness in your daily grind.
Changing your lifestyle in recovery is essential to being successful in sobriety. Even though the main objective is staying sober one day at a time, these eight concepts can enhance your life more than you could ever imagine.
Offering a full range of recovery and mental health services, Valiant Living offers “Expanded Recovery” to enrich our clients’ lives in mind, body, and spirit. Through evidence-based therapy options and the endless adventure of Colorado, Valiant fosters connection, encouraging clients to get connected to themselves, their peers, their families, and their higher power. With the power of recovery, clients are restored to full health and experience life-changing healing. Call us today for more information: 303-536-5463
