Resolution (Photo credit: vpickering)
So you made resolutions to stay sober in the New Year, now what?
Like most of us, you made a bunch of lofty resolutions, some of which may seem daunting and unattainable when looked at with the eyes of reality in the cold of January. Maybe the hangover of the holidays made you realize you need to listen to that inner voice telling you this isn’t how life is supposed to be, and maybe, just maybe you need to get sober. Perhaps you’re thinking, “How am I ever going to be able to live without drugs and alcohol? How can I learn to be comfortable in my own skin?”
Fortunately, the world did not end this past year, instead we have an incredible opportunity to create our own metaphorical “calendar” wherein we can make healthier, saner choices for the years to come. This isn’t a calendar that includes doomsday prophesies and holidays sponsored by a beer company. This is a calendar that celebrates caring for ourselves and healing our relationships. From here on out, we have the chance to make every day a step closer to being the person we are capable of being, potentially making those resolutions become reality.
So, how do we go about doing this? I recently tweeted about an article from the Huffington Post that listed some suggestions for spiritual success as a foundation to our resolutions—the suggestions mirror much of what we talk about in our blog and were nice to see out there in the digital ether. I thought some of them were worth reiterating here because these practices and ideologies are key in supporting our recovery and enriching our sober lives. We have to start somewhere, right? This is how we do it!
- Make the decision to care for yourself and get sober. You don’t have to live in misery anymore. Recovery isn’t easy, but it’s not has difficult as carrying the shame and guilt associated with our using behavior.
- Seal the deal and make it public. Tell the people who care about you the most. That means people OTHER THAN your using friends.
- Find a sober community that supports you: 12-step groups, meditation groups, mental health support, or all of the above!
- Practice asking for help: this will save your bum more than you know. It’s amazing when you eventually realize how much easier things are when you don’t have to do them alone!
Remember: no more doomsday prophecies be they spiritual, metaphorical, or literal. We can do this recovery thing…one step at a time!
Originally posted on January 8, 2013 @ 7:40 pm
