The New Year is a traditional time for renewing our commitment to better health, happier relationships, and personal growth. Many people make New Year’s resolutions for addiction recovery and enhanced mental health.
If you are striving for recovery from addiction this January, call Sierra Sage Recovery Services at 833.922.2884. The coming year can be your best yet with the right treatment program and recovery support on your side.
Resolutions for People in Addiction Recovery
Below are three examples of recovery-related New Year’s resolutions that may benefit you.
1. Keep a Gratitude Journal
The practice of gratitude is one of the most basic foundational steps of addiction aftercare. Individuals in recovery have often survived trauma, violence, drug- or alcohol-related injuries and illnesses, and perhaps even overdoses that almost took their life. In a world where it’s too easy to focus on the negative, the fact that you are still alive and able to seek recovery is something to be thankful for.
Studies on the practice of gratitude have shown that daily gratitude offers several benefits, including:
- Increased feelings of happiness
- Confidence and optimism
- Increased social interaction
- Physical health and wellness
- Work performance improvements
- Enhanced spirituality
- Heightened self-esteem
- Improved sleep
- Boosted energy levels
- Increased longevity
Getting into the habit of finding at least one thing to be grateful for every day helps to reinforce positive thinking habits and decreases the stress that can lead to relapse. Keeping a gratitude journal is simple. You can use an elaborately decorated journal, a simple store-bought notebook, and anything in between.
Before you go to bed at night, write down at least one thing that happened during the day you are grateful for. It’s as easy as that. The more you focus on gratitude, the more you will notice the positive interactions and unexpected gifts coming your way. You can look through your gratitude journal and remember the many good things addiction recovery has brought into your life whenever you are feeling down.
2. Volunteer
Service is another important element of recovery, and supporting others with alcohol or substance use disorders is part of every addiction aftercare program. If you’re not already volunteering, find an organization that needs your help regularly and commit.
Remember, it’s normal to get burned out with service commitments as the months go by. If that happens, try something new. As you continue on your recovery path, finding new ways to give back may help you regain the confidence and sense of self-worth that sometimes gets lost with addiction.
3. Read a Book a Week (or Month)
Almost every successful person has in common is that they are avid readers. Reading can change your life and open your mind to a world of possibilities. Whether you read books on recovery topics, self-improvement, travel, memoir, or great fiction doesn’t matter. The important thing is that you read.
Don’t worry if you’re not the world’s fastest reader or if you think you don’t have time. Listening to audiobooks is just as good for you as physically reading. Most libraries have several audiobooks you can listen to for free, or you can download a program to your phone for easy access during your commute or while you’re on the treadmill.
Learn More About Addiction Aftercare at Sierra Sage Recovery Services
People with long-term recovery understand that getting clean or sober is only the beginning. Maintaining recovery takes a commitment to personal growth. Attending therapy and other aftercare programs is part of the process. Contact Sierra Sage Recovery Services at 833.922.2884 for help with your New Year’s resolutions to break the cycle of addiction and start living the life you were meant to have.
