Whether you’re into making New Year’s resolutions or not, the beginning of a new year does, for many people, present an opportunity to make changes in their life for the better. Whether you’re seeking to implement new healthy habits, deciding to work towards making a big change in your life or wanting to elicit small changes here and there to improve overall wellness, the fresh slate of a new year could be the perfect time to do so.
In particular, the new year is an excellent time to focus on any wellness goals that will help maintain sobriety. If you’re looking to strengthen your recovery, now is the perfect time to implement habits to keep you on track.
Wellness resolutions
Making resolutions sounds like a big to-do, but it can be as straightforward as pinpointing a few particular areas of your life you want to improve/change and making the commitment to doing so.
1. Make a commitment to self-care
A high level of self-care is essential for successful recovery. Taking good care of yourself means eating healthy food each day, getting enough sleep each night and getting at least 30 minutes of exercise (even a walk around the block) a day.
But self-care isn’t just about diet, exercise and sleep. It also means planning leisure time and relaxing. If you constantly have a busy schedule with no time to read a book, journal or focus on a hobby, then you’re not prioritizing self-care. Practice saying no when you have too much on your plate – your recovery, including the self-care required, is crucial to success.
2. Attend support group meetings
Making a commitment to attend support group meetings on a regular basis can help you maintain a high level of personal accountability well into the new year. Support groups offer a unique community and level of encouragement in your recovery, and it gives you the opportunity to help other people going through similar circumstances. Not to mention the fact that making the resolution to attend meetings will help you maintain recovery long-term.
3. Resolve to make honesty the underlying motivator in your recovery
Honesty is essential for successful recovery. If you’re not being honest with yourself, you might not seek help when you need it, you might convince yourself that everything is fine (when you’re actually facing intense difficulties) or you might unintentionally start turning a blind eye to significant problems.
Honesty is more than just telling the truth — it’s about taking a long, hard look at your recovery journey and examining when and where changes need to be made for the sake of improvement and maintained sobriety.
4. Seek help when you need it
There is no shame in asking for help when you’re struggling with aspects of the recovery journey; remind yourself that recovery can be incredibly difficult and no one expects you to take it all on alone.
Whether you need physical help — such as a ride to a meeting or a babysitter that allows you an evening away from the kids — or emotional support during a difficult time, asking for it ensures you get the exact kind of support you need to maintain good mental health and ongoing sobriety. Reach out to your family or friends, schedule a meeting with your therapist or open up about challenges during a support group meeting to get the assistance you need during this time.
5. Remember to enjoy your sobriety
Finding ways to relax and have fun without drugs or alcohol promotes ongoing recovery by helping you enjoy your life. Every day, strive to do something that brings you genuine joy, whether engaging in a hobby, spending quality time with the people you love or taking part in the simple pleasures of life, like a home-cooked meal or a really good book. And don’t forget to take the time to celebrate your sober anniversary or commemorate big stepping stones in your recovery journey.
The more you focus on enjoying the process of recovery, the less it will feel like a burden or some massive adjustment. By fixing your attention on the positives, you may find yourself more motivated and peaceful in your recovery overall.
New Year health resolutions
Making New Year’s resolutions stick is the biggest challenge for most of us. In the beginning, we’re strong and committed to our resolutions, but over time, we often lose sight of our goals and begin to lose motivation. To keep your resolutions fresh in your mind, write them down. Every morning, read through your resolutions, and think about what you can do that day to honor them.
Taking it day by day — and being gentle with yourself when you experience a setback — will lead to permanent changes that promote sobriety in the long term. And if you need more support throughout your recovery journey, whether that’s developing resolutions to suit your recovery or just more support overall, reach out to Silvermist Recovery.
Contact us online or by calling 724-268-4858 to get in touch with someone today.