Recovery is difficult because you have to deal with negative feelings and thoughts like guilt, shame and stress. You probably made many mistakes as an addict. But recovery is a time to forgive yourself and make amends for your mistakes.
It is possible to stay sober if you can overcome negative emotions. It’s not easy, and it will take effort. But it is possible. You’ll face many challenges in recovery. You can choose to either let your negative thoughts take over your mind and your body and grow stronger, at the cost of your own life, or you can stay positive and stop your pessimism.
How do you get there? It’s unlikely that you will wake up one day with a new positive outlook on your life. It will be a long process. Implementing these four tips will help you stay positive in recovery.
Surround yourself with positive people
Human beings are easily influenced. You may not even realize how your family and friends’ attitudes can influence yours. Spending time around negative people makes you more susceptible to negative feelings and thoughts, which can make your recovery that much harder. If you are around people who are positive and can find the positive in any situation, and are able overcome challenges with a positive attitude, then you will slowly adopt their mindset.
Re-establishing and maintaining healthy relationship is also a crucial step in the recovery from addiction. People who are happy often cite close relationships as a key factor in staying positive. To form positive, healthy bonds, it’s important to find people who share your interests, or have experienced similar things.
You may have lost touch with people who were once important to you. It’s the perfect time to reconnect and let them know you are committed to getting better. It can be intimidating to re-establish these relationships, but you don’t need to. Call a few people who you love and want to apologize to this week. They are likely to be rooting for your success, and the positive energy they bring can really help.
Take Care of Your Health
Healthy body + healthy brain = happy life. Substance abuse can have a variety of effects on your mental and physical health, from lung and heart diseases to cancers. It can also trigger mental disorders like depression and anxiety. It may be difficult to maintain a positive outlook on life when you are dealing with such consequences during your recovery. You can see this as an opportunity to take care of yourself differently.
Did you know, for example, that regular exercise is as effective as medications in easing depression. You’ll also feel better physically. Exercise releases endorphins which are a substance responsible for feelings of happiness and euphoria. This chemical reaction is what your brain needs to keep you positive and happy throughout the day. Exercise can also be fun. Join a sports club, take a yoga or jog class, or join a team if you don’t like to go to the gym. You can find many different places to do these exercises. This outpatient rehab Pennsylvania, for example, offers yoga classes as well as hiking, kayaking and other activities.
Good nutrition is another way to maintain your health. We tend to undervalue the impact of food on our health. Highly processed foods containing sugar, fat and hormones are bad for your mental and physical health. Cut out all processed foods and beverages and opt for a natural diet that is rich in vegetables, water and lean meats.
Take Care What You Expose yourself to
The internet and what we watch and listen to on TV can also influence our feelings and thoughts, just as attitudes of others can. Even though violent films and shows may be entertaining, they can also increase stress levels and make you feel worn down. This can also be true of the news, perhaps even more so. The news is usually filled with crime, violence, death and other negative things. If you want to remain positive, it can be counterproductive to overexpose yourself to such content.
Social media should also be used with caution. Instagram is filled with pictures of people who seem to have the perfect life. They may be on vacation in a beautiful location or showing off a brand-new car. In reality, they don’t live as perfectly as they want their followers to think. It’s easy to believe it, and feel bad for not living a balanced life. It’s a good idea to spend less time on Facebook or take a break. Once you stop comparing your life to other people, you’ll feel much happier.
Thank You
Count your blessings! Every day, practicing gratitude can make a huge difference in how you view life and deal with its challenges. You may be going through a difficult time, and it’s hard to maintain a grateful attitude, but you should still try. Think about what you’re grateful for, and the good things in your life. Also, think of the people or things who have helped you.
Keep a gratitude diary. Write down something positive that happened in the day before going to sleep. It doesn’t need to be anything big. The smallest things can make a big difference, such as a good meal, a pleasant conversation with a close friend or a great movie. If you are feeling low, look through your journal and see all the good things you have written. It will help lift your mood.
Staying positive is something you must choose to do every morning when you awake. Although it may be difficult at first, applying these four tips to your everyday life will help improve your outlook and help you recover more quickly. Try them out! Please leave a comment if you would like to share any other tips on how to stay positive while recovering.