No Matter What Program you work…you must stick to the basics!
There is no one size fits all approach to thriving in recovery. We all have different stories, paths and journeys that have led us to where we are now.
There are tons of programs out there for recovery including AA, NA, Harm Reduction, SMART recovery and I can go on and on…
If recovery were as simple as just needing to follow “one specific program,” we would obviously be in a much different position than we are now.
Here is why: we all are unique. We are not just unique in our stories of sobriety or recovery. We are also unique with our personalities, finances, upbringing, beliefs etc etc…
So please, don’t get discouraged if a specific program doesn’t resonate with your belief system or where you are in your recovery.
But, here are my top tips that I think we can all resonate with despite the program you choose to follow.
Hang out with positive people: Surround yourself with those who challenge you to be a better version of YOU each and everyday. These people should love, support and encourage you with no strings attached. They should also be pushing you closer towards a sustainable recovery and not closer to relapse.
You are truly an average of the 3–5 people you spend the most time in your life with. Take a look at your inner circle. Is it building you up or tearing you down?
Make sure it’s lifting you higher personally, professionally and spiritually and that they are people that you have common futures with and not common pasts.
Take responsibility: The first step in fixing some sort of problem is acknowledging the fact that you do have a problem. The good news is if the problem is you, than likely you are also the solution. But, in order to do so, you must stop blaming others for the choices you make. Learn to look yourself in the mirror and “blame yourself.”
Remember life is mostly how you react to things. React in ways that are going to push you closer towards the life you want to have. Always making sure that what you “want” in life aligns with what you “DO.”
Nourish your body: Take care of yourself. I am not talking about becoming the next Arnold from the movie Predator. I am simply talking about moving more. Again, this will vary by the person. But, do things that get the “feel good” endorphins going.
These can be things like walking, jogging, weights, sports are a great way to start and remember focus on your fitness level and not everyone else’. But, make sure to include things such as yoga, pilates and other forms of restful practices too. These help tremendously with stress relief, sleep, flexibility and total relaxation.
Fitness saved my life and I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for exercise and nutrition. Plain and simple.
With that said, you also must eat smart. This is one of the biggest things I stress with my clients who struggle with addiction. When it comes to nutrition, it’s important to eat things that keep your mood, energy and blood sugar stable. This helps with sleep, irritability, improved function and overall quality of life. We have all heard it, “if you eat like crap, you will feel like crap.”
It’s true. Eat smart. But, it doesn’t mean you have to do it 100% of the time. Aim to eat like this 80% of the time. These things include Lean Proteins (all sorts), fruits, veggies, nuts/seeds, whole grains and anything else that is as close to its natural state as possible.
Practice Spirituality:
Spirituality in a nutshell: believe in something greater than yourself, don’t be a jerk, help others and stay grateful.
Call it whatever that looks like for you. Whether it’s Christianity, Judaism, God, higher power, meditation, nature, service or ANY other spiritual practice that encourages that there is a bigger picture and purpose to our days. Practicing prayer or meditation is key for staying grounded, becoming greater and also improves our ability to be humble.
I consider myself to be a Christian, but I am not someone who looks down on others for what their spiritual beliefs are. I don’t consider myself “religious,” I believe in God and also believe in not being a jerk, judgmental or a hypocrite of others.
It’s also crucial to help others and be a person of service.
Calling a friend who is struggling, help people unconditionally or hold the door open for others are some easy ways to be of service.
With spirituality comes gratitude. Be grateful for the things you have in life instead of the things you don’t have.
I sponsor a young kid in Ghana (financially) and when I saw what the economic position looked like there, it hit me like a ton of bricks and has changed my perspective ever since.
Perspective is everything.
Also try to write down one thing you are grateful for each day. It works, try it out sometime. Just one thing, you can do it!
Power of Positivity: Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your character. Let that one sink in. If you think like crap, you are going to act like crap and it’s going to show in other areas of your life.
Trust me, I have been there. We call this “stinkin thinkin.”
Learn to find the silver lining in situations and look for the positives. These can be things like life lessons, people you met, or that something worse didn’t happen or again being grateful.
We must also develop the mindset of a VICTOR and not a victim. When we learn to accept that things happen for us and not us, we become a victor and let go of the victim mentality.
Basically, you have to believe in yourself. You have to keep telling yourself every single day that you can do it. You have to tell yourself that you are going to get through whatever you are going through and that great things are yet to come.
If you can think like this, you will begin to act like this. If you can act like that, than good things will happen. Change your words, instead of saying “I can’t, say I can…” and so on.
To close, in order to thrive in recovery, you gotta stick to the basics. This consists of staying positive, hanging out with the right people, getting spiritual and nourishing yourself.
Doug Bopst
