The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to turn your life around and rid yourself of the addiction that has been controlling you. This year could be the year that changes everything. As others might embark on reaching their resolutions at the gym – if you’re struggling with drug addiction or alcoholism, now might be the time to set a different kind of resolution. Therefore, staying clean and taking the right steps to your sobriety might be the resolution you need. Whether your New Year’s resolution is to kickstart the process of achieving your recovery, or maintaining your sobriety, here are some helpful tips to keep you on track.
Set attainable goals for staying clean
Setting attainable goals for your recovery will help to keep you on track to staying clean. S.M.A.R.T. goals, which are often used in business, stand for – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Most of all, taking the time to think though, and set goals based on this tool makes it easier for them to be achieved. An example of a S.M.A.R.T. goal might be: “I will attend an NA Recovery Meeting two times per week over the course of the next year so that I can continue to talk with others, and gain support during my journey to recovery.”
Reflect on the past, but look toward the future
Recognizing where you’ve come from, and how far you’ve come is a great way to measure your successes, even if you think they might be small. Introspection, the examination or observation of one’s own mental and emotional processes, can be an extremely valuable tool in your skillset for overcoming troubles and emotions you may deal with on your journey toward recovery. Planning for the future gives you something to look forward to, and practice in setting goals. Taking time to reflect can be a powerful meditative exercise that can give you direction moving forward.
Practice gratitude
Really think about this. Even if you feel you don’t have much to be grateful for, you have your sobriety. You have the freedom of not being attached to your addiction. You have learned what it means to overcome, and you are also doing what it takes to maintain. There are plenty of people to thank throughout your journey to sobriety, do this often. Recognizing the love that others have for you will help you strengthen the relationships you have with them.
Believe in yourself
Having faith in yourself and recognizing your self-worth makes all the difference. Believing that you can succeed in your sobriety makes the time that you take to achieve it seem easier to get through. Sobriety is an attainable goal. Believing in yourself improves your overall wellbeing.
Attend treatment
If you’ve used drugs or alcohol recently, consider attending detox. New Day Recovery is here to help with a team of certified, compassionate staff guiding your stay with us. Upon arriving at detox, you’ll be set up with an individualized care plan – mapping out your journey to recovery from detox to aftercare. Drug and alcohol detoxification is the first step to reaching and ultimately maintaining your sobriety.
If you’re maintaining your sobriety and staying clean, consider attending recovery meetings. Attend recovery group meetings such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Heroin Anonymous (HA), or Narcotics Anonymous (NA). Other options for sobriety maintenance include intensive outpatient therapies (IOP), sober living houses, psychotherapy or other counseling, and medication management.