Recovery from addiction and substance use disorder is a lifelong journey built around small and consistent choices. Creating a lifestyle and forming habits that enable you to remain sober will be key for a long-term recovery. At Victory Recovery Partners, a network of eight addiction-recovery centers on Long Island, New York, our experienced behavioral health counselors work with patients to help them navigate through the “what’s next?” elements of their recovery journeys. One common theme is to find daily habits that keep you motivated and allow you to build the strength to continue forward.
Starting Your Day with Intention
It has been shown that the way you start your day can greatly impact the tone for the rest of the day. Even having a quick and short routine each morning can help to put you in a productive mindset, allowing you to start your day on a positive note. This short routine doesn’t need to be anything drastic – even just some quick meditation, journaling, or deep breathing exercises can help put you in a positive mindset to have a productive day. This will create a sense of purpose and meaning for you.
Physical Health Matters
You’ve probably heard many times over the years that physical health is important – and that’s because it is! Your body and mind are strongly connected. A healthy body typically leads to a healthier life. As you navigate through your recovery journey, remember to exercise, eat healthy, and consistently get a full night’s sleep. Activities like walking and yoga are great for both our mental and physical health. Once you get into a routine, you will look forward to these benefits that come from maintaining strong physical health.
Be Social
Socializing is important for everyone. As people, we have a need to belong and be accepted. Socializing during the recovery process is key, as you will be able to learn from others’ journeys and receive important support from those who have also battled addiction. At Victory Recovery Partners, we offer group therapy as a way for patients to learn from, inspire, and motivate each other. Our groups are highly effective – patients truly benefit from them.
Keeping a Schedule is Key
It has been found that boredom can lead to an increase in cravings for those with substance use disorders and addictions. Keeping a daily schedule, whether it be going to work, engaging in a hobby, or volunteering, will help you feel productive while keeping you busy and occupied so that you do not fall into old habits and relapse. The more structured your day is, the more you will feel as though your life has purpose – nothing beats a sense of accomplishment each day!
Reflect Each Night
Sometimes our days become so busy and hectic that we forget to take some time to reflect and review the progress and successes we’ve made. Every night before you go to sleep, take a few minutes to reflect on your day. What did you accomplish? What are your goals for tomorrow? By keeping a journal or lists of your ups and downs during the day, you will learn how to make tomorrow even better than today.
Recovery is a lifelong journey, but it doesn’t have to be a lifelong struggle. As explained here, there are a number of daily habits that you can incorporate into your schedule that will help you to feel motivated, positive, and inspired to continue with your recovery journey. An important point to note is that the path and road to recovery is not a straight line – there are bumps along the way. However, by engaging in positive daily habits, you will put yourself in a better position to succeed, one day at a time.