As we enter the new year, we start to assess many aspects of our life. This includes our relationships, career, spirituality, finances and health. A sober new year is our fresh start toward a new and better life. It’s a chance to wipe the slate clean. Think of this week as an opportunity to renew yourself. So the question becomes this… what about your New Year’s resolutions in recovery? How to stay sober during the holidays? And stay sober throughout the year? Would something like a mental health program help in these endeavors?
New Year’s Resolutions in Recovery
New Year resolutions are a way to build an investment in ourselves and a way to hold accountability for our actions. As we improve our own self-worth, we end up generating more positive outlooks toward ourselves. Just a simple mindset change can significantly change our day-to-day. Habits by nature are difficult to break, but if we take it slow, focus on them one at a time, we can slowly turn our poor habits into healthy ones.
For people recovering from addiction, a New Year’s resolution takes on a particular significance. While other make resolutions and break them, their lives probably go on normally. That’s not the case with those in recovery. The big resolution individuals in recovery usually make is to remain sober. If they break that resolution, their life can be turned upside down very quickly.
However, remaining sober is just one possible resolution that you might make this year. With your new-found determination to achieve goals, you may have other objectives that you’d like to accomplish. Most of these resolutions will likely have far fewer devastating implications if you fail to keep them. However, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try your best to do so.
Making and Keeping New Year’s Resolutions
When searching for a resolution try to be specific as specific as possible. “Living a healthier lifestyle” is probably too broad. Without structure, it is hard to implement these changes. Instead, focus on one aspect, such as eating healthier. You could make that even more specific if you wanted to. For example, maybe you want to cut out red meat or dairy. Another example would be that you want to exercise more. In other words, don’t settle for a broad goal. Instead, figure out a more specific one that enables you to actually succeed.
If you’ve ever done a New Year resolution before, you will know it slowly becomes harder and harder to stay loyal and consistent. To hold yourself accountable, try to put up some sort of collateral. For example, if you wish to exercise more, try signing up for a gym membership. If you want to cut out dairy, make a small bet with a friend. These initial steps, such as signing up for a program, hold yourself accountable, but it also pushes you to take the first step toward your goal and make a commitment.
How Do You Want to Look Back at 2022?
When you review the following 12 months a year from now, what do you hope to see? Clearly, you want to see resolutions that were kept. Perhaps some of them were difficult to keep but you still managed to do so. Maybe there were a few you didn’t keep for a time. It’s possible that there was a resolution you didn’t keep at all. No matter how you did, it’s important to not beat yourself up over it.
It’s not a bad idea to treat breaking a New Year’s resolution like you would treat a relapse. It’s unfortunate and you aren’t happy about it. However, it can happen and you have to move forward and give yourself another chance.
Your New Year’s resolutions in recovery can be a source of pride and accomplishment. As always, if you need any assistance, call us at 888.707.2873 and we’ll lend a helping hand.
