Recovery is about taking life one step at a time. Working towards recovery is like setting goals that never end. There is always more to do and more things to work on to keep going. It can feel hard to focus after a while because it seems like it takes all your concentration just to stay clean and sober every day. Like with anything else, recovery takes practice. Think about where you need to focus your energy and start there.
Let Go of Fear
Recovery is all about little steps, not big leaps and bounds. Most people fall into addiction not by simply walking into it one day but by it progressing day by day, week by week, month by month. Although it is normal to have fears and insecurities, the best thing to do is embrace all those fears and tell someone about them. Relapse and recovery, the entire journey, has a lot to do with the mind and mental ability to deal with what happens in a positive way. This can happen by releasing the fear of the unknown to step into the future.
Stay Present
Although recovery programs focus on one day at a time, it is hard to think about the future when the present feels so tense and full of things to do and get done. It is easy to waste time on what doesn’t matter. You can waste a lot of time thinking, worrying, getting anxious, and even thinking about the past when the present feels hard. Don’t get stuck in this kind of thinking. With mindfulness tools, meditation, and gratitude, you can work to stay present and focused on what really matters, which is staying sober.
Only Focus on You
It is much easier to worry about what others think of you than focus on yourself. Sobriety is a great place to land after being an addiction for so long. Congratulate yourself on this journey and stop worrying about what others think. Commit to recovery so that you start living without worrying about shame and stigma which comes from labels. Your recovery is important. Your journey is important. This is your journey and you are doing the best you can for yourself. As long as you remain committed, you will do just fine.
With the support and help of loved ones, you can regain your focus. If you find yourself triggered by things in the environment or feel like you might lose focus on what is happening around you, try not to feel frustrated. That is just the nature of your life right now. If it becomes intrusive to the point you worry about relapse, then set aside time to talk with counselors and advisors on what to do. They can help you look for different ways to walk through this difficult time in recovery. It may be time to recheck medication and give you more tools to cope. Don’t self-shame or blame. Accept this as part of the journey and it will likely feel less stressful and help you stay focused through it all.
A Step in the Right Direction provides quality care for clients seeking support for addiction recovery. We teach people how to live a sober life through programs, therapeutic support, and evidence-based therapies. Our recovery program is staffed by people who understand the power of addiction. For more information on sober living programs for men and women as well as recovery programs, call (877) 377-3702
