The New Year is a time to make healthy changes in your life. Starting a new diet, going to the gym more, going back to school, and staying away from drugs and alcohol are just a few ways you can improve your life in the coming year. Of these, sobriety may be the most challenging, but it’s also the one that could save your life. Deciding to get sober for the new year is a brave and healthy choice.
Undertaking a few key strategies to manage your stress and mental health can help you stick to your resolution throughout the year. Here are some tips to stay happy, healthy, and clean in 2019.
Set Resolutions and Goals
With newfound sobriety, you can accomplish a lot more than what you could in the past. Take advantage of this time by thinking of what you want to achieve in the New Year. Hold a brainstorming session – even take notes – and think of goals that will encourage a healthy future, such as:
• Taking online classes or a course at the local community center
• Joining a gym or sports team and working out more often
• Traveling and seeing more of your community or the country
• Spending time in nature
• Practicing your cooking skills and trying new recipes
• Reading a handful of new books
Once you have figured out your goals for the New Year, make a vision board. Write down these goals or cut out images related to them. Display your board somewhere visible so you can see your goals every day. In fact, it can be anything – a bulletin board, whiteboard, or a piece of plain paper.
Find New Places and Spaces
Some destinations may trigger memories related to your addiction. Restaurants, bars, clubs, and other places you have frequented in the past may not be the healthiest places to go back to. Even if you had great memories at these businesses, these memories might make you susceptible for a relapse.
Instead, spend the New Year finding new places to create memories of your new life. Visit a new restaurant in town once a month. Get a season pass at a museum. Spend time in the library – there are usually ample opportunities for engagement there. Not only will you avoid possible triggers, but you’ll discover a world of exciting new establishments to visit.
Start a Regular Fitness Routine
One of the best ways to create natural feelings of happiness is to work out. Exercise can do a world of good for everyone, especially people recovering from addiction. Running, lifting weights, swimming, playing sports – the exercise possibilities are endless!
This New Year, join a gym or a sports team and establish a regular fitness routine. Can’t afford membership fees? Establish a regular at-home workout routine by watching exercise videos online or commit to a morning run. You’ll feel great and have fun!
Find a Strong Sober Network
Your former drinking buddies may be near and dear to you, but they could become a risk to your sobriety. Few friends truly understand the sobriety journey. While they might not think they are causing any harm, just being too near them when they drink may make your life difficult. Even if you choose to remain sober while spending time with them, you could feel left out and frustrated if their social events revolve around alcohol.
To combat this, establish a group of sober friends. Surrounding yourself with people who do not drink or use drugs will allow you to have fun without worrying about outside pressures. In addition, you’re more likely to stay sober if you have sober people supporting you.
Take Time for Regular Self-Care
The journey to sobriety can be a challenge, and while you are on the path to health now, drinking may have been the result of too much stress. Fight this early by investing in yourself. Block out a small amount of time each day to take care of yourself.
During this self-care time, do things that make you happy. You can:
• Meditate
• Read
• Journal
• Take a warm bath
• Stretch or practice yoga
• Relax
Take any amount of time that makes sense to you, whether it be five minutes or a couple of hours. Whatever you decide to do, this time will be an opportunity to de-stress.
Eat Healthy, Nutritious Meals
To further maintain your sobriety, strive to eat a well-balanced, healthy diet in the New Year. Start by drinking plenty of water; some issues of withdrawal are from dehydration. Though water won’t stop that process, it can help ease some of the symptoms.
Healthy eating in addition to staying hydrated helps many people feel better physically and mentally. Focus on eating a diet full of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean sources of protein. These energy- and nutrient-rich foods will help power your body, helping you feel energetic and happy. If you’re diet has been poor, start slow. Completely changing your entire diet all at once could cause you to reach for unhealthy foods or substances to satisfy cravings and reduce diet-related stress.
Keep your transition to a healthy diet slow and steady. Start by incorporating more fruits and vegetables in each meal. Next, swap out refined grains and carbohydrates to whole grains. Make sure to eat enough protein, such as meats, fish, and nuts, to keep yourself full throughout the day.
Enroll in a Treatment Program
One of the best ways to maintain your sobriety during the New Year is to seek professional help. Giving up an addiction cold turkey and without outside support can be difficult, but it can also put your health at risk. Withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable and even dangerous. Without professional support, relapse is a much higher possibility. In some cases, these relapses can be life-threatening.
At a professional recovery center, trained staff can monitor withdrawal symptoms and provide treatments to make them easier to handle. During recovery, you can join peers who are struggling with the same issues you are. In addition, these programs help teach appropriate coping mechanisms and strategies to adapt to a sober lifestyle.
With professional treatment, you have a greater likelihood of maintaining your sobriety than if you quit without assistance. You will not have to worry about peer pressure, relapse, cravings, and potential health risks while under the care of a treatment program. For best recovery results, visit Windmill Wellness Ranch today.
Our Canyon Lake, Texas facility provides comprehensive, holistic treatment programs for drug and alcohol addiction. Through our program, you will receive top-quality care and support in addition to certified medical treatment. Contact us today to learn more about our programs and how to enroll.
Created specifically for those who have loved ones that struggle with addiction.