Thriving in Sobriety: How to Stay on the Right Path

The road to recovery is a long and winding journey, one that takes heart, courage, and diligence. Searching for new ways to enjoy life and discover new passions can help keep you on the right path and thrive in sobriety.

Transform your Body and Mind

Strengthen your body and mind through health and wellness. Your body can become stronger and release itself from the shackles of addiction through fortifying its natural abilities to heal itself.

Exercise

The National Institutes of Health has reported that people who engage in regular aerobic exercise are less likely to use and abuse drugs. Implementing exercise in your daily routine is a way to feed your body the natural high that comes from exercise. Known benefits of physical activity include:

• Regulated sleep: Proper sleep and rest is essential to fend off stress and even depression and anxiety.
• Release of endorphins: Exercising produces chemicals in the brain that help fight stress and regulate mood. This is the proverbial “runner’s high,” which is a state of euphoria achieved through prolonged intense exercise.
• Improved confidence: Engaging in regular physical activity can also bring a boost of self-confidence and mood, which helps exercisers have a positive outlook on life.

Diet

The Huffington Post reports that diet is extremely important in early recovery. While there are no specific day-to-day diet requirements, a good regimen for eating clean and improving health usually entails a balanced diet of healthy fats, proteins, carbohydrates, plenty of fruits and vegetables, and staying away from processed foods and sugar. A good diet will:

• Improve mood
• Provide necessary nutrients for healing and recovery
• Strengthen the immune system

New Career and Learning Opportunities

Another way to ensure a successful year of health and sobriety could be working your way toward new pathways of learning. US News reports that staying busy and working your way to a positive career path is an effective way toward recovery. These paths can take many directions and depend on your interests and passions. Work can often provide a structured environment and feelings of fulfillment and accomplishment.

Start a Business

Rejoining the workforce after a long time of being out of it is a daunting enough task. Perhaps you want to begin slowly and look for independent ways to make a living based on an idea or passion. With the help of the internet, launching and promoting your business has never been easier. For example, if you love animals, consider starting a pet-sitting business. This is a great way to ease into the job market, regain confidence, and have some control of your schedule. Making money as a pet sitter affords you many positive experiences, like working with animals and providing a service to others.

Find New Passions

Finding new hobbies or challenges to take on in your daily life will help keep your mind occupied. Consider taking free community-based classes or signing up for local college courses that interest you. By learning new things and finding different and positive experiences, you can fend off the temptation of returning to old ways.

The Power of Animals

While looking for ways to strengthen yourself against the forces of relapse, anxiety, or depression, there are alternative methods to fill the spaces in the heart that might be a little more complicated to fill.

Consider the power of animals. Research shows, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, that pets have a tremendous ability to help those on a quest for sobriety. The dog and human bond is strong, and they not only provide companionship, friendship, and emotional support, but they actually help in relaxation and fighting off stress. Having a pet can help release healthy chemicals in the brain and reduce feelings of sadness and loneliness, which are often causes for relapse. Dogs are also a great excuse to get out and exercise.

Establishing a healthy routine in your life will be a powerful ally in your recovery journey by strengthening your body and mind. Looking for new career paths helps self-esteem and financial independence, and a pet can heal the heart. Make this new life chapter work for you and stay on the right track by looking at different roads to a joyful future.