5 tips to stay on track in your recovery journey
5 tips to stay on track in your recovery journey
Upon recognising we need help, wouldn’t it be great to fast forward time and reach the point of recovery in one small step? Unfortunately, life isn’t that simple and neither is your recovery journey. There will be hardships, setbacks and frustrations along the way. But this isn’t to overwhelm or deter you from seeking help. The rewards you will get for reaching recovery: achievement, perseverance, self-acceptance and not to mention your life back, far outweigh the struggles taken.
Unfortunately, it can be hard to remain positive when times get tough, let alone visualise the end of the journey. Here are some simple tips to help you stay on track and make sure you reach the end of recovery.
Tip 1: Set small goals you can work towards
Setting exceptions such as ‘in a week I’m going to be where I want to be/ feel better/ have fully recovered’ isn’t a realistic goal to have. Slow and steady wins the race in recovery and patience is key. However, it’s a good idea to set yourself smaller, daily goals to keep motivation levels high and remind yourself to keep moving forward. Things like ‘today I’m going to focus my thoughts on mediating’, ‘today is a difficult day so I’m going to write down my frustrations in my journal’ are all positive tasks which are not only supportive of recovery, but of your lifestyle and mental health in general.
Tip 2: Make positive lifestyle changes a habit
Speaking of positive lifestyle changes, by incorporating these into your daily routine it can not only provide something beneficial to focus on but also provide a better quality of life overall. When negative thoughts, cravings or urges strike, try getting some fresh air, visiting a supportive friend or exercising to make sure your attention is on what matters: every step is a step in the right direction towards recovery.
Tip 3: Don’t be discouraged by relapses
Relapses will happen. It’s a common part of recovery and may come out of the blue. Yet whilst at first you may be discouraged or tempted to give up, treat it as a learning curve. Make note of the cause of the relapse to try and limit it happening again, but then move on- by focusing instead on the positive progress you have made you are refusing to be consumed by the negative thought or habits, and are instead moving forward in your recovery journey.
Tip 4: Reward your successes
Every success- no matter how small is a step in the right direction. Be kind and reward yourself for moving forward and as an acknowledgement of your hard work and dedication. It could be something like a relaxing bath, a new pair of shoes, a nice latte… just as long as it’s nothing that could trigger any bad habits.
Tip 5: Accept the support you need
Finally, accepting that recovery is a journey and that you need support is essential. At Choices Personalized Retreats we welcome you on our program whatever you are struggling with. Our integrative cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness practice offers the best results in the overall psychological intervention of mental health therapy treatment and is designed to aid you on your recovery journey.
