New Year’s Resolutions and Addiction Recovery
After a year like the one that we have had, there is a good chance that even thinking about resolutions is a little bit too overwhelming. At the start of most years, it is a common tradition to sit down and write out a list of things that we want to improve on during the year ahead. Maybe we finally want to lose that stubborn 10 lbs or start eating more nutrient-dense foods and hitting the gym more often. Maybe we want to start spending more time with our family, or finally commit to taking that art class we have been wanting to take for years.
Resolutions have to do with self-betterment and self-improvement. They are generally very positive and help us develop guidelines and pinpoint personal goals that we want to accomplish. Many of us celebrated the end of 2020 in a socially-distanced environment, at home with close friends or family members, looking forward to the year ahead but not with too much anticipation (because we have all learned to expect the unexpected).
Some Addicts Avoid New Year’s Resolutions
Many of us avoided resolutions this year, simply acknowledging the fact that we overcame so much and adapted to so much during the previous year. While it is a good idea to go easy on ourselves, there is no reason not to jot down a shortlist of attainable goals. If you are already sober, staying sober is an ideal resolution. Commit to upping your program of recovery by attending more meetings or reworking through the steps. If you have not yet gotten sober but you are considering doing so, here are several examples of New Year’s resolutions that directly involve sobriety.
New Year’s Resolutions – Get and Stay Sober
Below are several examples of reasonable and attainable sobriety-related New Year’s resolutions. Please feel free to draw from our list or to add to it with resolutions of your own.
- I resolve to look into my options as far as addiction treatment goes. This might mean reaching out to a treatment center and discussing what inpatient treatment is actually like, or finding someone who has attended a treatment center in the past and sitting down for a discussion over coffee.
- I resolve to check out at least one Alcoholics Anonymous meeting this month. Because the majority of meetings are virtual now, it is not difficult to find an AA meeting that you can easily attend. Committing to check it out is not the same as committing to find a sponsor and work the 12 steps – just showing up might seem like an easier goal to achieve.
- I resolve to cut back on my drinking significantly. If you are struggling with problem drinking or you think that you might have a diagnosable alcohol abuse disorder, try staying sober for one full month. If you have a difficult time doing so, it might be a good idea to reach out for help sooner rather than later.
Agape Treatment Center – Reach Out Today
The thing about addiction recovery is… you really can’t go it alone. It truly won’t work the way it’s meant to unless you reach out for help and become used to the idea of relying on other people (and on powers greater than yourself – more to be revealed as far as all of that goes). It can be scary, and it might seem “weak” to those who aren’t used to asking for anything. To those who are used to handling everything on their own. But it’s the bravest and empowering thing you will ever do.
Trust us on that. If you are ready to take the first step towards a lifetime of happiness and personal fulfillment, reach out to us today. We look forward to doing everything we can to make your resolutions a reality.
