- Know Your Triggers…Look for clues that things could be happening inside you. Feelings you might have. Hungry, angry, lonely, tired? You may not know yourself as much as you think you do. It might be odd to think about but, we lie to ourselves and our motivations are complex. In fact, knowing thyself is a lifelong mystery. All that to say- it takes some work to really know what’s inside our heads and hearts.
- Go to Meetings or Groups…Maybe, you need to increase attendance or start again. Groups have synergy and they exist to help people. Even a flawed meeting had a good point somewhere. A golden nugget of truth buried in the brains of strange people. They can also help you know yourself better by hearing what other people are dealing with. Maybe you didn’t communicate as clearly as you thought and communicating in group can help get things out.
- Call Someone…Even when you don’t “need’ to. Reach out to people regularly as a way to stay healthy and mentally sharp. This takes effort. It is sometimes awkward. Fight through that resistance because it’s worth it.
- Have Fun…Focus on having fun and make it a priority. “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” It should be scheduled and it can be done by yourself or with others. If you have hard times with this one- try to remember your childhood. What was fun for you when you were 15? 12? 8? Maybe you need to go dancing? Maybe you should try something new; like surfing? White water rafting? Bingo?
- Go to Healthcare Providers…Get some other people involved in your wellness. Maybe you need to have a dietician and a physician. Maybe a chiropractor and an acupuncturist. A naturopath and a massage therapist? Make it so that you have a team of professionals rooting for your well-being. So what if they get paid for it- they still want to see you thrive! Create your own health care dream team. That way you are accountable and you can really understand the different dynamics of your health.
- Socialize With Sober People…Make sure you make some new friends. The people you associate with do make a big impact on you. “Bad company corrupts good character.” This means we start to take on the traits and mirror people that we are close with. Hang with the winners.
- Journal…This works for all sorts of things. When it’s written you get better perspective. You can look for clues in your own feelings. Play detective with your own life and examine the small bits of evidence like a CSI.
- Exercise…Of course. There is not much that exercise doesn’t help with. Except maybe chafing and excessive sweating! I once heard that “sweat is fat cells crying.”
- Play the Tape Forward…Try to remember how bad it could get if you drink. Think about the consequences. People get hurt, upset, sad, and mistrust you. The damage gets bad real, real quick. Remember how humiliated you felt. Remember the regret and the despair. The disappointment in yourself- try to picture that in your mind.
- Take a Vacation…Be good to yourself. If you need a break- take it. The money isn’t worth it if your life is falling apart. Put things in perspective and spoil yourself with relaxation. We all need to handle our stress. Breaks can give us a better vantage point and allow us to re-charge our batteries.
