Are you Serious about your Recovery in 2013?

Is 2013 the year that you are finally serious about your recovery or are you just talking to hear yourself talk? Sure, you may have gotten clean but what are your intentions to make sure you stay that way? Are you prepared to fight the toughest battle you will likely ever face? To stay clean you have to do everything in your power, literally pull out all of the artillery to manage relapse. Relapse prevention is the most important step in recovery. Relapse prevention can be a bit time consuming but it doesn’t have to be difficult. The simpler that it is the better your chances of success are.

One of the most important things that people in recovery need to do is to build the best high quality support network they can build. Each year build them a little bigger and a little better. This can be done by attending group meetings, during social events, or with healthcare professionals or even family. If they care about your well-being, they qualify. This is not to be mistaken as a list of names and numbers; these must to be active relationships.
Volunteer your time! Not only is this very rewarding but it is also a great way to keep busy. Down time is a killer for people in recovery. This doesn’t have to be a cumbersome event. Do something you like, make it fun, pay it forward! Be sure to take some time for yourself. Don’t allow yourself to get trapped in life’s busy demands. Use this time to reflect and assess your life and how it is going.
Make exercise part of your daily routine. Especially people in recovery need exercise and it will not take long to realize the benefits. This applies to those that are already physically fit. Even if the exercise is simple, do it anyways. A little goes a long way for people in recovery. The rewards are emotional, physical,and mental.
It is very important for people in recovery to avoid any kind of extreme behavior and this includes eating. You don’t have to go on a diet per say but eliminate some of the things that you really don’t need. Just adjust a few things.
Do something that enhances your recovery every day. This could include many things and most of them are pretty simple. Go to a meeting, take a self-inventory, help someone else in their journey of recovery, or even keep a journal.
These are all things that can really help you in recovery. Sometimes even the best efforts can take a plunge so you really want to do everything that you can to protect yourself.