With the New Year comes new beginnings. This means different things to different people. Many people associate New Year’s Day with making resolutions that they strive to uphold throughout the coming year. While this is good in theory, it is not for everybody. Some people feel pressured to make lofty goals and then are critical of themselves if they fall short or don’t live up to their perceived expectations. This can be especially troubling for those in recovery, because the goal is to keep a positive frame of mind and build yourself up, not tear yourself down.
Here are a few things to consider as you decide whether or not to make resolutions while in recovery this year:
- Be realistic. If you do make resolutions, keep them practical and attainable. Remember – you can always adjust your goal as you progress. It’s better to set your sights higher as you reach a milestone than to start with an extremely high bar to begin with.
- Do it for yourself, not anyone else. Whatever your goals are, they should be for you. Focus on what you want to achieve, not what you think others expect of you. Making them personal can give you more motivation to stick with it.
- Resolutions are not set in stone. If you find that your goal isn’t quite right for you, adjust it. There is no rule that says resolutions can’t be changed. You don’t want to focus on “failures” and make it a negative experience. Your resolutions should make you feel good about yourself and what you can accomplish.
- Choose carefully. Create resolutions that support your recovery, such as meditating more often, taking more time for self-care, trying a new activity, getting more sleep, or adding more nutritious foods to each meal. These are all changes that can benefit your well-being and keep you moving forward in recovery.
- Be patient. Remember that these are new year resolutions – they’re not meant to be achieved in a few days or weeks. They are goals to work toward for the next 12 months. If you lose focus, you have time to get back on track; it doesn’t mean you have failed and should give up. Take your time.
Decide what is best for you and your recovery. If you want to make New Year’s resolutions, do it for yourself, not because you feel pressured by others. And remember – you don’t have to share your goals if you don’t want to. You may choose to talk about them with a close friend to help hold each other accountable, but that is your choice. Some people choose to keep their resolutions private. Whatever you decide to do, make it count.
Crossroads can help you achieve your goals of addiction recovery this year through comprehensive treatment tailored to your individual needs. Whether you are entering treatment for the first time or are seeking help for a relapse, effective treatment and support are available. Crossroads also offers dual diagnosis treatment to help with mental health disorders in addition to addiction. Give yourself the gift of recovery this year by seeking addiction treatment at Crossroads and remembering who you wanted to be.
[cta]Is long-term recovery one of your goals for the upcoming year? Crossroads can help you to be more successful. Call today.[/cta]
