Have you ever been told by anyone, perhaps a therapist or mentor, to ‘try and begin to live a balanced life’? It is common for those who are in addiction recovery to be given this great advice at some point. You may know that you want great things for yourself and those special to you, but perhaps you are unsure of how to live this balanced life. Although you are sober, maybe you still struggle with your finances or are still rebuilding your relationships. For whatever reason you feel that your life, although heading in the right direction, may still need some balancing here are some tips on how to begin living a more balanced life.
See a Vision
In order to continue on with your addiction recovery and balance your life you must have an idea of where it is that you want to go. Begin by setting a plan and then think about how to turn this into a vision. Having this plan will be the foundation for creating the life you want. For example, perhaps you want to be able to build a strong relationship with your children or begin a new career. You may not achieve this instantly, but this plan and vision will allow you to focus in on what you want.
Set Your Goals
You have the foundation, or the vision/plan, now it’s time to set goals. These goals are what will turn your vision into a reality. Some goals may be easy and some difficult, some long term and some short term. Make a list of everything you want and then begin by choosing 2 of each that are practical. By clearly defining your goals your life will begin to balance itself out, this is because you are on your way to actively pursue them, and therefore life. Each time you accomplish a goal go ahead and move onto the next one.
Prioritise!
Discover what is most important in your life and do that first. If you find Facebook, phone calls, and television to be distracting you from your vision, then reduce the amount of time you spend focusing on these things. Instead, use your time wisely and do things that will support your vision; this alone will help you to keep your daily life in a healthy positive balance; therefore, this will help boost your recovery.
Listen to Your Body
Your body is miraculous and may be telling you that your life is out of balance through constipation, headaches, irritability, sexual problems, and more. If you often feel fatigued throughout the day or have a difficult time getting out of bed, perhaps you need to readjust certain elements in your life.
Take 5
Each day take 5 minutes, preferably in the evening, to think about your day and the events that occurred. Look at the things that made you happy or successful and the things that made you anxious or stressed. Performing this on a daily basis will help you to see what is working and what is not. Continue to nurture the ones that are helping you to see your vision while readjusting the ones that may be counterproductive.
Reach Out
Don’t ever be afraid to reach out to someone and ask for help. Asking for feedback or seeking advice is a true sign of determination. Finding someone who has similar experiences that they have overcome or who is a good listener can do wonders. Perhaps this person will be a counselor, therapist, sponsor, good friend, or loved one.
Make Adjustments
Unexpected things happen in everyone’s life. You may be sure that something is defiantly going to happen and then out of nowhere something unexpected happens instead. It’s great to have a vision and develop a plan from that, but also having a backup plan that you can turn to can continue to help keep this balance and will allow you to easily make readjustments when necessary.
Get Some R&R
Find time every now and then to take a step back, rest, and relax. By resting your body you are able to clear your head and see a clear picture of your vision. Use the energy obtained through this rest and relaxation to navigate you through any troubles while keeping your balance.
Lastly, try to determine what is most important in your life. Once you have done so, try to spend more focusing on these things.
Living a balanced life will allow you to take everything that life throws at you, whether good or bad, and learn from it, understand it, and grow from it. By being able to do so, your addiction recovery will go smooth and steady.
