Staying Motivated During Sober Living

Choosing to enter sober living can be an intimidating choice, but it’s a step towards a better future. One of the many things people in addiction recovery struggle with in sober living is staying motivated. The sober journey is not linear, and will have bright days and duller moments, but it’s important to keep your eyes set on your goals. We’ve laid out some of our best advice for staying motivated and on the right track during sober living.

Take Control of Triggers

Triggers are the emotional or physical factors that originally pushed and individual to reach for drugs and/or alcohol. Common emotional triggers are fear, stress, anxiety, and depression. These emotions can be brought on by many different things including financial status, family dynamics, employment status, and more. Physical triggers often include specific locations or situations, such as returning to a former home, attending a type of social event, or being in the company of certain people.

Once you have identified your triggers, you can properly take control of them and their impact on your life. Learn what triggers you, and make a conscious effort to address them without turning to alcohol or drugs. You must be prepared to walk away from situations that may trigger you, and how to prevent excessive stress, fear, anxiety, and more. Taking control of your triggers allows you to move forward with your sober living journey successfully.

Set Yourself Up for Success

Setting milestones and goals for yourself during sober living gives you something to work towards, and fills you with a sense of purpose when you achieve your goals. Your goals should start small, and slowly progress as you grow through your program. Some good baseline goals could revolve directly around being sober, such as staying sober for three days, and then a week, and from there slowly add on time – before you know it you’ll be a month sober and counting!

Sober living goals do not have to only be sobriety related, they can also be focused on emotional and physical growth. For example, you could set a goal of “I want to be able to walk a mile without feeling excessively tired” or “I want to be able to attend a family gathering without having to drink alcohol.” Your sober living goals can also include the development of your personal relationships, whether they be romantic, social, or familial. As you grow, your goals will become more complex and challenge you more and more, and take you further from potential relapse.

Occupy Your Time Productively

Learning how to fill your time that was previously spent consuming drugs and alcohol is crucial for sustainable sober living. Everyone has different interests, so it’s important to find a hobby or activity that you can get fully immersed in and enjoy. Some common hobbies that many people in sober living enjoy can include:

• Arts & crafts
• Physical activities
• Music
• Gardening
• Reading
• Journaling
• Cooking

These alternatives to substance use are a productive way to occupy your time in a productive manner. Finding what you love outside of drug and alcohol addiction is important to sustainable sober living helps you maintain sobriety during treatment and beyond. When you encounter a trigger, turn to your hobbies, not substances.

Take Control of Sobriety

Learning how to adapt your life to sober living is key to maintaining sobriety for the long run. Instead of looking at sobriety as the end of your life, look at it as the start of truly living to your highest potential. Becoming sober opens up so many possibilities in every facet of your life, from social to professional to romantic. You are able to get to know yourself without the substances, knowing who you are deep down and authentically. If you or a loved one are experiencing addiction and want to get sober, reach out to our team of Admissions Advisors at Sobriety Options. We work with you and your insurance to find you a treatment program that meets your needs and fits your budget.

About Sobriety Options 

Sobriety Options is open 24/7 to provide support and care for those seeking substance abuse or mental health treatment. A branch of Solution Based Treatment, we serve as a central admissions office for seven different branches throughout Southern California. Our team is able to help you find the best sober living option for yourself or your loved one to help them get the care they need. For more information visit our website at sobrietyoptions.com or give us a call at (855) 485-0071.