The holidays can be stressful when you’re trying to manage family commitments, make room in the budget for gift giving, and try to keep your happy face on at all times. When you add the layer of early addiction recovery to the mix, you bump those stress levels up even more. Minimizing stress and fighting off depression are key components of addiction recovery, but it can be a lot to keep up with during the merry month of December. Don’t let the blues spoil the sense of community and tradition that you could be enjoying this holiday season. Follow these feel-happy tips to maximize your enjoyment:
Watch What You Eat
You can’t have a healthy mind without a healthy body to support it, which is why proper nutrition is so vital to a successful recovery. Holiday sweets and overindulgence can really derail your healthy eating plan and leave you feeling tired. Keep indulgences small, control your portions, and choose healthy options as often as you can to stay feeling fit and happy.
Healthy Mind, Body and Spirit
Don’t let your wellness practices slip in the busyness of the season. Be sure to continue to take the time each day to meditate, pray and exercise. Keeping your body and mind healthy keeps cravings at bay. These practices are also a great way to shake off the blues if they do come along.
Keep Recovering
Stick to your aftercare program this month. Attend your 12-step meetings and other events, and continue putting your recovery above everything else. You may feel like slacking off a little, but you should probably actually beef up your participation. This will be the best way to manage stress and keep your perspective in line. Expand your support system, not only by reaching out to friends and family members, but by increasing your participation in the recovery community. The holidays are a great time to connect with and lend your support to others.
Let Go of the Past
The Big Book from AA lists resentment as the most common catalyst for relapse. Feelings of resentment can rise up during the holidays when you end up spending time with people who you still have hard feelings about. Instead of letting these feelings eat away at you, use this as an opportunity to let go of the past, to find forgiveness and to let some old wounds heal.
Celebrate!!
With everything that’s hard about recovery, there’s so much more that’s worth celebrating! The holidays are a great time to really soak up all of the successes you’ve had and to celebrate your new healthy life with your loved ones. You’ve come a long way! Celebrate the season and your success and enjoy some new traditions this year!
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