On your journey to recovery after committing to a life of sobriety you will go through many changes in your life. Everything from your daily routine to your friend group and your personal hobbies will change.
While these changes will take a lot of energy and not always be comfortable you can rest easy knowing that change is extremely good for you both mentally and physically.
Trying something new is often portrayed as fun and exciting, which it is for some people, but it is intimidating and scary for others. It is a fairly common thought that we would prefer a known bad outcome as opposed to an unknown one. This is easy to see when you go to a restaurant and order the same dish or develop a common daily routine that makes you feel comfortable.
A lot of this may be old news to you as you have just made a giant leap into the unknown by embarking on a life of sobriety. No matter what led you to make this choice you have had to make a drastic change to your everyday life, filling your daily routine with unknowns.
As you continue to make these changes you can look forward to a wealth of positivity that will counteract any uncertainty or fear you have in regards to making these changes.
Courage
Trying something new no matter how small will release a wave of courage that will become contagious. Feeling courageous will fill you with energy and positive thoughts that will help you continue to try new things and grow as a person.
In fact, this may be a feeling you are already experiencing due to your major positive lifestyle change. The courage it took to fight back against your addiction took more courage than most people ever have to display in their life. Make sure to keep confronting challenges knowing that you are more than capable of doing anything you put your mind to.
Positive Outcomes
Trying something new will fill you with the fear of the unknown, despite this fear there are a wealth of positive outcomes that come with experiencing new things. You can become more healthy mentally and physically, discover a new lifelong pursuit, or simply add joy to your life.
Depending on where you are on your journey of recovery you are probably feeling some of these positive outcomes. Your mind may be more clear, your friend groups more supportive, or you may have more self-esteem. No matter what stage you are in just know that the longer you stick with it the more positive feelings you will have.
Entertainment and Growth
Finding a common routine is great for staying productive and feeling comfortable but it can get extremely boring to do the same thing day after day. This routine can also mask negative choices you have been making. Trying new things will help you keep your life fun and interesting.
Finding new hobbies and activities not only will provide you with short-term entertainment but will encourage long-term growth. The more you experience the more you will learn about what makes you happy. Additionally, you will meet more and more people that share similar beliefs to you and can help you on your journey.
Continuing To Try New Things
On your journey of recovery, there are many new things you will have to do just to succeed. Finding new friends and new hobbies is vital to your success in a life of sobriety. It is important for you to then take this positive momentum and start searching out new experiences that will enhance your life through fun or personal benefit.
When searching out good experiences you should consider starting to exercise as a hobby. Exercising is an excellent stepping stone to other outdoor activities that are prevalent in Salt Lake and the surrounding areas.
Most people when they think of exercising think of going to the gym or running, both of which are a turn off to many people. Because of this, it is important to remember that it doesn’t matter where you start and you don’t have to do rigorous workouts right off the bat. If you are intimidated by getting into working out you should start with simple steps like walking around the block or stretching in your house while you watch TV.
You will quickly find that the more you move your body the more you want to continue to move it. Small stretching sessions will turn into some light yoga and the walk around the block will start to turn into long hikes in the woods or even some light running.
As you continue to work exercise into your daily or weekly routine you will start to see a whole host of positive changes in your life. Exercising consistently has been proven to give you more energy, help you lose weight or prevent weight gain, help you sleep better, and even help minimize feelings of depression.
All of these outcomes are positive for any human being, but are extra helpful in a life of sobriety and recovery. Purging your body while clearing your mind and boosting your overall health will help prevent urges and even relapse. Plus, rigorous workouts can actually release dopamine in your brain. Your body will learn to crave this dopamine which will make it easier to continue working out while also easing depression and expanding your capacity for joy.
Benefits of Starting Something New
On your journey of recovery you will be challenged to try many new things. As you work to conquer these new things you will start to feel the positive aspects of embarking on scary new adventures, no matter the size. It is vital that you harness this energy and continue to try new things during your life of sobriety. These new experiences will help you keep your years of abuse in the past while enabling you to feel more joy and live an overall better life.
