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What Is the Meaning of Living Your Values?
June 29, 2021
Our values guide our decisions and set the tone for how we conduct our lives. Values affect our choices and the risks we take, but how does one know if they live their values? Living your values means being the most authentic version of yourself, not just at work or with your family, but in all areas that matter to you. If you have put in the time to discover your core values, you might wonder how to bring your values to life or bring more of them into your life. Just as your purpose is a compass that leads you back into alignment with your meaning, your values guide you closer to who you are.
Overcoming Conflict in Recovery
June 27, 2021
You will inevitably experience a conflict between yourself and a loved one at some point. The cause could be different goals or perhaps a simple misunderstanding. Understandably, conflicts are cause for stress, anxiety, and magnifying other challenges you face. In recovery, conflicts may arise during the process of rebuilding trust with yourself and others in relationships. The stress that occurs during these conflicts can create triggers for relapse.
The Power of Self-Value and What it Brings to Recovery
June 25, 2021
Most people believe that putting their needs first is selfish and unkind. However, making yourself and your needs a priority is possibly the best thing you can do for your mental and physical health. Your loved ones also benefit when you take time to practice self-care and discover your value. They stand to gain when you are in a good space and have vitality, energy, and enthusiasm brimming within.
Understanding Your Success Is the First Step Toward Achieving It
June 23, 2021
Ask anybody the definition of success, and you will get many different answers. For some, it is working their dream job. For others, it involves family and friends, and for some others, it is being sober. Success looks different for everyone; however, it is something we all desire. So, whether it is a personal or professional goal, defining what success means to you helps you refine your approach and work toward taking specific steps to get there. With a clear plan, motivation, and persistence, you too can achieve the success you're seeking.
The Non-Negotiable Elements for a Successful Recovery
June 22, 2021
Having a set of non-negotiable items and tasks helps you stay focused and centered in life and recovery. Making a personal list is essential to finding personal and professional success. When you do not plan accordingly, the person that stands to suffer most is you. Expending more time than you should on smaller tasks can interfere with the quality of your rest, nutrition, sleep, and self-care.
Overcoming Complacency in Personal and Professional Settings
June 19, 2021
Success does not rely on chance; it takes motivation, dedication, and persistence. Each time you accomplish another goal, you feel a sense of joy, gratitude, and pride because you know you put in the honest work to achieve the goal. Remember, the mission toward success and lasting recovery is a lifelong journey, and when you rest on your laurels for too long, you grow complacent.
Let Yourself Off the Hook Using Forgiveness
June 18, 2021
Most think of forgiveness as letting someone else "off the hook." Some even believe that they are doing someone a favor by forgiving them. Such an idea might indicate feelings of releasing someone from punishment and guilt. You might also think that such a gesture will offer a reward. Understand that while forgiving others for the right reasons is both healthy and necessary to move forward in recovery, you also need to learn how to forgive yourself by letting yourself "off the hook."
How Do You Find Inspiration in Everyday Life?
June 16, 2021
Pursuing a new outlook and way of life in both your professional and personal ventures means connecting with inspiration on a significant level. Inspiration is a call from within that allows you to express your true abilities. Inspiration transcends arts; it can present itself in various forms. You might find inspiration from caring for your family, managing your sobriety, or your career. Inspiration is also not defined by what you do but rather by the state of being you experience when doing such activities.
Comprising a CV: Showcasing Your Talents Without Bragging
June 15, 2021
Maintaining recovery and working toward the career you want has is no easy task. However, when you have a handle on your recovery and are ready to take the next step toward advancing your career, you will likely want to show your potential employer what you are capable of in the professional world.
4 Ways of Staying Sober in the Workplace
June 11, 2021
Work can become challenging for most people at some point in their life. However, when you are also working on maintaining your recovery, it can become incredibly difficult. The added layers of anxiety and contemplating how your co-workers will perceive you and how you should address your recovery can create triggers that lead you into relapse.
How Do You Improve the Balance Between Your Personal and Professional Life?
June 10, 2021
Balancing your professional and personal life is challenging but is crucial for success. You may often find that your work takes precedence over everything else in your life. While it is good to strive and be motivated in a professional sense, you face the risk of negative consequences for your mental and physical health when you set aside your well-being.
Staying Grateful Creates Long-term Success in Recovery
June 8, 2021
Encountering challenges are inevitable in life. The problem is you can't predict where and when the next challenge will come. However, you can control how you react when dealing with an obstacle. Learning how to control how you react takes patience and persistence. If, up until now, you have struggled with learning how to manage your emotions in times of challenge, you not only harm your health, success, and sobriety, but you stand to impact the lives of others around you negatively.
Why Sobriety Improves Your Professional Life
June 7, 2021
Becoming sober brings about many new advantages in your life. For most, sobriety is the missing link to gaining access to their innermost potential and talent. It is also no secret that recovery can be a challenging process. However, if you are seriously seeking success from a personal and professional standpoint, maintaining your recovery is essential.
Dealing With Resentment in Recovery
June 4, 2021
Recovery is a lifelong process. Once you set yourself on a path of recovery, new challenges and responsibilities begin to present themselves daily. While overcoming temptation becomes easier to deal with over time, you still have to endure the challenges and see them through to get to the root of who you are.
How to Handle a Job Interview in Recovery
June 2, 2021
Choosing a life of sobriety and recovery is a significant step toward achieving the success you deserve. However, managing recovery takes time, energy, and persistence. Part of the success in recovery is about how you rebuild your professional life.
What Are 4 Ways to Boost Concentration and Focus?
June 1, 2021
After a year of uncertainty and having to transform our days to accommodate unique and urgent circumstances, many have had to learn how to work remotely. Although there is a promise to return to normalcy on the horizon, there is still work that needs to get done today.
The Benefits of Learning New Skills
May 31, 2021
Growth in recovery and success relies upon the ability to learn new skills. Without growth, there lacks the challenge to keep motivating yourself to move closer to realizing your goals. When it comes to your professional success, learning new skills helps diversify your job options and enables you to develop new techniques to keep up with the fast-changing landscape. However, there are other benefits, too, some of which help keep your mental and physical wellbeing in shape. Let's take a closer look at how learning new skills can benefit you and how you can find the resources and inner motivation to learn new skills.
Career Mentoring Explored and Explained
May 29, 2021
Among the most valuable things you can do for your recovery is to find a mentor that supports you and holds you accountable. Likewise, perhaps the most valuable thing you can do for your career is to find a career mentor to bring value and significance into your career path.
Am I Too Old to Go Back to School?
May 26, 2021
Recovery is all about offering a fresh perspective and enthusiasm for your life. With this new perspective will come the motivation to pursue goals that you never got a chance to or never thought possible. Among these goals might be the desire to go back to school; however, you may fear that this door might have already closed. Many people assume that skill development is age-sensitive and only applies to younger adults just beginning their career or looking for a promotion. However, this is not the case. It is always a great idea to nurture your skills relevant to your career or life because they help keep your mind active and sharp.
Finding Your Inner Strengths
May 24, 2021
Like the business world, recovery is sometimes inconsistent with often a series of ups and downs. Therefore, challenges become obstacles while opportunities become triumphs. However, the one constant amid it all is you and how you deal with change. If you have not discovered your inner strength, you might feel that you are not prepared to face challenges presented in your recovery and life. However, when you work to cultivate your inner strength, you will endure any challenge.
National Fitness Day: Incorporating Exercise into Your Life
May 17, 2021
It is too common that you begin to neglect your physical health needs after you embark on a new career venture. Soon you might find yourself with inadequate nutrition, low energy, and lack of motivation when tending to priorities outside of work, including exercise. The reason for this might be because you have shifted all of your focus to your new career opportunity. While it is great to be enthusiastic about a new career venture, some of the most necessary things to sustain success happens outside of the office.
Boredom Does Not Need to be a Negative Space
May 22, 2021
Most people do not bode well with boredom. Amid a time where there are so many handy outlets such as phones to keep you entertained, just having to wait for even a couple of minutes can feel like an eternity. Therefore, most downtime becomes an opportunity to check emails or scroll shopping sites. While it might feel productive to order pillowcases in between meetings, such constant stimuli may be short-sighted.
Shifting From “Bad Busy” to “Good Busy”
May 15, 2021
From childhood, our parents, teachers, and other mentors and leaders in our lives constantly instruct us to keep busy or look busy. By the time we reach adulthood, keeping busy might become skewed because it is used more as a mechanism to avoid getting in trouble or looking lazy rather than a tool that helps us work smarter. However, in recovery and business, being busy often takes on a whole other context.
I’ve Lost my Motivation, What Now?
May 13, 2021
Early on in recovery, it might feel somewhat effortless to imagine and pursue all the exciting possibilities that lie ahead. However, recovery is a lifelong process, and as time passes and challenges arise, it can become difficult at times to want to motivate yourself to push forward until you endure. Doing the same acts day in and day out can bring you to the point of feeling completely unmotivated. Soon, the people and activities you usually enjoy might start to get on your nerves, and the meetings you attend as well as your work might not give you the same drive. Over time, doing the same thing may not serve you the same way.
How to Accelerate Your Growth in Recovery
May 12, 2021
Every day you spend sober is another opportunity to grow, learn and get closer to your goals. Whether you want to develop a business, write a book, or get a promotion, you have to become the person capable of achieving such things. In both personal and professional endeavors, self-improvement is the root of all achievement. Much like your success in overcoming addiction, your recovery exists because you chose to get motivated and find a better lifestyle for yourself. Your success level seldom exceeds your personal development because success is something you attract with the person you become.
Is Anybody Out There: How Do I Combat Loneliness in Recovery?
May 12, 2021
Loneliness in recovery can become among the most challenging obstacles to overcome. Loneliness can lead to isolation, negative thoughts, negative behaviors, relapse, or worse. Likewise, sometimes in recovery, you might feel like you are the only one in the world, alone and detached from others – especially late in the night.
Failure to Launch Syndrome in Young Adults
May 10, 2021
Failure to launch syndrome can be both heartbreaking and frustrating for a parent. Watching your child struggle to make the transition to becoming an independent adult might have you feeling somewhat helpless over what to do. You might even wonder if you are somehow responsible for your child's lack or inability for growth.
The Connection Between Ambition and Depression
May 8, 2021
Sometimes when you strive to accomplish a goal, you set high expectations. You likely even visualize yourself reaching that goal which can help boost your motivation. While it is great to pursue goals and feel motivated, it can become problematic if you are more focused on achieving a goal just for the sole sake of saying you achieved something. Just like when you set your expectations too high, your goal becomes unreasonable, and you risk feeling upset and disappointed.
4 Ways: How Do I Change My Perspective?
May 6, 2021
Challenges come in various forms to find us regardless of where we're at in life. You might be able to overcome the challenge, or perhaps the challenge is difficult to overcome and therefore has a negative impact, thus creating a negative perspective. You likely understand by now that it isn't easy to change a negative mindset into a positive outlook. Such examples include becoming upset because things don't go as planned, someone is upset at you, or you got a flat tire on the way to work.
Don't Neglect Your Feelings
May 5, 2021
All human beings experience emotions. Emotions are a critical component of your life and survival. Therefore, you will experience a broad range of emotions; sometimes they are comfortable, sometimes they are uncomfortable. While experiencing unpleasant emotions is a natural part of existence, you might experience uncomfortable emotions more frequently in recovery and especially early recovery because your mind is still processing and adapting to your newfound sobriety.
Navigating Relationships in Recovery
May 3, 2021
Active addiction can negatively impact your relationship within families, marriages, and friends. Likewise, a substance use disorder can also have you connecting with people that harm your mental and physical health. After years of putting your body through substance use and deteriorating your relationships, seeking recovery aims to rebuild and find healthier relationships to sustain lasting recovery. Without a strong support system, finding health, balance, and happiness in recovery will be challenging. A strong support system helps you avoid toxic relationships that put your recovery at risk.
Going Back to School in Recovery
May 1, 2021
Deciding to become sober is life-changing and presents to you many new and exciting opportunities. Among these opportunities might be your desire to go back to school. Working toward earning the degree you always wanted or pursuing a new career path is ultimately a positive choice that can offer you a rewarding outcome. However, if you decide to go back to school, you will want to consider all the pros and cons to determine if you are ready to undertake the challenge. Remember, your recovery is a life-long effort, so taking on too much too soon can harm your recovery. It is essential to always weigh your options and plan.
How Spring Offers Opportunity for Self-Growth and Change
April 27, 2021
Most people have a positive association with the spring. In some places, springtime means melting snow, warmer air, and new growth. The new beginnings of spring not only help to reshape the landscape but can also contribute to reshaping your mind. Spring can become a gratifying season in that you might see positive efforts made surrounding the cleansing work of the fall and the winter's storage and preservation. Seasons correspond in ways that mirror your internal environment. Spring can be a great time of renewal to help you gain insight into things like making new moves, setting new goals, or seeing through your goals.
Can Productivity Obsession Make You Less Productive?
April 27, 2021
Today, being productive has become a standard requirement for value. The idea is that those who can accomplish more in less time are more valuable to themselves, their colleges, their companies, and their families. It has become common to believe that the more productive one is, the more successful they can be, and therefore they try to optimize every aspect of their life.
Mindfully Coping with Complex Emotions
April 25, 2021
Life can often move quickly. The demands of your relationships, daily tasks, and work-related stressors can leave you feeling fatigued and overwhelmed with negative thoughts and an unproductive approach to life. If you keep living trying to keep up, difficult emotions such as anger, confusion, fear, loneliness, and sadness can begin to unravel both your personal and professional success gained in recovery.
How Do You Find Employment in Recovery?
April 24, 2021
Recovery is about continuing to expand upon the habits and methods you learned when overcoming your addiction. Optimizing the best recovery takes a fair amount of work on your part in making sure that you are persistent, consistent, and motivated to lead your life through empowerment and your sense of independence. Among the many pursuits you'll want to explore after overcoming your addiction is finding employment opportunities. Studies show that finding work in early recovery helps lower your chances of relapse and increases your personal and professional life's overall positive outcomes.
A Sense of Self: Understanding Why Boundaries Matter
April 23, 2021
Part of recovery is being able to set boundaries with others, and it is also about setting boundaries with yourself. Understanding what is important to you and detrimental to your recovery is vital in realizing what you want. Working to discover your sense of self helps you perceive your unique traits, talents, and qualities, including your strengths and weaknesses. It also helps establish your self-respect and the respect you expect from friends, family, and peers from your support groups. Knowing where to begin when discovering your sense of self can be a daunting task, but there are many effective strategies you can utilize to help boost your self-image, esteem, and overall sense of self.
How Do I Commit to Learning?
April 22, 2021
Remaining steadfast in the pursuit of your goals can become challenging — life is demanding, therefore at times, distractions happen. The capacity to manage priorities including work, home, financial, mental, and physical wellbeing can make your pursuit of success downright arduous. It comes as no surprise that you might find yourself neglecting the ideas and goals that are important to you. Over time, this neglect can leave you saying things like, “It wasn't meant to be,” or “It wasn't fun anymore.” However, this attitude can begin to dictate all aspects of your life, including the responsibilities and relationships that you need to maintain your health, recovery, and career.
Managing Your Social Support Systems
April 18, 2021
Long-term substance use can lead to isolation and conflicts with friends and family. When this happens due to substance use, it creates destructive behaviors and causes you to feel disconnected from positive change supporters. Distancing yourself from friends and family can make the early stages of recovery very hard to tolerate. However, rebuilding and reconnecting within healthy support networks helps to break destructive behavioral patterns and decrease the risk of relapse.
Is There Any Relationship Between Artists and Mental Illness?
April 17, 2021
There has been much fascination between the link of art expression and the artist's mental health. Interest comes from the fact that some artists are known to struggle with particular mental health disorders. The pattern dates back centuries. Among the more popular artists is the work of Vincent Van Gogh, who tragically died by suicide. Many now believe that Gogh's work suggests his anxiety, stress, and depression because of its eccentric and often melancholy portrayals of people and places.
Scales, Feathers, or Fur: How Pets Aid Recovery
April 15, 2021
Pets and their positive relationships with their owners are not a new concept. There has been plenty of evidence to demonstrate the healing benefits of having a pet. It is also no question that being a pet parent can have a beneficial effect on so many aspects of your life in recovery. It influences your mental, emotional, and even professional wellbeing. If you have not yet considered a pet, or are wondering if having a pet can help benefit you, then let's take a look at the responsibilities and rewards that caring for a pet can offer.
How Do We Stop the Stigma Behind Mental Health Disorders?
April 14, 2021
Many people who struggle with mental health disorders do not seek help. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, as many as 70% of people struggle with a mental health disorder on a global scale. Among the various reasons people avoid seeking help is because they have reservations about being treated differently by their family, friends, and strangers. Consequently, when undiagnosed and untreated, your symptoms can lead to a loss of professional or personal relationships.
Cannabis and Creativity Don't Go Hand-in-Hand
April 11, 2021
There aren't many people who would claim that drugs and other substances are good for you. Nor would they claim that they could make you more successful in life. However, there is a common belief that marijuana is different from most other drugs. Among these beliefs is that marijuana, or cannabis, can help inspire thoughts and creativity. Research shows that some who frequently use cannabis say that its mind-altering effects – the "high" – are also beneficial. They claim that it helps to relax them, which allows them to approach challenges and obstacles with clarity and calm. However, some may question how much of this theory results from the drug's direct impact and how much of it is perceived. You have likely heard artists such as actors and musicians tout cannabis' benefits, but are they only getting creative with the facts?
Touch Deprivation: How Does Touch Affect Our Physical and Mental State?
April 10, 2021
Touch deprivation refers to the desire for physical contact that people may experience after receiving little to no physical interaction with others for some time. After nearly a year of following guidelines set in place due to COVID-19, many individuals have undergone mental and physical duress, including sacrificing even the most basic needs, including human interaction.
Wilderness and Replenishment in Recovery
April 8, 2021
There is a healing ability offered in nature that cannot be explained or quantified. Nature has the innate ability to inspire, uplift, heal and bring the balance that nurtures and restores the body, mind, and soul. Surrounding yourself with nature can provoke thoughts surrounding your life's direction, the choices you make, and even motivate you to take the chances you have been putting on hold. Sometimes taking time to stop and look around you is all you need to remind yourself of all there is in life to appreciate and ponder. A stroll in nature might be all it takes to push you forward toward finding success.
How Do You Remain Positive When The News Creates Negative Feelings
April 7, 2021
It is no secret that as human beings, we are always aware of and absorbing what we see and hear all around us; what we do absorb — whether willingly or unwillingly — can have either a negative or positive effect. Among one of the more notorious stressors is the news. In times of great duress and uncertainty, the news has been essential in providing us with information to help people navigate the “new normal.” Still, it has also become a triggering source in regards to things we cannot control. Therefore, the news might leave us feeling helpless.
Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
April 5, 2021
Among the most common pieces of advice for getting ahead in life is being able to step outside of your comfort zone. In its simplicity, this advice offers you the opportunity for personal and professional growth in helping exceed your expectations. Stepping outside of your comfort zone is also an easy anecdote to repeat to yourself, somewhat like a mantra. Getting outside your comfort zone could mean changing careers, moving, or making new friends. However, the “comfort zone” is also a philosophy that can quickly become misinterpreted.
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How Do You Overcome Loneliness in Recovery?
April 4, 2021
Addiction is a socially isolating disease; therefore, social support for recovery is an essential element for lasting recovery. However, addiction can be debilitating and create obstacles and a lack of motivation to reach out to others for comfort. Not connecting with loved and trusted ones only creates more physical and emotional distance. Understand that loneliness can become a common experience in both addiction and recovery.
Laziness vs. Lack of Motivation
March 3, 2021
To put it simply, humans are complicated. These complexities shape you into becoming who you are, including your experiences, what importance they have in your life, how you interpret them, and whether or not you accept them. These factors combined create opinions about yourself and others. Such beliefs and perceptions help create your conscious circumstance, resulting from millions of pieces of data in the subconscious, which molds who you are.
How Do I Set Boundaries With Friends and Family?
March 3, 2021
Boundaries are a set of personal rules that one establishes with another or a group of people. When these boundaries are crossed, they can allow one party to take action with good reason. In early recovery, boundaries help to shape how an individual gets treated during this time. In friendships, this could mean not pressuring them to attend social occasions where there will be drinking and other substances. The rules can change depending on the person; they might vary within the same person as they progress and become more resilient in recovery.
When Positivity Becomes Forced: Understanding Toxic Positivity
March 3, 2021
In recovery and life, you are likely encouraged to stay optimistic, upbeat, and positive. While this might seem like good advice, and to an extent it is, taking it too far can become a toxic detriment to your life. Toxic positivity is the extreme and overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state across all situations. You likely understand that different situations present different challenges and sometimes call for other emotions to help you cope because they are more complex than just minimizing it with happiness.
How Do I Uncover and Accept My Truths?
March 3, 2021
“Living your truth” can be a powerful reminder and mantra to help keep you focused and motivated in recovery. Whether you are just beginning your journey to lifelong recovery, or if you have been in recovery for years, actively seeking your truth is essential in maintaining healthy pursuits.
The Value of Exploring New Activities
March 3, 2021
Meaningful recovery is much more than just staying sober. Success in recovery should be all-encompassing to bring purpose, direction, and meaning to all facets of your life. However, using drugs and alcohol for some time can consume all of your time and energy and could leave an empty place in your life that you might not know how to fill.
Doing More Than Just Saying “Sorry”: Mending Relationships in Recovery
March 3, 2021
Addiction can often cause you to act in ways that you later regret; this includes hurting yourself and others. These regrets might also range from minor instances to more severe regrets. Working to repair relationships with yourself and others is among the most common reasons many people seek help. While the process of early recovery is challenging, among these challenges is finding out that you have quite a few apologies to make.
How Do You Cope with Irreparable Feelings of Guilt and Shame in Recovery?
March 3, 2021
When struggling with drugs and alcohol for any period, you might discover yourself doing things you would never do sober to get through the day. When you become addicted, you search for ways to find the drug or drink of your choice. In this pursuit, you are likely to neglect your needs and treat yourself negatively. You might also treat the people that care about you negatively too. However, this is because you are motivated by your craving.
Creating Boundaries While Working From Home
March 3, 2021
Amid a year that has called for many to face significant challenges, such challenges may have required you to transform your home environment into your workspace. While there are benefits to working from home, you might be continuing to find that this transition is leaving you feeling burnt out, overworked, and stressed. If working from home is not new to you, you might be guilty of developing some bad habits.
Doing the One Thing You Always Wanted to Do
March 3, 2021
Everybody has that one that they would love to get around to trying at some point in life. It could be traveling to a destination, pursuing a career opportunity, or starting a band; whatever the desired action, most people accompany their dreams with excuses not to do it. “It's not practical to begin a new venture,” “It's too costly,” or “It will never work out.” There is always an excuse not to do something, and sometimes taking the risk allows you to discover new things about yourself and discover new opportunities.
There is No Glory in “Vain-Glory”: Overcoming Ego in Recovery
March 3, 2021
Recovery is a lifelong pursuit built upon patience and persistence. During this process, you will face challenges that may leave you feeling “stuck” and as if you can’t move forward on your journey. One significant factor that might be keeping you from moving forward in your recovery is your ego. While many people struggling with addiction have low self-esteem and always think less of themselves, many also experience ego.
How Do I Support a Loved One in Their Recovery?
March 3, 2021
Achieving lifelong recovery relies on many different factors to ensure that the individual going through the process maintains motivation to keep moving forward. A big proponent of the process is creating a healthy support network. You might not realize how important your support can be for a friend from an outside perspective. What you say, what you do, how you act toward this person can influence how they approach their recovery.
How to Face Challenges Using a Positive Attitude
March 3, 2021
Throughout life, you have most likely heard sayings like “Change your attitude” or “You need an attitude adjustment.” Such phrases are so common that you might not even consider their meaning anymore. However, in recovery and life, attitude is essential, but you might wonder what attitude is? What does it mean, and how does it apply to your recovery?
The “Dos” and “Don’ts” of Dating in Recovery
March 3, 2021
Living a life of sobriety and recovery changes your perspective on yourself and the world around you. Social interactions are no different. In recovery, you have learned how important it is to continue to strengthen your support system. However, while making new relationships is essential, it is vital to approach all of the opportunities found in recovery with the right mindset, including precautions to ensure you're entering every new relationship in a way that will better serve your life and recovery.
How Do You Seek Help For a Loved One?
March 3, 2021
Helping a loved one struggling with a substance use disorder can be both a challenging and heartbreaking journey. It can also be a fulfilling journey filled with purpose and meaning that all parties can gain. Though seeking help for your loved one can be intimidating, you should remember avoiding the issue as if nothing is wrong is far worse than attempting to get them help.
Change Your Habits and Move Towards Success
March 3, 2021
At different points in life, making the right decisions can be difficult. Such challenges include making decisions regarding your mental and physical wellbeing. When it comes to matters surrounding the choices you make that will influence your mental and physical wellbeing, you might defer to old habits. These behaviors could harm how you manage and motivate yourself to succeed. These old habits might include adopting a poor diet, neglecting self-care, or isolating yourself when handling a stressful situation. While success depends on many factors, your habits influence a large part of this process.
Overcoming Stigmas: Defining Your Recovery
March 3, 2021
Among the biggest detriments to the quality and perceptions of mental health and addiction recovery are the stigmas that society uses to define them. Despite advances in medicine and research about mental health and addiction, people continue to cling to outdated characterizations that distance them from those struggling with substance use and mental health disorders. Stigmas also have more than a toxic effect on those on the outside looking in; they also influence the decisions made by those struggling, often perpetuating feelings of embarrassment, shame, and self-resentment.
What is the Difference Between a Panic Attack and an Anxiety Attack?
March 3, 2021
You might have heard the terms panic attack and anxiety attack frequently and interchangeably. It is understandable, given that they share similar symptoms such as elevated heartbeat, shortness of breath, and dizziness. However, panic and anxiety possess different features, and health professionals use these terms to identify specific symptoms and disorders.
How to Overcome a Victim Mentality
March 3, 2021
During early recovery, it is common to default to negative perceptions about yourself. You are getting to know an entirely “new you” now that you are sober. However, you might dwell over past mistakes you made regarding yourself and your relationships because of this. You might even adopt a negative outlook to believing that your life can never be meaningful.
How Can I Cope With Grief?
March 3, 2021
Losing a loved one can change your entire outlook on life and the world around you. Amid a global pandemic where the world is experiencing collective grief, you might also feel as if your grief has consumed you. However, you have every right to feel emotions of sadness, anger, and loneliness. Understand that there is no right or wrong way to mourn, though it is encouraging to remember that while you might feel lost amid a grieving world, you should also know that you are not alone in feeling this way.
How to Track Your Progress
March 3, 2021
In recovery and life, what separates a person from achieving their goals and not achieving their goals is focus. A lack of focus might lead to a lack of persistence, lack of motivation, and, eventually, lack of follow-through. Becoming distracted by pursuing a goal pulls your energy in different directions, thus creating walls around your goals. It can become dangerous when you begin to adopt an attitude of “I can't” or “I never will.” When you start to subscribe to these thoughts and attitudes, the future of your success is in danger.
The Best Tips for Practicing Assertive Communication
March 3, 2021
Assertiveness is a core communication skill that helps you express yourself effectively and even stand up for yourself. Being assertive can also help boost self-esteem, reduce stress, and earn respect from others. However, sometimes it can be intimidating to practice being assertive for fear of coming off angry or aggressive.
How do Substances Affect the Brain?
March 3, 2021
The brain is far and away, the most complex organ in the human body. It is at the center of every activity you do, like driving, walking, eating, and creating. The brain is responsible for regulating your body's essential functions, enabling you to interpret and respond to everything you experience. The brain even shapes your behavior. Your brain is you. It is everything you think you are. It is essential to take care of your brain to function healthily.
How to Process Difficult Emotions
March 3, 2021
Active addiction involves avoiding emotions. Drinking or using drugs when you are sad, angry, happy, frustrated, excited, or nervous can numb all of these necessary emotions; you might even feel more comfortable in this numb state. However, a significant part of recovery is learning how to confront your feelings. Part of this is having to process difficult emotions to move forward; during this process, you might even long to return to the numb feeling, but this is no way to overcome and healthily feel emotions. Emotions are natural and necessary to life and recovery. The key is being able to process a difficult feeling and find balance within yourself. Many common emotions stand in your way in early recovery; luckily, there are ways to manage these emotions so that you may find balance.
Why It's Important to Maintain Relationships
March 3, 2021
Recovery can be an experience that helps you overcome your addiction and offer inner growth and peace. However, it can also come with many new pressures and cause isolation. Among some of the most formidable challenges faced in recovery is re-building your past and new relationships; however, you might avoid getting attached for fear of hurting yourself and other people.
How Does Social Media Normalize Substance Use?
March 3, 2021
Young adults deciding to experiment with drugs and alcohol is nothing new. However, in the digital age, social media offers new and dangerous opportunities to influence young adults. Teenagers and young adults are uniquely impressionable to what they see on social media because they are also highly susceptible to peer influences and pressures. Seeing others participate in risky behavior can cause those influenced to also engage in such behavior.
Signs Your Relationship is Toxic
March 3, 2021
When most think of a toxic relationship, they often tend to think and evaluate romantic relationships, but any relationship can be toxic. It can be challenging in early recovery to identify who is sincere in putting your recovery first and who might be manipulating you. A toxic relationship can give you a negative perspective on your recovery and deter you from pursuing the life you deserve. To understand if you are in a toxic relationship, first know that you are no longer the person you were when using. You decided to get help and get better, and now it's time to surround yourself with positive people who are supportive and willing to help.
The Benefits of Sound Baths
March 3, 2021
The term sound bath might leave you believing that this is a modern age concept used to heal the mind, body, and soul. However, sound bath therapy has been around for thousands of years and is utilized by ancient cultures worldwide. Despite this being a thousand-year-old practice, the term sound bath leaves many wondering just what exactly it is and can they benefit from it? The answer, in short, is yes. Not only can this experience help you tap into knowing and understanding your innermost self, but it can inspire internal transformation.
How Can Volunteer Work Benefit My Recovery?
March 3, 2021
Giving back to the recovery community is one of the most rewarding and beneficial things you can do for your recovery. Not only does it help support another person going through a difficult time, but it is a meaningful activity that can strengthen your bonds with your recovery and others. Volunteer work also does not have to be centered within the field of recovery to be an effective way to show support and gratitude. If you are passionate about the volunteer work you are doing, it might lead to a career opportunity through the organization or another volunteer opportunity. Ultimately, staying active through healthy and meaningful practices that give you purpose are always beneficial for your recovery.
Identifying and Understanding Your Triggers
March 3, 2021
Understanding your triggers can be one of the most challenging things to do. It is hard to understand just what and when you might have a negative or impulsive emotional response to certain situations. There are many different ways we distract ourselves from negative feelings: television, the internet, news, social media platforms, and conversations with friends and family. However, such distractions can enact a triggering response. These negative feelings and thoughts can create shame and guilt - you might feel like you are not living up to your expectations.
The Relationship Between Physical Health and Mental Health
March 3, 2021
Mental and physical health aren't typically viewed as related and often treated and diagnosed separately. The difference between mental and physical health is not as apparent as one might think and should not be considered in such a way. Your mental and physical wellbeing share a relationship; mental health directly impacts your physical health, and your physical impacts your mental health. Neglect to manage either can lead to certain heart diseases, stress disorders, and sleep disorders, thus hindering the quality of your life and recovery.
How Can I Help My Partner Cope With Trauma?
March 3, 2021
Experiencing a traumatic event can cause the development of many symptoms that impair a person's ability to function. These symptoms go beyond the person traumatized and can affect the people closest to them, especially their partner. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), trauma can also decrease relationship satisfaction and impair emotional expression, sexual activity, intimacy, communication, and adjustment.
The Benefits of Group Therapy
March 3, 2021
The idea of participating in group therapy can feel intimidating, especially with the thought of having to express your inner thoughts and emotions amongst other people. However, these professionally guided group therapy sessions can be some of the most beneficial experiences you have in your life. Studies show that most participants express how rewarding their experiences are in group therapy sessions. If you have been wondering if pursuing group therapy sessions to help with your recovery regimen is for you, here is a look at some benefits that group therapy sessions o
Staying Busy in Recovery
March 3, 2021
Learning how to sustain and manage a newfound life in recovery takes work. In recovery, you may begin to notice a lot of extra time in your day - you are no longer devoting this time to drink or use any substances. While it is great to be sober, not finding activities to help fill this newfound free time can become detrimental to your recovery and even lead to relapse. However, once you realize that you don't have to spend this time reliving your past, you can instead use it to look for new self-growth opportunities. Some of these opportunities can even lead to career pursuits. Learning ways to activate your motivation can help you seek new interests and hobbies actively.
How to Cope With PTSD
March 3, 2021
After experiencing trauma, you may feel sad, anxious, and isolated. While it is common to experience such feelings after a traumatic event, you might struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD if these feelings persist. While most associate PTSD with sexual assault, childhood abuse or neglect, and military-related events, any event that leaves you with feelings of hopelessness, fear, and helplessness can trigger the onset of PTSD. PTSD can also affect people who experience or witness a traumatic event.
How Can You Support a Loved One Struggling With Addiction?
March 3, 2021
Watching your loved one struggle with addiction is complicated and can leave you feeling helpless. While you might feel overwhelmed by all of your emotions surrounding your loved one and their addiction, it is essential to remember that not all hope is lost. Help and recovery is always an option for your loved one, and there are ways in which you can help them along the way. You might be wondering where to start and how to approach the subject. While there are no set guidelines, there are specific dos and don'ts that can help you and your loved one handle their addiction.
How to Face Challenges with Positivity
March 3, 2021
There are times throughout life when stress causes people to feel overwhelmed and incapable of overcoming the challenges presented. It is normal to experience these feelings at different times; however, adopting an attitude of “I can't” rather than “I can” may become an ongoing problem that starts to influence every facet of your livelihood. Soon your motivation and your productivity diminish until you only have negative thoughts and behaviors. When this happens, it is a clear sign that it is time to turn things around. To do this will take the help of positivity. Shifting your outlook from negative to positive helps you begin to see the greater possibilities in your life. However, you might be wondering how you can generate some positive momentum.
The Lifestyle of Becoming an Entrepreneur
March 3, 2021
For those who fantasize about entrepreneurship, it is to its essence about emphasizing freedom, working hours on your terms, traveling when you see fit, and overall supporting your lifestyle of choice. Whether you have a fixed income that you desire to work toward or want to grow your business as big as possible, entrepreneurship can be very desirable. If you are considering becoming an entrepreneur, it is essential to understand that there is a significant amount of work needed to achieve this lifestyle. Exploring the habits, techniques, and preparations of some of the most successful entrepreneurial ventures can help you determine what patterns and practices you possess or can develop that work best for you.
Are Mental Health Disorders Hereditary?
March 3, 2021
According to a study done by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, 69.3% of people surveyed fear public speaking. However, public speaking is a common occurrence that most will have to face at some point in their life. Some career pursuits require strong public speaking skills, and such skills could help elevate you in your profession, helping to grow your business and relationships. You might be the most charming and charismatic person, but you tend to lock up whenever you get in front of a crowd. Understand that not only is this common, but there are ways in which to help you identify the underlying reasons as to why this happens.
Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking
March 3, 2021
According to a study done by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, 69.3% of people surveyed fear public speaking. However, public speaking is a common occurrence that most will have to face at some point in their life. Some career pursuits require strong public speaking skills, and such skills could help elevate you in your profession, helping to grow your business and relationships. You might be the most charming and charismatic person, but you tend to lock up whenever you get in front of a crowd. Understand that not only is this common, but there are ways in which to help you identify the underlying reasons as to why this happens.
Figuring Out What Your Passion Is
March 3, 2021
After years of active addiction and even during early recovery, you may feel defined by your addiction. From both a personal and professional standpoint, these feelings can cause you to feel stuck and unable to move forward. One of the main focal points of recovery is re-establishing your sense of self-worth and capabilities to understand that you are not your addiction. Achieving this takes discovering your purpose and passion for pursuing a life where your true self is nourished and expressed. So, if you are not your addiction, who will you be?
What is Failure to Launch Syndrome?
March 3, 2021
It can be difficult and frustrating to embark on the journey of living independently. You are leaving behind the comfort and security of home and, for the first time, taking a chance on yourself. You also worry that perhaps you have inhibited something to interfere with your growth, possibly characteristics of tending to be a little dependent, lazy, or unmotivated. These characteristics can become bad habits that limit your growth, thus sparking your failure to launch syndrome. However, such a diagnosis is so complex that you might wonder if you are using the term correctly to identify yourself and your situation. Looking at the definition of failure to launch and its influencing factors can help you determine if this is something that you need help with overcoming.
Surviving the Transition into Adulthood
March 3, 2021
Adolescence and teenage years bring significant developmental changes within the brain, including emotional and behavioral changes. As the body and brain are transitioning toward adulthood, a teenager might develop some detrimental habits along the way. Such behaviors could include irrational behavior, reckless behavior, isolation, and experimenting with drugs and alcohol. If you are in your late teens or a parent of a teenager entering into early adulthood and are worried that bad habits could prevent a successful transition, understand that you are not alone in feeling this way. There are ways to educate yourself to prepare yourself for adulthood better.
When Is It Time to Get Professional Help For Depression?
March 3, 2021
Despite the surrounding stigmas, seeking professional help does not mean you are mentally incapable or insufficient. The truth is, most people can benefit from seeking professional help at some point in their lives. At the same time, you don't necessarily need to seek professional help for every little struggle life throws your way, especially if you have a healthy support system of family and friends. So, how do you know when you need to seek professional help? Sometimes the signs are apparent, and sometimes you might feel emotionally off and unable to understand why. If you have been ignoring these emotions and trying to endure them, know that you can be creating a more severe problem.
How to Avoid a Fight or Flight Response
March 3, 2021
Stress is not always emotional; it can also be a physiological experience. Whether you dislike flying, giving a presentation, or venturing outside amid the pandemic, your stress can range from inconvenient to overwhelming. It can worsen when your body begins to defend against stress in a way that is out of proportion to the stressors. When you experience this stress response, it is commonly known as the fight or flight response. It is your nervous system's way of defending you against danger.
How to Show Gratitude
March 3, 2021
Expressing gratitude to those that support you can be one of the most rewarding efforts you will ever make in recovery. Gratitude is also one of the foundational virtues in the creation of happiness. When you can exercise gratitude on your road to recovery, you are less likely to relapse because you are more self-confident and empowered to move forward. A grateful attitude also helps you when challenges arise that threaten and trigger your most negative impulses. Suppose you have not been practicing gratitude and are struggling to move forward with the transition to becoming the fully-realized self that you envision. In that case, it might be time to shift your perspective and outlook and begin expressing gratitude to yourself and those that support you.
Is it Time For a Break From the Workplace?
March 3, 2021
Fatigue and burnout in the workplace are not uncommon, but it is not enjoyable either. According to the American Institute of Stress, 80% of US workers feel stressed about their jobs. However, it is more than just the unpleasant feeling of stress and fatigue; it is also the quality of your work. When you notice that you are working hard but accomplishing a lot less than you used to, this is a sign of burnout. While taking a couple of days off to refresh might help, long-term relief is not as easy as taking time off. Often, burnout happens within your workday structure. Your career might not call for you to take time off so easily, and therefore, you have to find ways to endure while producing quality work and managing your health. Looking at how you can start to get yourself back on track when you can't get away from your work can help you manage the stress of the workforce.
Eight Ways to Decompress
March 3, 2021
When you are busy working and juggling other priorities, you may have days that feel like they will never end. Long days dominated by work, school, and overall responsibilities can be emotionally and physically tiring. Too many long days can leave you feeling stressed, anxious, and even depressed. However, it is crucial to understand that much of the things that stress you are often beyond your control. Fortunately, you can control how you take care of yourself and decompress to maintain your mental and physical health.
How Your Parents Affect Your Mental Health
March 3, 2021
Young or old, nearly everyone has a story to tell about the way their parents raised them, for better or for worse. We all realize that humans raising other humans will never unfold in perfect simplicity. Our parents are people just like us, with internal conflicts of their own, and bringing children into this world without addressing those conflicts can make for a difficult family dynamic.
The Power of Inspiration in Recovery
March 3, 2021
Even if you’ve only been in recovery a short time, yours is a unique perspective and you bring something new to the global dialogue of addiction and sobriety simply by being yourself. Sharing your story with others can have a terrific impact on other people in recovery, on people who might not yet realize they need help, and on people who don’t struggle with addiction at all. Sharing your story can even have a terrific impact on yourself.
When Is the Right Time to Switch Careers?
March 3, 2021
As you complete the acute parts of treatment and recovery, you may find yourself looking ahead to your immediate future. Many people take this chance to make major changes in other areas of life. One of the biggest opportunities you have right now is the chance to renew your career. Whether or not you’re comfortable with your current employment, take the time to evaluate whether your job and your sobriety complement one another. Even if they do, you may be ready to make a change.
Recognizing the Signs of Relapse
March 3, 2021
Our current understanding of the psychology behind addiction suggests that relapse occurs not all at once as a single event, but in stages which gradually build up to the final step of physically using. Be careful to know your past history and behaviors so that you can identify the warning signs of a possible oncoming relapse. If you can catch yourself in time, you can get help, and keep your sobriety on track. Below are the three stages of relapse and what you can do to prevent them from taking hold of you.
“New Year, New Me”
March 3, 2021
Many people see the new year as an opportunity to leave old habits and behaviors in the past. Some of us have habits which really should be left behind, and just due to fads or trends. Certain habits can be harmful, now or down the line. Smoking cigarettes, overindulging in drugs or alcohol, overeating, spending too much time on social media, even hitting the snooze button every morning: some bad habits are directly harmful, and others, which might seem innocent, can block you from being the best you can be.