Making Spirituality Part of Your Day

Do you have a sense of spiritual emptiness? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, this is common for many women in addiction recovery. But spirituality – even if you’re not religious – can play a positive role in your recovery. 

  

What Is Spirituality?

There’s no one definition of spirituality. It can be about believing in something bigger than ourselves and connecting to the world around us. It can be about finding creativity and wisdom in your life. It can be about self-actualization and striving to become a better person. It can be about finding a higher guiding path. 

However you define it, it has many benefits, including:

• Less anxiety
• Fewer cravings
• More optimistic and hopefulness 
• Better relationships
• Higher self-esteem
• Greater ability to cope with stress

3 Ways to Be More Spiritual

A few simple steps can help you make spirituality part of your every day. 

Turn off the chatter. Find a few minutes each day to be alone with your thoughts – without your smartphone. This quiet time (whether you sit still or meditate) will help you reflect on your internal values, or who you are and who you’d like to become. You can even take this a step further and journal your thoughts during this time.

Connect to nature. Spend some time outdoors and really pay attention to your surroundings – the colors, smells, sounds, and sensations. 

Choose a mantra. And be sure to pick a word or phrase that you truly believe and that will empower and inspire you each time you repeat it. 

Healing Your Spirit at Rising Roads
Recovery is more than just being physically sober; it’s about learning to nurture your mind, body, and spirit. To discover more about our drug and alcohol rehab for women, call today: 866-746-1558. 

Take a Cue from This Mental Health Day Email

Madalyn Parker, a web developer at Olark Live Chat, e-mailed work to tell her coworkers, “I’m taking today and tomorrow to focus on my mental health. Hopefully I’ll be back next week refreshed and back to 100%.”

CEO Ben Congleton responded: “I just wanted to personally thank you for sending e-mails like this. Every time you do, I use it as a reminder of the importance of using sick days for mental health – I can’t believe this is not standard practice at all organizations. You are an example to us all, and help cut through the stigma so we can bring our whole selves to work.”

Parker’s tweet, which showed this refreshing e-mail exchange, has since been liked by more than 40,000 people and retweeted close to 15,000 times, according to People.com. 

Perhaps, we should all take a cue from Madalyn and mind our mental health – and this is especially important if you’re in recovery from a co-occurring addiction and mental illness. In fact, those with a substance use disorder are twice as likely as the general population to suffer from mood and anxiety disorders, notes the National Institute on Drug Abuse. And many of these co-occurring disorders predate the start of drug or alcohol use.

3 Smart Habits for Mental Health

Start your morning right. What you do first thing in the a.m. can help set your mood for the rest of the day. So try to meditate, read a motivational quote, write down your daily goals, go for a long walk, listen to music, or whatever helps you become more mindful of your mental health. 

Go outside and exercise. Spending time in nature – especially when that time is spent exercising – can ease anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. What’s more, the color green (found on trees, grass, plants) has been study-proven to make exercise easier. 

Count your blessings. Gratitude is an important part of addiction recovery – I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “have an attitude of gratitude” – and it’s also essential for staying optimistic. And the best part, it literally takes one second. Try it: Take a moment each day to feel thankful – for the warm sun, for the fresh fruit at the farmer’s market, for the friendship of other women in recovery with you. 

Ask About Our Psychiatric Consultations

At Rising Roads, our staff is here to help you take your physical and mental health back. To learn more, call us today: 866-746-1558.

How to Stop Your Inner Critic

Your inner dialogue can be pretty powerful – and it can either work for you or against you as you strive to meet your goals for recovery and beyond. This is because self-talk can greatly influence your behaviors. 

Telling yourself that you’ll never be sober or that you aren’t as good as other people, for instance, can reduce your feelings of self-worth and deter you from overcoming your addiction. Instead, an important recovery skill is to learn how to develop a more positive and productive dialog with yourself. Here are a few ways to tame that inner critic:

• Treat yourself like you’d treat your best friend. Would you remind your friend of his or her every mistake, inadequacy and missed opportunity? Would you judge or berate her? Of course you wouldn’t – so why is it OK to do it to yourself? Strive to treat yourself with kindness and gentleness – just as you would a friend or loved one.
• Avoid labels. Calling yourself “fat” or “selfish” or “worthless” is self-defeating and can cause you to spiral into a destructive pattern of negative thinking. What’s more, putting a label on yourself doesn’t articulate who you are as a person. A better solution: Make a mental list of your positive traits and behaviors.
• Carve out a daily time slot for self-appreciation. Schedule five minutes each day to think (and even write down) three things you’ve done that make you feel proud. And remember that even small things count – from cooking a healthful meal to remembering to breathe before reacting to a stressful situation.
• Pick a simple affirmation. Try to make it short – like “I can do this,” or “I deserve a sober life” – so you can quickly say it to yourself to replace any negative thoughts.

Ongoing Support in Orange County

Gaining self-confidence and creating a life worth living is a process – and we’re here to support you. At Rising Roads, we have developed a specialized addiction program solely dedicated to the development of women in recovery. To learn more, call today: 866-746-1558.

How Making Peace With Yourself Helps Your Recovery

Simply put: The more at peace you are with yourself, the easier it will be to navigate recovery. Inner peace will help you stay emotionally balanced and give you greater confidence in your ability to get (and stay) sober. It will also help you create harmony with yourself and the world around you. 

This isn’t to say that learning to be at peace with yourself is easy – nor will it happen overnight. Forgiving yourself for past choices and embracing who you are and how far you’ve come takes time and effort. These steps will help you get started. 

Find moments of silence. This means no smart phones, no laptops, no television – just you and your thoughts. Whether you choose to sit still in your bedroom or go for a nature walk, the goal is to use this quiet time to reflect on who you are and what you’d liked to achieve for true happiness. 

Make room for meditation. Meditation can help you generate inner peace by teaching you to notice your thoughts and accept them without passing judgment. It can also help you to release emotional tension so you can center yourself and find peace. 

Release regret. Holding on to your past mistakes is not healthy for your inner peace or long-term sobriety. Do your best to encourage and forgive yourself. For example, tell yourself things like, “I’m taking steps to change,” or “I made mistakes but I can also make amends.” 

Keep a journal. A great way to get back to who you really are is to write down and reflect on your feelings. Journaling is a safe and sacred way to engage in dialogue with just you and your spirit. For many, the act of writing itself is meditative and can help you feel calm and at peace.

A Sanctuary to Find Inner Peace
At Rising Roads, we have crafted an environment that will make each woman feel great about her surroundings, which will help her feel great about herself. To learn more about our programs and facility, call today: 866-746-1558.