In recovery, it’s essential to stay motivated, avoid boredom and keep moving forward. No matter how long you’ve been sober, it’s a good habit to periodically re-evaluate the progress you’ve made. The first day of fall is only a couple of weeks away, and the start of a new season is always a good opportunity to do this. Here are some ideas to help you get started.

1. Shake up Your Routine

Consistency is valuable, especially if you’re working toward specific goals such as losing weight. However, it’s not a bad idea to switch things up every now and then. For example, if your daily workouts always take place at the gym, try exploring some outdoor fitness. Or, if you aren’t getting motivation from your current recovery group anymore, attend a different one.

2. Declutter Your Home

Sometimes, our possessions start to weigh us down. Go through your home room by room, and take inventory of your stuff. Organize it into piles based on what you want to keep and what you can part ways with. Instead of selling things you’ve decided you don’t need, consider donating them for an extra boost of good feelings.

3. Learn Something New

Trying your hand at something you’ve never experienced before can be both satisfying and humbling. If you’ve always been interested in creating things, look for nearby classes in things like glassblowing, woodworking or pottery. Or, if none of those are up your alley, go back to school – figuratively. There are plenty of free courses online from programs like HarvardX that promise to stimulate your mind without costing you a penny.

4. Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Everyone progresses at different rates, and what works like a charm for someone else may not be a good fit for you. Instead of using other people’s progress as a measuring stick, compare your current self to your past self. Think back on where you were a year or two ago. Look at everything you’ve accomplished since then. Your path has probably had some ups and downs, but the important thing is that you’re moving forward and getting healthy.

5. Talk It Over

Re-learning how to be open and honest with others can be a challenge for many people in recovery. If you were used to masking your feelings with drug and alcohol use, you could struggle to open up to people. However, talking through your emotions can be tremendously helpful as you are working on your recovery. If you find yourself feeling stressed or lonely, for example, having someone you can reach out to can help insulate you from these relapse triggers.

6. Take a Break

We all need breathing room now and then. If something is weighing you down, evaluate what’s going on and step away from things for a bit. Your break might be something as small as taking a day off work to focus on self-care, such as getting a massage. Or, you might find you need more time to recharge. In that case, going camping or attending a yoga retreat are two good examples of drug-free ways to refresh your mindset and regain a positive attitude.

Maintaining Your Recovery

Addiction recovery is a lifelong process that takes conscious effort, especially in the earliest stages. If you are looking for new ways to stay motivated and keep making progress, Segue Recovery Support can help. We founded our aftercare program on the knowledge that recovering addicts often need additional help to stay on track with their sobriety goals. Contact us at 833-485-0789 to learn more.