It shifts your focus away from what you might be missing out on or struggling with and redirects it toward the positive aspects of your life. During recovery, it is natural to focus on one’s self and all the difficulties and challenges that are gratitude and recovery inherent in the process of becoming sober. Thanksgiving is a time when families and friends come together to express gratitude for the blessings in their lives. For those in recovery from addiction, this holiday can bring unique challenges.
The holiday has its roots in hardship — fully half the Pilgrim settlers died of disease and starvation that first winter. Gratitude and humility also have psychological and physical benefits. Gratitude leads to a much more open-minded view of recovery and an ability to truly listen to what people are saying. I believe that by being thankful for your sponsor and for the community of support makes you more likely to reach out to these people when you need help. Besides providing a path to happiness, gratitude in recovery can also help you avoid certain pitfalls that often lead to relapse. After you’ve been sober for a period of time, it’s common to start feeling overconfident.
Bring Mary’s gratitude and hope into the new year, pope says
Self absorption can be a huge problem for people in recovery. When people are addicted to alcohol or drugs, they will spend most of the time only thinking about their own needs. When these individuals become sober, they may continue to be preoccupied with themselves. Self-absorption makes life difficult but when people feel grateful they have less reason to be so selfish. They feel satisfied that their own needs are being met so they can now focus at least some of their attention on the needs of other people. Those suffering from addiction who enter a treatment program learn the importance of changing their perception of the world including practicing gratitude.
People settle back into the familiar rhythms of their family relationships or end up stressing out about the Thanksgiving dinner spread. At Lifeskills South Florida, we’re here for those seeking help with a drug or alcohol addiction. Entering treatment is the first step to recovery, and we focus on equipping clients with coping and self-care skills for reintegration back into life once out of treatment. Our program goes above and beyond to empower individuals during their recovery. Cultivating gratitude is an important part of recovery and gratitude is recognized as one of the foundational virtues in the creation of happiness. If individuals are grateful to be on the road to recovery, then it’s less likely they will relapse because they are empowered to move forward.
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It’s important to recognize that it’s okay not to feel perfectly at ease at all times. Embrace your emotions, whether they’re positive or negative, as part of your healing process. Remember why you chose the path of recovery and the benefits it brings to your life. This advice is also part of our tips for Thanksgiving with a loved one in early recovery because it’s such an important step in the process. Thanksgiving is traditionally a time for gratitude, feasting, and being with family and friends.
Whether through meditation, deep breathing exercises, or simply being present in the moment, mindfulness helps you appreciate the beauty in the small things. This heightened awareness fosters gratitude for the simple pleasures that may have been overlooked in the past. By focusing on the positive aspects of your life, even during difficult times, you can find a source of strength and gain valuable perspective to navigate challenges more resiliently. When you consciously center your attention on the positive aspects of your life amidst challenges, you cultivate a reservoir of inner strength that acts as a guiding light during tough times.