Tools to Face the Challenges of New Sobriety

This week’s podcast is all about facing sobriety challenges.  As we step into a new year we often challenge ourselves.

A new year is “clean slate time” as Gretchen Rubin from the Happier Podcast labels it.   A “clean slate” creates room to make changes, redirections or just dumping out the old coffee and making a fresh pot.

Getting sober is the same.   The question is why do it?

As Jerry’s says he did not want to end up dead or worse, in jail or insane.  A good reason to get sober, but not a very happy one.

The Challenge of Sobriety

Living life well without using mind-altering substances or behaviors is the challenge in leaving behind the addictions. So many questions come with recovery.

Will you ever feel happy?

Will you ever feel confident?

Will you ever have a really good time?

Will you ever have friends again?

While in the beginning all these questions seem unanswerable, you can personally hang on to the following promises. Pin it Now!  Print it and keep it in front of you with this download.

Challenges in Early Sobriety

• Cravings
• Anger
• Depression
• Fear
• Relationships
• Finances

I am sure you have your own list.  I found that negative pressure did not solve the issues. I could not bad mouth myself into good habits. What solved it?

• supportive community
• working a program (AA, Al-Anon, Celebrate Recovery, Bible studies)
• professional help
• exercise
• affirmations
• creating new habits

My main take away from developing sobriety is action.

In the podcast, Jerry talks more about seizing opportunities even if the outcome is not clear. In early sobriety, it feels like we are jumping without a net.

Failing Forward in Facing Sobriety Challenges

Man, did Jerry and I do a lot of things wrong in reestablishing our marriage after sobriety. Fear held us back many times from creating a safe, loving home for our marriage and our boys.

Just spending an hour together having lunch or playing soccer with the boys was tedious.  It took a lot of separate downtime after each attempt at family togetherness to get ourselves back on track.

In fact, I would guess it was about 5 to 1.  For each hour we attempted to spend together as a family, we needed 5 hours of alone time/process time with a sponsor or our therapist to work on how we could handle ourselves and each other better.

Here is the key, we kept showing up.  We kept taking chances. We kept plugging away at being a family again a little at a time.

Beginning with the End in Focus

If you are walking through the valley, if you are struggling with how to even move forward, print out and pin up those promises.  Repeat them to yourself daily.  Take an action step.  One way to take an action step is answering the following questions.

What is your ideal vision of the outcome for 2019?

Where are you willing to take on a challenge this year instead of hiding out in your comfort zone?

How do you need to prepare yourself for the journey?

What guides or companions do you need to have to proceed with the challenge?

How will you stay motivated?

Keep in Touch with Your Challenges

All our burdens are lighter and our wins more joyful when we share them.  Get in touch with us in the following ways.

tanya@thejoyousfamily.com

Sober on Purpose Facebook Group

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