While going through active addiction, you most likely found yourself engaging in activities and behaviors that you wouldn’t have otherwise done if you were sober. You may have lied, kept secrets, gotten into legal trouble, and became a person you no longer recognized. Now that you are in recovery and have gone through rehab, you can begin taking steps to live your most authentic life. It can be challenging to rediscover who you are outside of addiction, especially if you were struggling for an extended period of time. However, staying true to yourself in recovery is one of the best ways to maintain sobriety. As you move forward, consider these tips to rediscover who you are and staying true to your authentic self in addiction recovery.
Addiction feeds off lies and deceit; this means that you will need to improve on telling the truth as you work through recovery. Instead of exaggerating details or even lying to portray your life in a certain way, tell the truth. Tell the truth even when it hurts, even when it puts you in a bad light, and when it doesn’t serve you. Continuously telling lies will enable you to continue living in a fantasy world, which can be harmful to your recovery. Practicing honesty will allow you to be your most authentic self even in the face of disappointment, and this is a valuable truth to live.
Practicing self-awareness is a great way to become more in touch with your authentic self. An easy way to do this is by meditating. Meditating can help you become more self-aware of your internal and external environments. When you focus on what you are feeling, where you are feeling it, and why you are feeling it, you can help yourself become more mindful of your daily choices and actions. You can learn a lot about your dreams, goals, desires, and triggers through meditation. If you are unsure of how to start, try joining a meditation class or researching online meditation for beginners. Doing this will help you connect to your true self and help guide you through recovery.
Taking baby steps can be a great way to get back to your true self. Journaling can be a baby step you can take to have a deeper look inside yourself and discover who you really are. There is no right or wrong way to journal; just write down what comes to mind. If you need some guidance, consider looking up journal prompts to get started. As you become more comfortable with journaling, you can begin making your own prompts and writing what speaks to your heart. Journaling is a great way to become more in tune with yourself and push your recovery forward.
When you are actively struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, you most likely dropped many of your favorite hobbies to prioritize your addiction over everything. Now that you are in recovery, you can take this time to reintroduce yourself to specific pursuits. Trying out things you liked in the past and practicing new hobbies can be a fun way to find out who you are outside of addiction. As you go through this process, don’t feel pressured to engage in certain hobbies because other people expect or want you to. Do what makes you feel good as long as it is safe, healthy, and sober.
Because you have lived within an identity based on addiction, it can be challenging to navigate getting back to your old hobbies and new ones. This feeling is normal, and you shouldn’t feel ashamed for feeling lost at the start. To begin, try out some of the hobbies you used to engage in before your addiction. This hobby could be a sport you used to play, picking up an instrument you haven’t touched in a while, or revisiting a collection that has been collecting dust.
From there, you can begin deciding if you still enjoy the hobby to expand on it or if you should try something completely new. Ask your sober buddies what they like to do in their free time for ideas. Perhaps you can join a sports league, try your hand at cooking, or try something you’ve never even heard of before. No matter what, stay true to yourself and do what makes you feel good; this will allow you to live your most authentic life.
Recovery is the time to become reacquainted with yourself and live your life authentically. Doing this can be a challenging quest if you have been struggling with active addiction for a significant amount of time. However, taking small steps towards living like your true self will amount to the bigger picture. If you need help getting started, NorthStar Transitions is here to help. Even after our clients leave our facility, we stand by their recovery journeys to help them continue living healthy, happy, and authentic lives. Through our individualized programs, you can connect with your authentic self and find what path you should take in recovery. By living life openly and honestly, you will be able to maintain your sobriety for years to come. Let NorthStar help you take those first steps. Call us today at (303) 558-6400 to learn more and start living as your true self in recovery.
