The importance of happiness in one’s life can not be overstated. Whether you find happiness through hobbies, being with friends, or the work that you do. Finding happiness in life is difficult, some do not struggle with this problem but for others, it can be a major challenge.
Whether you are battling depression, or simply hate your job, it always seems easier to hang on to the things that make you upset rather than the things in life that make you happy. For people in recovery from addiction, this can be even truer.
Many people with addiction use substances to fill a void. True enough, the high provides them with a false sense of satisfaction and joy. When the effect dies down, the emptiness is much more than before and they again resort to using drugs to get that high. The cycle then continues.
There is a saying when someone first gets sober that they are riding on the pink cloud. This is because after years of chasing the next high, fighting withdrawal symptoms, and facing the negative consequences their addictions have brung upon them, they are finally free. They are thinking clearly, have goals, and want to make up for lost time. It is important to know that this fades away as the realities of life begin to hit you. This is why it is important to constantly work on finding happiness anyway possible. The top addiction treatment centers put great emphasis on the importance of finding happiness during recovery.
Why is Happiness in Addiction Recovery Important?
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It is crucial that a person finds happiness when it comes to maintaining a sober life. Happiness is also a critical part in getting through hardships. Happiness in recovery is essential for the following reasons:
- It makes you less likely to relapse – If a person achieves happiness and enjoy their sobriety, they will fight to remain that way. Thus, if people do not find happiness while being sober, they will likely turn to substances again.
- It encourages growth and development – Happy people make positive changes in life to grow and be better versions of themselves. This promotes a healthier outlook, which will develop one’s emotional intelligence and better coping mechanisms.
- It is a big achievement – People in recovery have experienced negative situations and trauma, which contributed to their situation. Finding happiness in recovery is, therefore, a goal to help one heal from all the pain and hurt they have previously gone through.
- It gives loved ones a deep sense of comfort – A person’s recovery is not their own battle alone as it is also their loved ones’. Finding an individual successfully navigating through recovery, this provides them with a deep sense of comfort and it also takes away their stresses and worries.
Simple Ways to Find Happiness
The concept of being happy seems too complicated to grasp. But this kind of thinking should not be the case. There are many ways to be truly happy and these ways are quite simple. You can:
- Focus on yourself – Start a hobby that you truly like, enroll in classes that can enhance your skill, evaluate your finances and come up with means to improve them, start a new exercise regimen, and begin eating healthy. All these will help you improve yourself.
- Be around positive people – Being in the company of people who are happy and positive will rub off on you.
- Zoom in on the good – Do not push away things just because they are not perfect. After all, perfection in life does not exist. Instead, you need to focus on the good things. Accept them, let them come in, and bask in the positive ways they are affecting your life.
- Do the things you love – You cannot be on vacation every week or go skydiving every day, but you can do them once in a while. Engaging in things that you love will help you find greater happiness.
- Imagine the best – This is another power of positivity. If you imagine the best for yourself, then they will happen. A lot tend to avoid this process out of fear of being disappointed if things do not work out. But imagining that you will get what you want is already a huge part of attaining it.
- Hold on to your values – What you believe in, what you know is fair, what you find true are all values. Never settle for anything less than that. The more you honor them, the more you will feel better about yourself.
- Push your limits, not others – You are in charge of your life. No one is responsible for your happiness but you alone. Realizing this will give you the power to move forward and be where you want to be in your life. Stop blaming other people for any of your misfortunes. Stop blaming the universe for conspiring against you. These are not true. The truth is your fulfillment lies on your hands.
- Enjoy simple pleasures – You are not being shallow when you find joy in simple things. In fact, you’re propelling yourself to real happiness. Bask in the presence of your loved one, silly jokes, joyful memories, and even the cold starry nights. They are all blessings that need to be celebrated.
- Be open to changes – Another thing that is constant in this world is change. Open yourself up to these changes even if you find yourself in an uncomfortable position. Come up with contingency plans and prepare yourself for all the possibilities.
