Thanksgiving Inspiration for those in Recovery

For many people in recovery, getting together with family for Thanksgiving can cause stress and trigger cravings. But here’s hope. First, if you think that a big holiday celebration will put your sobriety at risk, make plans with a few close friends or family members who support your recovery. It’s okay to be selfish this season and put your mental health and recovery first.

If you’re ready for the upcoming holiday, take heart: These tips may just be the inspiration you need to prep yourself – mind, body, and spirit – for a happy, healthy sober Turkey Day!

• Eat healthfully. Do your best this week to stick to a healthful diet and don’t skip breakfast on Thanksgiving. You’ll want to avoid any possible triggers – including being “hungry” (the “H” in the famous acronym HALT). This will help you to feel more balanced, calm and better prepared to handle whatever comes your way.
• Prioritize sleep. Try to go to bed and wake up the same time this week and focus on practicing a sleep ritual each night. Having a few nights of restorative sleep with allow you to better manage emotions and feel more “even keel” on Thanksgiving Day.
• Don’t skimp on exercise. Again, just like a healthy diet and proper sleep, regular exercise will help you take on the day with a more relaxed and positive mindset. Go for a jog or meet up with some friends for a game of touch football or kickball Thanksgiving morning.
• Keep up with your recovery tasks. The holidays don’t mean a break from recovery activities – including therapy sessions, support groups or even holistic treatments. Keeping up these crucial tasks will help safeguard your sobriety and serve as a reminder of all the hard work you’ve put into your recovery. 
• Recruit a support network. Ask one or two recovery peers to be available – via text or email – if you need some help enduring the holiday stress or just need to talk with someone who really gets what you’re going through.
• Say thanks. This is the season for gratitude and you have a lot to feel grateful for now that you’re in recovery. Gratitude has been linked to better sleep, reduced stress, less toxic emotions and more resilience – all key ingredients for a happy, healthy Thanksgiving!

Grateful for a Sober Life

When you trust us with your recovery, you don’t have to leave college behind or put career preparation on hold. We offer vocational training, college prep, and sobriety college options that allow you to pursue your dreams while you get clean. To learn more, call today: 866-930-4673.

How to Practice Gratitude

As you celebrate Thanksgiving week, consider this: Research shows that giving thanks and feeling grateful doesn't just make you feel good, it also helps your overall health. Better sleep, reduced stress, fewer aches and pains, less toxic emotions, and more resilience are just a few of the many benefits experience by grateful people. 

Acknowledging and expressing gratitude for the small blessings in life will also help you on your journey toward addiction recovery. It will build your self-esteem, boost your outlook, and remind you that a sober life is well worth fighting for. 

Perhaps the best part: Developing an "attitude of gratitude" can be fairly simple. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Start a gratitude journal and write in it for 15 minutes each night before lights out. 
2. Call a loved one and express how much he or she means to you.
3. Take a walk and take in the beauty of nature.
4. Perform a small act of kindness for someone else – hold the door open for a stranger or write a thank-you note to a co-worker who has helped you in the past.
5. Make an effort to replace negative thoughts with positive ones, or take it a step further and designate a “no-complaining” day once a week.
6. Help others who are less fortunate than you by volunteering.
7. Meditate and refer to your gratitude list, giving thanks to all of the small gifts in life.
8. Cut out pictures of the things or people for which you are grateful and make a collage.
9. Share your gratitude via social media. Post a tweet, Facebook post or photo on Pinterest or Instagram.
10. Practice gratitude at the same time each day to make it a habit. For instance, begin dinner by giving thanks each night – not just on Thanksgiving! 

Finding Emotional Support at Hope Academy
A host of emotions inevitably arise as you begin working toward your sobriety goals. The professionals at Hope Academy can teach you to manage these feelings without resorting to substance abuse. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.