Are you thinking of accepting the challenge of recovery? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Recovery is a great place to be. Nothing is more important than your physical and mental health. In recovery, you’re able to nurture your complete health and make sure you are making the best decisions in all areas of your life. Being your best self is possible in recovery. Read on to learn more about how you can accept the challenge of recovery.
Setting SMART Goals
Goal setting is essential in recovery. If you aren’t sure of your goals, you’ll never be able to make progress on them. It can be overwhelming at first, but goals are necessary. You can break down your goals into smaller, more manageable chunks in order to complete your larger goals. Your goals should also be SMART goals. SMART goals are ones that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. If your goal is to get sober and remain sober, you can break that large goal down into much smaller and more manageable chunks that will help you feel less overwhelmed. We know sobriety can sometimes be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! Below, we will break down the goal of getting sober into SMART categories:
Specific
A specific goal is one that you can pinpoint. If you are confused about your goal, then it probably isn’t specific enough. If a young child asked you what your goal was, would you be able to easily explain it to them? You should have specific key points in your goal that are easy to understand. If your goal is to get sober, what does that mean? It should look like not using substances, regardless of the situation. There shouldn’t be any murky water around your goal. It should be crystal clear!
Measurable
A measurable goal is one that is able to be quantified. Can you measure your goal using numbers? If your goal is to get sober, you should be able to say that sober means having 0 drinks and using 0 drugs. If you go over this limit that you’ve set for your goal, then you aren’t achieving it. Attach a number to your goal. This will help clarify it for you so you know where to draw the line.
Attainable
An attainable goal is one that you can complete. Do you have the time and talents to complete your goal? If not, then your goal might not be attainable. If your goal is to get sober, you must have the time to devote to recovery and you must have the willingness to recover. This is all necessary when setting a clear goal.
Relevant
A relevant goal is one that makes sense in the overall framework of your life. Does this goal make sense with the other goals you have set for yourself? If your goal is to get sober, you must not have another goal that is to only drink in social settings, for example. Drinking in social settings would derail your goal of getting sober. Thus, the goal of drinking only in social settings is not relevant to your overall goal.
Timely
A timely goal is one that you can complete in a reasonable amount of time. Will this goal take forever to accomplish? If so, then it may not be a timely goal. If your goal is to get sober, you must set a time limit for yourself. If you want to stop using but you continue to give yourself leeway because there’s always tomorrow to start, you aren’t being timely. Start now!
Accept the Challenge
There are a few things you should know before you set goals. You must make sure your basic needs are already met. If they aren’t, you are probably going to struggle to achieve your goal. This means that it will probably be awfully hard to complete your goal of getting sober if you don’t eat well, sleep enough, or feel safe. These things need to happen before you set goals. Next, all goals are beneficial. Just because a goal may seem small to someone else does not mean that it is small to you.
Goals are subjective, so don’t get caught up in comparing yourself to those around you. Comparison is the root of suffering. If you aren’t able to meet your goals, you probably will not feel very good about yourself. Push yourself a healthy amount to reach your goals, not anyone else’s. This healthy amount also looks different for everybody. Don’t let someone else push you because you think you are pushing yourself enough. You have to have the drive and want to accomplish your goals. This push from an outside source will not be maintained long enough to reach your goals. So, do it for yourself or don’t do it at all!
The Guest House wants to help you reach your true potential. You have the power to get sober and change your life. Call us today at 855-483-7800. We can’t wait to speak with you and get you the help you deserve. We have many programs that can benefit you. Call our trained and experienced staff today. You won’t be disappointed with the programs we have to offer. Call now!