Three Steps To A More 'Sober' And Happy Life
I once heard a woman say that she knows when she is sober not by abstaining from her addiction, but by doing the things she enjoys when she is healthy. Addiction, from my viewpoint is irrelevant here. The premise is poignant and profound.
We all benefit from consistently and routinely doing the things that make us feel good. Said another way, we all benefit from living a more ‘sober’ life.
For me, it is clear that if I am not hyper-vigilant about committing daily to ‘sobriety’ or the things I enjoy that keep me feeling good - nourishing my body with healthy food and exercise and calming my mind with therapy or Spirituality - that my thoughts will spiral, my moods will swing, my fears will intensify, and anxiety will overwhelm me. Sound familiar?
My husband put it this way - “If your body is a car, and one day you put water in your tank, the next day Orange Juice, the following day glue, and the next day nothing at all, how can you expect your car to run the same day-to-day?” Meaning, if you are not consistent with fueling your mind, body, and soul with what feels good, how can you expect to feel stable, grounded, and healthy each day?
One of the key principles to sobriety is living one day at a time. Each day is an opportunity to commit to yourself, show up for yourself, and love yourself by engaging in the things you enjoy when you are the happiest and the healthiest.
Here’s your Spiritual homework:
Make a list of five habits, tendencies, or behaviors you do when you are your least happy or unhealthy. Name this list, perhaps, ‘The Red List.’
Make a list of five habits, tendencies, or behaviors you do when you are your happiest and healthiest. Name this list, perhaps, ‘The Green List.’
Cross-reference both lists with how you spend your time and make up your days. In which list do you spend more of your time in?
Now it’s time to ask yourself, is it time to get sober?
Feel good.
xx,
J.