Happiness

If you've ever participated in individual psychotherapy, you understand just how many benefits it can have. Many people find that there are unexpected benefits they didn't even realize they would get from therapy. Let's discuss what therapy is and some of the unexpected benefits you can receive when you commit to it.

Before you strive for perfection, forget perfect. Drop your baggage, leave self-defeating thoughts or people behind, and ready yourself for healing.

Recovery is a lifelong journey that involves many people and services, from dedicated supports and established recovery programs to interconnected peers working towards their own sober goals. Moving through each phase of recovery is a test on its own, and emerging through these programs transformed is cause for celebration.

Inside all of us resides a secret weapon for healing and fostering a positive mindset, known as gratitude. When you practice gratitude, you allow yourself to notice and feel appreciation for all you have in life, not limited to material possessions but encompassing your relationships, opportunities, experiences, and feelings. Gratitude is a powerful tool to utilize in recovery because it offers a simple solution to combating any negative thinking or emotions that may fuel the urge to relapse.

Rehabilitation programs do an excellent job of orienting you to a daily routine that keeps you accountable for your commitment to substance abuse recovery. After you’ve left the comfort and safety of a facility, finding a new routine is one of the main keys to maintaining the success you’ve achieved from treatment and continuing your journey toward sober living. The emotions one feels in these early days of recovery are anything but easy, and having a plan of what to do when painful emotions surface helps reduce any chances of backsliding. Finding the right approach for you when effectively managing the turbulent emotions in early recovery takes time. Everyone will have their unique formula of what works best for them. If you don’t know your preferred coping mechanisms, the list below details some good places to start calming any anxious thoughts about substances that arise.

Self-esteem is the overall opinion that you have of yourself and your abilities. If you have a healthy self-esteem, you feel good about yourself and feel worthy of respect from others. If you have a low self-esteem, you place little value on your opinions and ideas; you may also worry that you aren’t deserving of respect from others. Self-esteem is a crucial piece of who we are because it is a combination of several factors, including:

A 2011 study conducted by researchers from Pennsylvania stated there are 5 factors that characterize human flourishing: 1) positive emotion, 2) relationships, 3) engagement, 4) achievement, and 5) meaning. There are a variety of elements that can impact these things, and music can be a significant influence. Research has shown that listening to music we enjoy increases positive emotions and feelings, leaving us with contentment, happiness, and interest, according to Psych Central. Conversely, music that focuses on sadness or anger can cause us to feel more of these things, making it even more important to fuel our thoughts with positive music. If you’ve been seeking some positive music to help you boost your mindset, look no further; here are some wonderful artists that exhibit music that is mostly aimed at love, happiness, and growth:

Whether you’re holding onto your current job for the salary, the comfortability, the location, the position title, or a different reason, the motivating factor behind your position is an important one. How you feel about your job and what propels you to continue working each day gives you some meaning to your life – it’s what we often talk about when we first meet someone, because we spend so much time at work that it, in part, reflects a little bit about who we are and what we’re about. If you are holding onto your job for the wrong reasons, this could be very detrimental to your health. Forbes Magazine states that 20% to 40% of people report hating their job – an alarming statistic, to say the least. Staying in a job that you don’t like raises many concerns, including:

Valentine’s Day is known for flowers, chocolates, romance, cards, champagne, and more. However, those without a significant other may feel strong emotions on Valentine’s Day due to the expectation that you should have someone special on that day and if you don’t, you’re lonely. Emotions that could arise from this include guilt, sadness, depression, anxiety, and anger. No matter the case, sobriety is key for those of us in recovery, and those emotions could trigger us. Here is your ultimate guide to getting through Valentine’s Day, no matter where you’re at in your recovery: