Day 1: Increase Self-Awareness

Day 1 of 12 Days of Emotional Sobriety

I want your holiday season to be the best one ever. Improve each day by staying in touch with your thoughts, feelings and beliefs and then focusing on the ones that support your recovery and eliminating those that don’t.

Denial comes in many forms. One of the ways denial works is by telling you that spending time getting to know yourself is “selfish”. That getting comfortable with your uncomfortable internal states, is not necessary.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Knowing yourself and making healthy, conscious decisions that allow you to “stick with the winners”, is only selfish if you think that staying clean and sober to contribute to society and help others is selfish.  That doesn’t add up in my books.

Focusing on becoming a better version of yourself is a gift you give to those around you.

When sobriety feels hard, don’t ignore it – find a friend to talk to, journal about it or put the problem in your God jar and trust that you are not alone.

Then get into action – get busy with something that matters to you, that moves you along the continuum of good health and happiness.

Staying connected to your inner self allows you to begin to know – in your gut – whether something feels right for you or not.

It’s called intuition and it’s your direct connection to your highest self.

Tip for Today

If you have to make a decision and you are uncertain whether it will support your recovery or not – sit quietly for a moment and get centered inside yourself: imagine there is an elevator in your head and put the situation inside.  Now, let the elevator move slowly down your body and into your gut.  Open the door. You will get either a ‘resounding yes’ or a no.  Anything that is not a ‘resounding yes’ = a ‘no’. It’s that simple. Then check it out with your sponsor or mentor to ensure you are indeed on the right track.

My wish is that you will continue your journey towards long-term contented sobriety by actively doing the things that create healthy change in your life.

Share this with your friends and family who could benefit from 12 tips to keep you emotionally sober this holiday season. Don’t forget to leave a comment below if this resonates with you or if you have tips of your own you’d like to share. See you tomorrow for the next one!

Warmly,