Succeeding at Your Sober Resolutions

Setting sober resolutions can be a great way to get the New Year started off right

There’s no right or wrong time to choose to get sober, but it is incredibly common for people to make this decision at the New Year. People enjoy making New Year’s resolutions because they provide the opportunity to make a fresh start. The New Year gives individuals a marker for their past and their future, and sometimes setting the date for change can be the toughest part. Having a start date can be all the motivation a person needs to ignite change.

Putting a Solid Sobriety Plan in Place

Resolutions about achieving, continuing or improving sobriety are great, but ineffective if they come without a plan. In order to be successful at sober resolutions, individuals have to have a plan for achieving them. There should be short and long term goals in place. For example: a person who wants to quit drinking will most likely be unsuccessful or only see short-term results if he fails to identify ways that he will quit drinking. An individual should make subsequent resolutions that will support the overall goal of maintaining sobriety, such as:

• Committing to a support group, treatment or aftercare program that can strengthen one’s recovery skills
• Making plans to improve one’s overall health and wellness
• Finding help to address specific issues that trigger drinking, drug use or additive behaviors
• Resolving to remove the people and things that are negatively impacting one’s behavior
• Accepting the substance abuse or addiction and no longer minimizing the situation or denying its existence
• Committing to finding new hobbies, interest and other activities that will bring fulfillment and joy, and keep a person distracted from using

Sobriety will require change, and there are certain things a person can change to significantly minimize her risks for returning to use. A person should resolve to speak with friends, family, a sponsor or someone who can support her with her sobriety and recovery goals. Also, it does no good to find sobriety, and fail to improve your quality of life. Tapping into new activities, or even getting reacquainted with old hobbies can jumpstart one’s fresh new life.

How to Make Your Sober Resolutions Stick

Resolutions are tough to keep if there’s not a plan in place. A few ways to make sure that you stick to sober resolutions is to set reasonable goals, and make sure they can be measured for progress. Making sure to track progress allows individuals to revise goals if they are not working, as well as reward themselves for achieving goals. Another way to make certain sober resolutions stick is to have some sort of accountability. Friends, family, sponsors and others can not only motivate and support, but they can offer accountability. Journaling is a great way to track progress, and it also provides individuals with the opportunity to create reminders about why they doing what they’re doing. Finally, it is imperative for individuals to remember that there will be challenges and setbacks, so while the overall sober resolution may not change, there is nothing wrong with changing the ways to achieve this. Don’t give up.

Where Can I Find Help for Getting and Staying Sober?

Are you ready to not only get sober, but also stay sober long-term? If so, our recovery professionals are ready to help. Our toll-free, confidential helpline is operated 24/7 by recovery professionals who are happy to lend a listening ear as well as answer your questions, and provide you with all the information you will ever need regarding addiction, treatment and recovery. Recovery professionals can help you find the programs and services that will work for your unique recovery needs. We are committed to helping individuals find the options that will work for them and can do the same for you, if you are ready. Call and speak with a recovery professional today; we’re here to help, however we can.