When it comes to recovery, it is common to feel there is wasted time throughout the years of addiction. Many people spent years, maybe decades, living in a fog. Most likely, people feel they did not live up to their full potential while under the throes of addiction. Some are higher functioning than others, but it can take a lot of time to sort through the rubble and piece life back together in recovery. Learning to stop and savor the small moments can help bridge the gap between life now and what happened as a result of addiction.

Recovery and Hope

It is possible to live a life of balance in recovery that was not possible in active addiction. One of the common characteristics of people with addiction is that a person may not know when to stop. Figuring out how to slow down and savor each moment can bring a measure of hope and peace to recovery. It is difficult to enjoy life when everything is a blur, or foggy, as it can become in addiction. Recovery provides space and clarity to enjoy life and truly appreciate each moment. Pleasure can be found in small tastes, like taking a shower, getting dressed, or having a delicious breakfast.

Finding Rest

One of the best ways to slow down and savor recovery is to stop and focus on the present moment. Some other ways to stop and enjoy life for what it provides now include:

  • Practicing gratitude. Expressing gratitude is a great way to explore the idea that right now is the best moment there is and to savor the moment. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is not here yet, but all you can savor is right in front of you, so be thankful and offer gratitude.
  • Don’t rush life. Life happens at the pace it happens, no sooner, no later. It may be hard to sit still and let life happen as it unfolds. There are choices to be made, sure, but there is no need to rush and push things into being before they are ready to be birthed.
  • Cultivate ease and peace. Fear and anxiety can be triggers for relapse in recovery. Resting in the moment can bring ease and peacefulness. When life is lived in a state of rest, knowing all is as it should be (for better or worse), it can be easier to focus on everything happening right in that moment and feel at ease.

The small moments can be big teachers in recovery. The journey of recovery happens for a person’s entire life. There is nothing harder, or more rewarding, than moving forward in recovery with an attitude of gratitude and focus on slowing down to enjoy what each moment brings.

The Springboard Center’s addiction treatment programs are tailored to meet the needs of each client. By utilizing a set of diverse methods of addiction treatment, we are able to deal with your addiction from all angles and concentrate on every aspect of your healing process. It is important to recognize that many of our services offer a group setting and environment, so that the client spends time with other people affected by the same chronic disease and problems. 432-620-0255