We come across tons of blogs that explore several ways that people are going through recovery struggle during the holidays. We all try hard to figure out what to do during the holidays and the New Year. Although it seems very difficult, we should know that it is not.
People who are recovering from severe drug addiction or mental illness must make sure they make effective use of this holiday period. This is the perfect time for you to treat yourself with some beautiful experiences that will lift your spirits and recover faster.
What seems like a long and tedious holiday spell can be a meaningful adventure bringing about positive change in your life. As you go through the holidays celebrating, you must ensure that your recovery process is not disturbed.
So, let us look at ways in which you can spend meaningful time during this holiday season.
1. Hold on to your commitments
During this crucial phase of recovery in your life, you mustn’t get distracted from your routine discipline. You must make sure you practice your meditation and other spiritual practices. This will only help you stay connected with yourself and spend holiday time meaningfully.
2. Plan and organize
This will help you get a proper hold on your life. Secondly, you will be able to spend time much more effectively. It would help if you jotted down a short plan of your day and week about places you’ll be going to and people you’ll be seeing. This will help you manage time, emotions, and expectations.
3. Treat yourself
Holidays are always pleasant because they are an excellent time to indulge. Because you are in recovery does not mean that you cannot have a good time. You can go out and treat yourself a wonderful time. You can go out to watch movies with your friends or go on short trips. This is a critical time to make yourself feel rewarded.
4. Midnight Camps/Trekking
This holiday period, you can utilize for some fun treks and midnight camps. These trips can be highly rewarding spiritually as well. By planning a short trek, you will be able to overcome your anxiety as well, and as these experiences go, you will undoubtedly lift your spirits high and spend your holidays much more meaningfully.
5. Help others
You can take up a volunteering program organized by NGOs. You can participate in these volunteering programs where you can help homeless people with shelter and other amenities. You can visit a nursing home and spend your holidays helping them and lifting their spirits. The rewards are boundless. You will end up feeling better of yourself and filled with confidence and nobility. This experience will bring about a fundamental change in your life.
6. Overcome recovery with the help of support groups
Recovery can take a massive step back if you wallow down in your loneliness. One of the ways to combat this is to join support groups where you can interact with other people who will be going through similar feelings. You might end up meeting people who will help you go further ahead in your journey of recovery. Support groups are places where you can form meaningful relationships and find people who can understand you.
7. Take time out for your loved ones
This is the best way you can spend your holidays. There certainly is no therapy like spending quality time with people you love. Holidays are meant to be spent with people you love. Make it a point to watch a silly Christmas movie with your family late at night or go out on a short outing. Times like these can help you create fond memories and lift your spirits miles high.
8. Live in the moment
This could not be stressed enough. Nothing is more important than living life now. Recovery spells can be mighty tough. However, you can start to get out with life by living it in the spur of the moment. Often what happens is that we get disappointed by what we have with us because it didn’t turn out to be like what we thought of it to be. This can be avoided by just living life as it is coming to you instead of disturbing the flow of it by overthinking and analyzing.
So, this holiday season you can take up one thing in the spur of the moment. For instance, you can pick up a musical instrument and start learning it or take your bike and go for a long ride.
This will open you up to a more exciting and vital side of life.
These ideas will help you manage your mental health and take care of yourself during this festive season. So, follow them and make sure you have a good time.
