Seven Principles For An Addictive Free Life

1. Bring Past Out Into The Open

Talk about your past with your counselors or trusted friends. The goal is to rid your past from your spiritual bank by forgiving all the people you need to forgive. It is also important to forgive yourself! If you have a difficult time forgiving, express yourself on paper and then mail it to them. Give up your past by not hanging on to it any longer. You can be free of your negative past for good when you just let “it” go.

2. Treat Yourself With Love and Kindness

You don’t have to beat yourself up every night, for whatever reason you might try to do that. You have to treat yourself good. Addiction does not make you a bad person – addiction in itself is bad, period! There is a beautiful person behind the addiction that needs and wants to break free from its hold – let yourself free. Breaking free deserves loving the person you are. Because you love who you are and care about the person God created you to be, you can break free from addiction and live a productive, healthy, and happy life.

3. Take Control of Your Addiction

Don’t let addiction take control of your life any longer. The minute you allow drugs to control your life you have allowed the addiction to get the upper edge – Stay in control by being in control. The only way to really be in control is to break free from the hurts and pains of the past and let the crutch of drugs and or alcohol escape from your life! You can do it! I have witnessed so many people throw off the slavery of drugs and become positive, happy people. I am one of those people.

4. Detach From Negative Relationships

If someone you know is interfering with your sobriety you have to detach. This means even family and close friends. We cannot and should not allow other people’s negativity or bad attitude to rub off on us. Essentially, when those we are in relationships with harm us with words, or with a bad attitude, they are trespassing against our Spirit, and we can’t have that – it is very detrimental to our emotional and spiritual wellbeing. It is our spiritual self that keeps us alive in God and when others cross our spiritual boundaries we must detach with Love.

5. Get Healthy!

One of the first things my mom did for me when I got sober was to encourage me to get involved in an aerobics’ class. It was pretty rough the first week, but after that I begin to feel so much better. The healthier we are, the less likely we are to crave drugs and or alcohol. I cannot stress enough about getting on a good healthy eating program using whole fresh foods. Once you begin eating healthy it’s perfectly ok to indulge once in awhile with your favorite chips, candy bar or ice-cream. And what about physical activity? I believe that everyone, even the younger generation should get out there and start walking every single day. Work yourself up to brisk walking -- it is a great cardiovascular activity.

6. Enjoy Nature

Get outside and listen to the birds chirping, the trees blowing, and the hot sunshine on your face. We tend to take these beautiful creations of God for granted, but God made nature for our enjoyment and fun. Grab a friend and go hiking, fishing, or camping. Take your newly sober spouse to the mountains and go skiing, sledding, or maybe just for a bit of romance. Whatever it is you decide to do, make sure it is with the beautiful outdoors among the animals and scenic beauties that God has blessed us with. Have fun! Nature is ours to enjoy.

7. Help Others With Addiction

Your encouraging words and actions are a Godsend to those who are in the throngs of addiction or in recovery. Think about what one piece of wisdom or advice that you could encourage others with that helped you in your recovery? Be a supportive link for others and it will help them as well as aid you in your own sobriety.

What one piece of wisdom can I give to others about getting sober and staying sober?

Never give up! The minute you say you will never get sober, you have talked yourself out of getting sober. You must set it in your mind that you WILL get sober and stay sober because you CAN.