The recovery process is a difficult task that requires time, patience, and a proper plan to ensure that you stay sober. You have to realize that as a sober living resident, you will have to eventually move out and be ready to live your life independently.
When you are battling with addiction, you can get a sober living environment that helps you recover safely and in a healthy manner. However, what happens when you have recovered and it is time to make the transition back home? This can be a difficult phase for some people, especially the ones who lack a support system.
But if you are determined to lead a life of sobriety, then this article will tell you how to move and stay focused. Read on to know more.
Build a support system
When you are moving out of sober living home, there is no such thing as too much support. It can be risky to isolate yourself and try to do this on your own. Instead, you should take help from people you trust who can take care of you and help you stay committed to your recovery process. Ask your family members and mentors to encourage you to continue meeting your sponsors regularly, attend recovery meetings, and stay in touch with your sober peers. As you start living independently, you are going to need all the help you can get to stay strong and avoid any relapses.
Acknowledge your financial responsibilities
Even though living at a sober home is not free, moving out will expose you to a whole new set of financial obligations. You would have to pay your bills, utilities, and also manage your budget that will help you stay comfortably within your means. Money problems can cause stress that can lead to relapse. You should try to budget your finances while you are still living at the sober home. By doing this, your finances will be in order before you even move out that will help you stay on the right track and committed to clean living.
Set goals for yourself
Use your spare time at the sober living home to define your goals and map your steps to get there. This is a great practice to achieve personal success as an independent sober person. It will give you a sense of purpose and something to strive for. This is also a reason to get up each morning and do your best work every day. Just be realistic in setting your goals so that they are sustainable and giving your long term success.
Find recovery meetings you can keep as per your schedule
It is crucial for your success to attend support meetings when you are enrolled in a sober living program. It is easy when you are at a sober living home because you have to go with a friend. However, once you move out of there it may become challenging. You would have to responsibly attend those meetings alone and your recovery coach may not check on you regularly. So what you need to do is work around your commitments and responsibilities at home to ensure that you always make time for these meetings. So when you are looking for these meetings, make sure they are closer to home so that you can integrate them with your school or work schedule. While you may be tempted to put these meetings on the backburner, it is important to prioritize them and attend several meetings each week for best results.
Develop a structured routine
Don’t fall back into your regressive ways once you go back home. Instead, continue the structured routine of sober living home schedule even when you move out and start living on your own. This is necessary for your mental, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. After you have moved out, your routine may be slightly different than what you had at sober living, and that’s ok. What matters most is that you maintain that balance in your life. This will encourage you to stay sober and reduce your stress as well as anxiety.
Avoid events that can trigger relapse
When you are in your early phase of recovery, you may feel invincible and unaffected by the challenges. However, once this phase is over, you start struggling and may even feel vulnerable to relapse. When you are at the sober living home, practice the life skills that will prevent you from relapsing and help you stay strong through the road to recovery! You may also have to avoid certain situations for a time until you feel more confident to stay sober.
Use these tips and help from your family members to continue living a life of sobriety once you leave the sober living home.
