Trying to figure out what being sober entails can be difficult for you if you have never tried it before and even if you have stayed sober for a while. Recovery is not a cookie cutout to where everyone has the same exact encounter. In fact, what happens to you is personal and exclusive. You may go to the same meetings, maybe have the same sponsor, and work the 12 Steps in the same fashion, but your recovery is yours to experience for yourself. How your recovery puzzle pieces fit together is what will give you the perspicacity that makes the difference in how you stay sober.

Build a foundation

You would not take puzzle pieces and jam them together to make them fit because you know that would not work. Instead you may take all the corner pieces and then begin to fill in the border. By framing your base, you are forming a foundation that will give you something to work with. The same goes for your recovery program. You should start by building your foundation through therapy and step work, so that you can incite growth.

Understand the process

Just putting the pieces together is not enough. If you put the wrong piece together, the puzzle would not look right. You must understand that each piece is different and that it has a specific spot for placement. Therapy and the 12 Steps have an order that should be followed to be effective. To start making amends to people before you understood why you needed to, for example, would make the letter pointless unless you had insight as to why you needed to take that action in the first place. Doing therapy or the steps before you are ready or on your own could overwhelm you right out of wanting to stay sober.

Take your time

Moving too quickly during the completion of a puzzle could keep you from being precise in your attempt. Take your sobriety one day at a time to prevent getting ahead of yourself in your recovery. Remember that your recovery is a not a sprint, but rather than a marathon that depends only on what you do for today.

At the end of the day, to view your recovery like a puzzle could make better sense to what you are trying to achieve. When everything seems jumbled in your recovery, it is really your Higher Power helping you put the pieces in the order they should actually go. The sequence is important and learning the knowledge of how your recovery pieces fit together will be instrumental in helping you stay sober for a much longer duration.

If you or someone you know needs help with their drug or alcohol addiction, The Kimberly Center has a treatment plan that will work for you. We believe that successful recovery encompasses the improvements in your self-esteem, relationships, and vocational productivity that substance abuse took away from you.

Call us today to begin: 855-4-KCENTER (855-452-3683)