A difficult and oft-overlooked part of recovery is the ability to have patience for your mind, body, and spirit to heal from the harms of addiction.
There’s no quick-fix when it comes to sobriety; it’s a lifelong journey that requires time and patience – patience with the process and patience with yourself as well as with friends, colleagues, and loved ones.
While some of us innately have more patience than others, we can all learn to slow down and take things in stride. These tips can help:
- Train yourself to wait. You can practice having patience by intentionally making yourself hold out for dessert or counting to five before reacting to a situation. This type of willpower exercise may also help you with cravings during recovery.
- Remember to be thankful. People who practice gratitude have been found to have more patience. Start by writing down three things for which you’re grateful for today.
- Find a healthy outlet for frustration. Learning to let go of your frustration – whether by taking a walk, meditating, or venting to a good friend – will help make room for patience.
- Focus on your breathing. Slowly inhale and count to 10 and then exhale. Repeating this simple breathing exercise will help you to slow down and become more patient.
- Embrace being uncomfortable. “We need to become comfortable with the uncomfortable in order to cultivate a little more patience,” wrote Jane Bolton, PsyD, in a blog for Psychology Today. Making an effort to step out of your comfort zone – which you’ll likely need to do during recovery – will foster confidence and remind you that it’s just uncomfortable, not intolerable.
Recovery: A Phone Call Away
If you have been putting off addiction treatment, make today the day that you begin your journey toward sobriety. To reach a recovery counselor at Providence, call 888-373-9844.
