You enjoyed the fun and excitement of early recovery. Now you feel like the honeymoon phase has ended. Sometimes you might find recovery boring and have no idea what to do next. This is where accountability comes into play. Success in long-term recovery is about being honest with yourself and others, being humble, and maintaining connection through a supportive network. As you work on being accountable, it’s important to note that internal accountability is just as important as external accountability in recovery.
This article will discuss helpful tips on strengthening accountability within your recovery. The article will also cover the helpful resources available at The Guest House.
Why Is Holding Yourself Accountable Important?
Likely you have learned many things throughout your treatment and gained some valuable tools. One of the most important tools in treatment is accountability. Holding yourself accountable is important. So is connecting with positive and supportive peers. Having these relationships can help you stay on track and pay attention to important areas in your life. Within recovery, accountability is vital in long-term recovery.
For some time, you may have denied yourself connection to others. They say that the opposite of addiction is connection. When substance use disorder (SUD) surfaces, the connection is lost. Without that connection, you tend to stop being accountable to others as well as being accountable to yourself.
Not many things in life can reach their fullest potential without accountability. Accountability is the one ingredient that holds recovery together. When you are accountable, you accept responsibility for your thoughts, feelings, and actions. You are committed to being the best version of yourself by taking ownership of your life.
Am I Avoiding Holding Myself Accountable?
Sometimes you may find yourself avoiding accountability. For example, you skipped a few weeks of meetings and are too ashamed to go back for fear that someone will ask you where you have been. Perhaps you had a drink and are justifying it because it was your friend’s birthday and it was just one drink. If you are second-guessing yourself, then more than likely the answer is no, you are not holding yourself accountable.
Accepting responsibility and staying on the path of recovery can be a bumpy road. Without accountability, the road to recovery will cease to exist. Recovery teaches you to connect to others and hold yourself accountable in your recovery.
Perhaps you are wondering if you are holding yourself accountable. Below are several tips to remain accountable to yourself in recovery:
- Write a personal statement of accountability to yourself.
- Journal your thoughts and feelings daily.
- Talk to positive support people about your recovery.
- Attend a 12-Step program.
- Eat a balanced diet.
- Practice self-care.
- Incorporate healthy habits every day.
Holding Yourself Accountable at The Guest House
It can be hard to hold yourself accountable in recovery without positive support. Often, life happens and you can get caught up in being busy. You may forget about your past accomplishments and future goals. At The Guest House, we understand that recovery is a process. This is why we have put time and effort into tailoring our treatment plans to fit your individual needs and journey.
We offer an alumni program that meets you where you are in your journey. You are free to participate in it as much or as little as you want. There is no obligation. However, we value your participation. An alumni program is for people who may struggle to adjust to life after treatment.
You are never on your own and we find importance in positive connection among staff and peers. An alumni program helps you to hold yourself accountable for staying engaged after treatment, making it as easy as possible to live your best life.
Find Your Fun in Long-Term Recovery
Sometimes finding fun things to do makes it easier to stay accountable and on track during recovery. There are many ways to get creative with finding fun in recovery. For example, exercise can be a fun and fulfilling way to heal negative thought processes that may prevent you from holding yourself accountable. At The Guest House, we offer several forms of exercise and connection to yourself and others within the recovery community. Some examples of fun can be:
- Adventure Therapy: If you are a person who finds joy in connecting with nature, adventure therapy could be what you have been searching for. This form of therapy can build trust and communication and guide you to explore your boundaries, all within the beautiful nature of the earth.
- Equine Therapy: Perhaps you find horses to be beautiful and are fascinated with the connection between horses and humans. This type of therapy can help you create a compassionate bond with another being who does not expect anything from you.
- Change your mindset: If you are thinking negative thoughts, you have the power to change the negative thoughts into positive ones. Think of all the things you are grateful for and focus on what is positive in your life.
- Practice Gratitude: Take a few minutes each day and practice gratitude. According to the newsletter NIH News in Health, plenty of research shows that practicing gratitude can improve your overall well-being. One small step can be a game changer for you.
Recognizing that you are not holding yourself accountable can be just the thing that makes or breaks your recovery. It is hard to maintain accountability at times because, let’s face it, life happens. At The Guest House, we are aware that life happens on life’s terms and that people need help to get through hard times. We know everyone’s journey is different and that is why we offered individualized treatment. Holding yourself accountable can add more motivation to your recovery journey. Let us help you find your way to developing greater accountability. If you or someone you know is struggling with accountability within recovery, give The Guest House a call today at (855) 483-7800.