At a certain point, you begin to hear the same recovery stories and principles time and time again. Since you have been doing this for a while, it may be getting harder for you to maintain motivation. You may feel irritated thinking about all the time you spent in addiction and lack the motivation to face your personal goals. It is easy to waste time procrastinating instead of identifying and addressing the roots of your dwindling motivation.
This blog post will discuss the roots of low motivation, ways to regain motivation, and tips for maintaining it long-term. Additionally, the blog post will share resources that The Guest House offers to alumni who are struggling to maintain motivation.
How Do I Maintain Motivation When I Am Bored in Recovery?
Recovery is a long and challenging journey, and boredom can creep in. However, maintaining motivation is crucial in your journey. Staying motivated will lead to completing long-term goals and lead to a happy fulfilled life.
Figuring out the trigger to your boredom is key to staying motivated. For example, you may need to fill your schedule with a positive support system to motivate you in recovery. Fortunately, The Guest House offers the support of an alumni program to assist people with maintaining motivation in recovery.
Taking time to understand what originally motivated you and why that particular motivator no longer works may give you clues about how to cure your boredom. Perhaps you have outgrown your goals and it is time to set new goals. There are many support systems to help you maintain motivation. For example, 12-Step programs are meeting every day in your area and can help you maintain motivation in recovery.
Maintain Motivation to Better Yourself
As mentioned before, a strong support system is key to maintaining motivation in recovery. Friends, family, support groups, and alumni programs can provide support, connection, and healthy mutual relationships. Additionally, there are several things you can do to maintain motivation to improve yourself and your life:
- Practice self-compassion: Try not to be critical of yourself. Show yourself the same level of compassion you would offer anyone else.
- Practice gratitude: A good idea is to spend several minutes each day thinking of what you are grateful for.
- Try something new: Whether you decide to join a new gym or a yoga or meditation class, do something different to spark motivation.
- Connect with nature: According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, research continues to demonstrate the healing aspects of nature and the motivation that it provides.
- Volunteer: Giving back to your community can do wonders in helping you maintain motivation. When you volunteer, you are giving your time and, in turn, you’ll often receive gratitude from others,
It is easy to lose motivation, especially when you feel overwhelmed in recovery. You have many things to do and at times feel like you are being torn in many different directions. Still, there are many things you can incorporate into your life to motivate you. Usually, it all starts with just showing up and trying something new.
Barriers to Long-Term Motivation
When thinking about barriers to your motivation, you probably have many excuses. Recovery can be hard, and what is harder is changing everything that is currently comfortable and stable. That comfort-oriented mindset can cause you to think that doing nothing is better than taking a risk. Therefore motivation is lost or recovery gets boring.
Let’s explore some additional barriers to motivation. They might include:
- A lack of time: When you were involved in active addiction, you had all the time in the world to spend on your addiction. Now that you are in recovery, you may feel like so many things take precedence over your recovery. This defeatist thought process can be avoided when you plan your day and make time for what is important. If you do not plan your day, you miss out on things that bring you joy and keep you motivated.
- Unclear goals: How do you know what you are working toward without specific goals? Having a clear vision of what you want to obtain will motivate you to get to where you want to be.
- A lack of encouragement: It takes a village to work on your recovery. A positive support system will encourage you every step of the way. You can engage in obtaining a therapist or a group of people working on their recovery at The Guest House.
How Do I Get Motivated as an Alumni?
There are many ways to get motivated in your recovery. However, it is important to first explore how you lost motivation. Usually, it is the reasoning behind your goals that motivates you. If your reasons are not emotional enough, they will not boost your motivation to move forward with your goals. By exploring your intentions, you will make your goals more meaningful, therefore increasing motivation.
Inspiration comes from other things and people. Where is your encouragement coming from? It is important to start your day from a positive frame of mind. Some questions to ask yourself are, “What am I grateful for?” or “What am I proud of myself for?” These can start your day off in a motivating frame of mind and continue to help you maintain motivation throughout your day.
Maintaining motivation in recovery can be difficult. However, by identifying areas that need improvement in your life, you can focus on goals that will increase your motivation. Your recovery does not have to be boring and mundane. You get to choose where you put your energy and how your day looks, at least partly. As an alumni, you have your own unique barriers and may need an extra support to encourage you in your journey. At The Guest House, we understand how vital encouragement is and how much motivation plays a role in your recovery. If you or someone you know is struggling with maintaining motivation in recovery, please do not hesitate and give us a call at (855) 483-7800.