As time goes on and you are successfully managing your recovery to the point that you have reclaimed your life, it is important to continue to invest in recovery by offering your success story to peers who are just starting out. Hearing about your trials and successes may be just the thing they need to give them hope. The truth is, the more you share your story, the more you hold yourself up.
Why You Should Share Your Story
Sharing your story doesn’t just benefit others; it benefits you as well. There are many ways that verbalizing your success can help you and those around you through recovery. When you share your story, you give yourself power; you remind yourself of your “why,” and you can look back and remember everything you’ve come through and how far you’ve progressed. Your story probably has many ups and downs, but sharing how you overcame them gives you, and others hope that failure doesn’t mean it’s the end.
It can be healing to remember where you were compared to where you are now. You may gain self-esteem when you let others know that you’ve worked hard and gotten better, and it may inspire them to do so themselves. Some people might not know where to start to get help or feel like they are too far gone, but your story can give them direction and hope.
Sharing your story also:
- Helps reduce the stigma that surrounds substance use disorder (SUD)
- Allows a way to build community and find peer support
- Reduces stress and gives you a purpose and something to look forward to
- Helps eliminate fear and shame
Staying Connected With Alumni Groups
Recovery is something that is never really over, but it changes over time. Every day you are sober, you will learn new things about yourself and face different challenges or new situations. Being part of an alumni group isn’t essential, but it does help to have that support and sober peer group in your corner.
One of the benefits of being in an alumni program is the sober activities that are regularly offered both as an individual or for the group. The benefits of staying connected are immense if you continue to share and stay involved in recovery on some level. Unfortunately, it is all too common that once people complete a year sober, their participation in recovery or support group activities drops off.
People often say that recovery is lifelong, but many people wonder if they’ll ever be able to simply live their lives in recovery. As people improve the quality of their life, career, home life, and sober friendships, the desire to use substances gradually reduces. However, alumni are incredible sources of motivation, encouragement, and accountability for people who are newly sober or still in treatment. Staying connected to that community is paramount.
Staying Enthusiastic and Committed to Long-Term Recovery
The key to long-term success is being intentional with your recovery activities and staying connected, never forgetting where you’ve been or the people that helped you along the way. Engage in activities that stimulate your creative side, give you a community, or support your mind, body, and spirit. Doing so gives you many opportunities to share your story in unique ways.
How to Share Your Success
You may know the benefits of sharing your success in recovery but are unsure how to share it with others. Luckily, there are four easy ways you can share your recovery success with others.
#1 Sharing With Family and Friends
Addiction doesn’t just affect you; it also affects those close to you. Your friends and family may have many emotions surrounding your active addiction. However, sharing your success in recovery with them can help them experience new feelings of joy and hope. You can share your success with family and friends by celebrating recovery milestones with them and being open and honest about your journey.
#2 Sharing at Support Group Meetings
Many people choose to attend support group meetings, such as 12-Step programs, after leaving treatment. Sharing in a support group meeting helps you share your success with others. Other more experienced members can celebrate your recovery with you, and newer members can learn how you achieved sobriety.
#3 Giving Back to Others
Giving back to others in the recovery community gives you the opportunity to share your recovery success. You can give back to others in treatment programs, jails or prisons, homeless shelters, and more. Sharing your success with people who may not have an idea that hope is out there can help them and help you. Sharing your recovery success gives you an opportunity to be grateful for the life you have created for yourself and help others find the gift of sobriety you have received.
Sharing your story can empower you and others in many ways. Helping other people by sharing your journey to sobriety success can motivate you and them to continue recovery efforts. Once you have stayed successfully sober for a period of time, you can help someone who is just starting their recovery journey understand that they also can succeed in recovery. Every time you share your story, you help remove the stigma surrounding substance use disorder (SUD). It is hard to speak up and share, but each time that you do it, you are contributing to the success of someone else. At The Guest House, we understand that recovery is hard, and sharing with others is personal. We believe that stories have power, and having alumni share theirs can be an incredible factor in everyone’s recovery journey. To learn more about our alumni programs and sharing your recovery, call (855) 483-7800.