Maintaining your sobriety is probably one of the largest goals in your life. You worked extremely hard to get sober, improve your mental health, and learn healthy coping mechanisms. It was a lot of work and effort. You are now reaping the benefits of that hard work as you journey through a long-term recovery plan.
There are many things to consider and think about with regards to maintaining your sobriety and mental health. One very important consideration is who you surround yourself with. Those you choose to spend time with will influence your behaviors, activities, and mindset. That is why choosing to surround yourself with positive influences is the key to success. Here are a few reasons you should surround yourself with positive and supportive individuals.
Understand Goals
Positive influences will understand the concept of life goals because they will have their own goals as well. Making the right choices, being mindful of behaviors, and being conscious of surroundings are all things that positive influences will have in mind without you needing to mention anything.
Goals are a very significant part of a long-term recovery plan. Having something to work towards, focus on, and put effort into can be great for mental health. Surround yourself with those who understand this.
Keep You Focused
You have probably realized that the work does not end just because treatment ended and you are no longer using your substance of choice. Staying focused on your health and wellness is important. By surrounding yourself with positive influences, they will naturally help you to stay focused. They will be focused on their own health, wellness, and mental health as well, helping to lead you in the same direction.
Notice If You Stray
Life happens, and we get busy. You may stop going to therapy, relax on your goals, or begin to place yourself in risky situations all because you have been busy. By having positive influences in your life, there is a good chance those people will notice if you start to stray from your routines or goals. We all need acceptance and guidance at times. There is nothing wrong with reaching out for support. Let those around you support and guide you when you need it. Often others can see things that not even we can see in ourselves.
Understand Your Boundaries
Boundaries are something that most people need to establish after treatment. Boundaries help to keep us safe, make good choices, and avoid situations we are not comfortable handling. With time our boundaries change and transform. We grow as people, and so does our recovery.
When we have positive influences in our lives, they will understand boundaries because they probably have boundaries for their own lives.
Want the Best for You
When you surround yourself with positive and loving influences, they genuinely want the best for you. They want you to succeed. They want you to hit your goals and keep moving forward.
When we choose to surround ourselves with negative influences, there is a good chance that they do not care about our well-being or our sobriety. They will look out for themselves or try to get what they need or want. This could affect your sobriety and mental health. Make positive life choices, and be mindful of who surrounds you.
Hold You to High Standards
Choose to surround yourself with those who will hold you to high standards. Those that know and love you will want you to excel in every possible way. They know what you are capable of, how smart you are, and how talented you are. They know your potential and will not let you fail to be your best. Our close family and friends can often make us feel as if they are harsh or stern with us. That is because they care. When you have someone in your inner circle who does not hold you to high standards or expect much from you, that means they probably do not have your best interests at heart.
Sometimes it can be challenging to figure out who should be part of your support circle. Who should you rely on, talk to, and spend your time with? The people you were closest to when you were experiencing active addiction may not be the right people to continue to spend time with. Everyone is unique, and only you will be able to determine who is most capable of supporting you on your journey.
As you journey through recovery, surrounding yourself with positive influences is one major key to success. Positive influences have many benefits for your mental health, sobriety, healthy living, and overall happiness. When we are surrounded by people who lift us up, we want to keep pushing to better ourselves. We feel supported and acknowledged because those individuals are also leading a healthy and happy lifestyle. Even years into living a sober lifestyle, you may encounter new stressors to work through. Recovery can have highs and lows, and learning how to handle those emotions is important. Having a solid support system is key to working through those times. Often we may even need continued professional mental health support. Here at The Guest House, we understand that every situation and every recovery is unique. We are ready to help you regardless of where you are in your recovery. Call us today to learn more about how we can support you at (855) 483-7800.