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Addiction Recovery Blog

Setting Sober Goals for the New Year

Woman stretches before symbolic run, setting sober goals for the new year

Sobriety is a frequent choice for those setting new year’s resolutions. Resolutions are about self-improvement and about starting a new, sometimes arduous process to get there. For those setting sober goals, it’s important to structure a sobriety plan that can hold up for an entire year. This sounds daunting—planning an entire year ahead is out of most people’s scope. However, with the right approach, a sober new year is within reach for anybody.

Equally important is that this goal isn’t something you tackle alone. Having a network of friends, family, and peers who can hold you accountable and keep you on track is invaluable for any serious resolution. To ensure you aren’t alone in your goal, Footprints Beachside Recovery is here to provide quality, personalized care to those in Florida seeking help. Our sober living program is designed to accommodate all manner of situations and helps ease patients into a life free of drug or alcohol abuse. For more information on our sober living program, contact us at 727-954-3908 or by reaching us online today.

New Year’s Resolutions Done Right

Sobriety isn’t the only kind of new year’s resolution out there; some people are seeking to manage money more wisely or reach weight goals. How those resolutions are achieved can help inform and structure our sobriety goals. Often, a new year’s resolution is about breaking old habits and instilling new ones. Sober goals should strive to examine why sobriety has been difficult in the past and shouldn’t shy away from any drastic changes that might follow a new approach.

Habits can be deeply ingrained into the rhythm of daily life. When performing a self-assessment for what practices or situations enabled drinking or substance use in the past, look for these examples:

  • Peers – the people you associate with can have a significant impact on sobriety. A social circle that enables drinking or substance use will often be a source of that substance, actively use it, and encourage use directly or indirectly. A group of friends or coworkers who discourages drinking and substance use, and actively abstain from it themselves, will be much more conducive to staying sober.
  • Coping mechanism – drinking or substance use may have been a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety, or depression. Becoming sober means giving up that dysfunctional coping strategy and replacing it with a new one.
  • Habitat – location has a lot to do with habit formation. Frequenting places where alcohol consumption or drug use is common can trigger impulses to resume again.

Setting Sobriety Milestones

Sobriety milestones are common among recovering addicts as a way to chart progress. To some, it may seem frivolous, or even prideful, to show off how long one has gone without breaking sobriety. This is not the intent of making milestones for progress. Instead, reminding yourself of your journey and rewarding achievements can prove psychologically beneficial in many ways.

Going on vacation for a year sober is commonplace. Allowing yourself a reward for completing a personally meaningful goal is a tried-and-true way to reinforce that behavior for the future. Additionally, the temptation to indulge in alcohol or drugs can be mitigated by knowing that the milestone you worked hard for will be totally reset. It’s a self-imposed but meaningful guide for staying sober.

Meet Your Goals with Sober Living at Footprints Beachside Recovery

If you’re ready to make a drastic life change this year, you’re on the right track. Taking the initiative is the first step in truly living drug- and alcohol-free. Sober goals are in mind for thousands of Americans every new year. Footprints Beachside Recovery strives to provide a program dedicated to easing into a sober lifestyle again. Our sober living program helps you remove alcohol and drugs from your system in a safe, structured manner. To experience independence in how you address your own sobriety struggles, begin by calling 727-954-3908 or by reaching us online today.