Why is Staying Present So Important?
Nobody ever said that addiction recovery was going to be an easy process – but there are ways to make the recovery process easier. Starting with the first steps to addiction recovery is half the battle, although there are many recovering addicts who worry about either going back to their past or about what might happen to their future.
One of the most important things a recovering addict can learn how to do is to stay present; when you learn how to stay present, worries about the past and future don’t affect your path to full recovery as much.
Why is Staying Present So Important in Addiction Recovery?
Here’s what the term “staying present” means and why it’s an important factor for practical addiction recovery.
The Past and Addiction Recovery
A lot of recovering addicts find themselves thinking about the past; this results in either becoming depressed over the things they’ve done or been afraid that they might return back to their “old ways” (and thus turn back to their old addictions).
Other than atoning and apologizing for the things you have done at the worst phases of your addiction towards other people, thinking about the past should stop right there. Once you’ve apologized and made things right towards people you know that you’ve harmed, what more is left to do in the past?
The answer is simple Nothing.
No recovering addict can ever benefit from getting stuck in the past, either for retrospect or nostalgia. Instead, stay present; worry about how you are handling the right here and the right now. When you’re a recovering addict, learn to forget about the past and “stay present.”
The Future and Addiction Recovery
When people aren’t worried about their past, they are often obsessing over the future instead. What’s going to happen in five years (or twenty-five years – or five minutes)? Will their recovery hold up? Will they find love? Find a job? Have kids? Choose life?
Obsessing over the future is just as bad as worrying about the past. Don’t do it! Instead, work with the right here and the right now; especially when you’re recovering, the present is the only time you should worry about – and if you’re okay in the present time, you’ll be okay for the future.
Stop Worrying About “What If?” or “What Next?” TODAY
Learning how to “stay present” is a simple way of grounding yourself to the here and now.
Sure, you might have a past (and you’re probably worried about the future), but if you manage to be okay, sober and away from your addiction in the right here and now, you’re fine. Fear of the future or past can only hold back your shot at long-term recovery, but facing the present time is one way to make sure your recovery lasts for the long-term by taking the sting and worry out of most of your life.
If you’re thinking about the future or part of your addiction, stop right now, close your eyes and bring yourself right back to the present time.
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