An important yet oft-overlooked skill that needs to be practiced during recovery is patience – patience with the process, patience with yourself, patience with your loved ones, patience for your mind, body and spirit to heal.
Just think of the definition of patience: “The capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset.”
For those in recovery, this translates to the capacity to stick with the process, despite any setbacks, challenges or even relapses. Sobriety is a lifelong journey; there’s no quick fix. What’s more, being impatient will just lead to feelings of frustration and even failure.
That said, it’s perfectly normal to want to get to the finish line as quickly as possible. But being patient and making an effort to enjoy the lessons, friendships and emotions along the way will benefit your overall health and your recovery.
Here are a few of the good things that come to those who wait.
- You’ll have better mental health. Patient people have been shown to better cope with stressful situations. In turn, they tend to experience less depression and negative emotions and have more mindfulness and gratitude – both key recovery skills.
- You’ll have healthier relationships. In recovery, you’ll need patience with family and friends who might not be ready to move past any conflicts caused by your addiction. Being patient can also prevent loneliness, according to studies. This makes sense since making and keeping friends generally requires a healthy dose of give and take and patience.
- You’ll achieve your goals better. Research shows that patient people tend to exert more effort toward their goals than those who want to see results immediately.
Experience Continuous Growth
Personal growth and relapse prevention is key for long-term recovery – and we're here to help. At Complete Harmony, our holistic treatment and relapse prevention plans provide a firm foundation for lifelong sobriety. To learn more, call: 866-930-4673.
