Create Your Own Spiritual Ritual Today

Spirituality can be a crucial part of your long-term sobriety. Fewer cravings, increased hopefulness and less anxiety are just a few of the many study-proven recovery benefits. Being spiritual doesn’t have to mean being religious; it’s about connecting to the world around you and believing in something bigger than yourself. 

One way to cultivate spirituality into your everyday is to come up with your own spiritual rituals –and they don’t have to be complicated. It may even be something you’re already doing. The point, however, is to bring consciousness to whatever repetitive acts you do choose. 

According to Time magazine, Ben Franklin woke up every morning and asked himself: “What good will I do today?” and each night, he asked: “What good did I do today?” This simple yet powerful ritual brought intention to his life and his actions. 

What will work for you? Here are a few suggestions to get your mind and spirit working: 

Perform personal affirmations. Whether chanted out aloud or jotted in a journal, daily affirmations can help cultivate spiritual growth and a greater sense of self. Try a few upon waking or prior to shut-eye: 

• “I can handle the recovery tasks ahead of me.” 
• “I will be my best self today.” 
• “Today is a new day filled with hope.”

Make meaningful connections. Something as simple as a weekly social gathering or phone call with a close friend can become a sacred ritual. And the same goes for volunteer work or support group meetings. Just showing up and being able to help someone else can nourish your spirit.

Tap into your artistic side. Take time each day to do something that you enjoy that’s creative. By feeding your creativity you’ll be feeding your spirit. Some ideas:

• Color
• Write a poem
• Cook
• Knit
• Sing 
• Dance

Carve out quiet time. This will give your brain and spirit some much-needed breathing room – to think and reflect on the past, present and future and to assess who you are and who you want to become.

Begin Holistic Addiction Treatment Today

Complete Harmony is proud to provide a long list of holistic therapies that help clients pursue improved wellness during active rehab. To learn more about our alternative treatment options, call us today: 866-930-4673.

Finding Fitness Motivation

Whether you vowed to move more as part of your New Year’s goals or have included exercise in your overall sobriety strategy, you likely know by now that the benefits are plenty. Physical activity makes you happier and less stressed and it also helps fend off some pretty serious health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. 

3 Tips to Stay Motivated

Knowing that something is good for you and doing that something that is good for you are two different things. Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to let exercise fall by the wayside – especially with all of your other recovery to-dos. The good news: You can motivate yourself to make movement part of your every day. Here’s how: 

1. Think movement, not exercise. You can reap the benefits of exercise without hitting the gym. The goal is this: Move more – and that can mean taking the stairs, cleaning the house, or parking further from the store. 
2. Set a date – and stick to it. Whether it’s a daily walk with a friend or weekly yoga class, setting an appointment can help keep you accountable. 
3. Write it down. An exercise journal is a great motivational tool. Start by tracking what you did and for how long (and don’t forget to include household chores) and add it all up at the end of your day. Consider jotting down how different types of movement made you feel; for example, relaxed or reinvigorated or more limber. 

Let Us Help You Find Fitness Motivation
The best form of fitness during addiction recovery is the kind that motivates you and supports your new sober lifestyle. At Complete Harmony, our hybrid addiction recovery program offers exercise planning to strengthen your body during addiction recovery. To learn more, call: 866-930-4673.

Stress Management Is Key for Recovery (and Your Heart)

The fact that stress and heart troubles are related may not be news to you – however, researchers have yet to fully understand the full mechanisms. A new study published in The Lancet this week revealed an interesting link between stress and the heart: the brain. 

Researchers found that people with greater activity in the amygdala, the area of the brain that controls fear, stress and emotion, were more likely to suffer from heart attack, stroke and angina (chest pain) in the future. 

Increased activity in the amygdala was also linked to more activity in the bone marrow tissue – and “that in turn may impact the arteries, causing inflammation, which then could lead to a cardiovascular disease event, such as a heart attack or stroke,” study author Ahmed Tawakol told Forbes.com.

While more research is still needed to understand the entire reaction, Tawakol said that stress reduction exercises have been found to reduce both the size and activity of the amygdala. 

Here are a few things you can do today to manage stress and enhance your recovery: 

• Create a mantra. It doesn’t have to be complicated; a simple phrase like “I am in control,” or “I am making progress” can help keep you calm and focused on your recovery. 
• Go for a vigorous walk. There’s nothing quite like exercise to increase those feel-good endorphins and keep stress at bay.  
• Streamline your day. Over scheduling yourself can quickly lead to stress, especially during the first 90 days of recovery, when you’re most likely to relapse. For now, just focus on recovery essentials and aim to complete one or two tasks per day. 
• Make sleep a priority. Seven to eight hours of solid shut-eye can do wonders to restore your body and mind and improve your ability to cope with stress. 
• Start a journal. Journaling is a great way to discover the source of your stress — and then to release it by writing down your thoughts and feelings.

Find Inner Peace at Complete Harmony
At Complete Harmony, we encourage the use of many different cutting-edge techniques — including yoga, meditation, and acupuncture — to help patients control stress on their journey toward sobriety. To learn more about our treatment center and our approach to addiction recovery, call today: 866-930-4673.

5 Ways to Fight Back Against FOMO

The Fear of Missing Out, or “FOMO,” is dangerous for people in recovery. Defined by Google as “anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website,” this phenomenon has become more and more common amid the never-ending social network posts and apps to check. But FOMO can happen offline, too. For example, if you start thinking about that party your old drinking buddies are at right now.  

FOMO can make you feel sad, lonely, anxious, or envious — and it can trigger thoughts about using again. It can also cause you to obsessively check your social media feeds, which can increase your risk of anxiety and depression, according a new study from the University of Pittsburgh Center for Research on Media, Technology and Health. 

Try these steps to spend more time enjoying the now and less time feeling a Fear of Missing Out:

1. Start a journal. And keep track of all of things you have or have yet to achieve. This will help you feel more thankful and less envious of others. 
2. Don’t compare yourself to others. Social media makes everyone’s life seem perfect, right? Remind yourself that everyone has personal hurdles and obstacles and that fun Facebook posts or Instagram photos don’t equate a happy and fulfilled life. 
3. Be patient with yourself. It’s okay if it’s too early in your recovery to attend social events or start-up a relationship or complete that marathon. Set small goals and realistic expectations to avoid feelings of shame or self-doubt. 
4. Slow the mind. Practice mindfulness meditation in order to be more present and to slow down and enjoy the everyday moments. This will help you more fully appreciate your friends, family and activities and prevent you from chasing the next “thrill” or event. 
5. Get moving. Physical health is crucial for good mental health. Whether you go for an invigorating walk or hike, exercise can help you boost your feel-good endorphins so you’re less anxious or depressed about the things you may be missing out on. 

Relapse Prevention at Complete Harmony

At Complete Harmony, our holistic relapse prevention plans provide the tools that you or someone you love needs for lifelong sobriety. After recovery, our staff encourages you to continue holistic therapies and find groups and community resources that support your commitment to sobriety. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

3 Ways to Carve Out Quiet Time

As the holiday season comes to a close and the New Year begins, it’s the perfect time to concentrate on some quiet, reflective time. Taking a mere five minutes a day – away from phones, electronics, social obligations, etc. – can go a long way in helping your recovery. 

This is because quiet time can help give your brain the breathing room it needs to relax and process what you’ve learned, heard or done in recovery. It will also help give you the time to brainstorm and reflect on your immediate and long-term sobriety goals. 

Here are a few simple steps you can try today to create some stillness among the chaos of daily life. 

• Make your walk more mindful. While a heart-pumping walk is great for your body and mind, so is slowing down a bit and taking time to focus on nature.  As you become more conscious of the flowers, trees, sounds of birds, you’ll automatically quiet your mind in order to reach a more reflective state.
• Make journaling a daily habit. Pick up a pen or turn on your tablet and begin letting go of those feelings and thought cluttering your brain. And be careful not to censor yourself. The goal is to let it all out so you can clear, quiet and focus your mind. 
• Make time to meditate. Whether you choose to mediate when you first wake or before bedtime, this calming practice can help to reduce stress and quiet your mind from constant chatter. The result: a calmer state-of-mind and more space for reflection. 

Holistic Healing at Complete Harmony

At Complete Harmony, our holistic relapse prevention plans provide the tools that you or someone you love needs for lifelong sobriety. After recovery, our staff encourages you to continue holistic therapies and find groups and community resources that support your commitment to sobriety. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

Surviving the Holiday Season

The holidays can create mixed feelings for many people in recovery. While it’s certainly a great time to count your blessings and be grateful for how far you’ve come, it also brings feelings of stress, anxiety, and even dread. 

Awkward questions from family members about your recovery, run-ins with old friends or old haunts, added temptations from social events – relapse triggers abound this season.

The good news is that it’s possible to enjoy the holidays and stay strong in your recovery. Get started by following these tips. 

• Maintain healthy habits. Now isn’t the time to skimp on sleep, eat poorly, stop exercising, or neglect your meditation routine – you’ll need these tools more than ever to help your mind and body manage holiday stress. 
• Exercise the power of “no.” It’s okay to turn down an invitation, especially if you know it will jeopardize your recovery in any way. Use this time to relax and focus on you. 
• Plan for uncomfortable situations. Whether you become bombarded with questions about your recovery or feel pressured by old friends to party, it’s smart to have an exit plan when the situation begins to feel beyond your control. And make sure to have a sober, supportive friend lined up to turn to once you leave. 
• Lean on your support network. Now more than every your support network can help you to stay sober at social functions or merely manage the stress of the holidays. Attend extra meetings or set aside time to meet with your sponsor, pastor, or addiction counselor.  
• Create a new sober tradition. Skip the booze-laden parties and see a play or attend a museum with a loved on or friend. Or, use this season to give back and volunteer to give out toys or serve a holiday dinner for the homeless.

Ready to Begin Recovery? 
There’s no “right or wrong” season to start on the journey toward sobriety. If you feel it’s time for a new beginning, don’t let the holidays stand in your way. At Complete Harmony, we can tailor a treatment program to meet your needs at any time of year. To learn more, call 866-930-4673.

How Are Your Active Listening Skills?

Repairing relationships damaged while in active addiction is likely among your recovery to-dos. While winning back trust with loved ones will certainly take some time, you can start rebuilding your rapport by becoming an active, empathetic listener.

This means that you not only make sure you're actively paying attention but that you let your loved one know you are. For example, an active listener:

•       Asks questions when unclear about what the other person is saying
•       Tries to infer what the other person is feeling
•       Engages in the conversation without peering at his or her cell or watch
•        Keeps track of the points that others make
•        Assures the other person that he or she is receptive to his or her ideas

Becoming a better listener may take some practice – but you can get started by taking these steps.

• Stay calm and focused. This means no checking your cellphone, updating your Facebook status, picking at your nail polish, doodling, or fidgeting – but really making an effort to maintain eye contact and hone in on the other person’s words and feelings. Body language counts, too, so make sure that you’re not crossing your arms and legs or leaning away.
• Summarize points of agreement and disagreement if appropriate. While you don’t want to parrot what the other person is saying, you do want to show that you’re listening by repeating what you heard in your own words. This will also prevent any misunderstandings or misinterpretations.
• Acknowledge your loved one’s feelings, issues, or problems. For example, you could say: “I know how tough this is and appreciate your openness and willingness to talk it out.” This type of dialogue will demonstrate your empathy. 
• Focus on listening as much as speaking. In other words, don’t simply wait for your turn to talk. When you feel the urge to interject, make an effort to slow yourself down and really listen to what the other person is saying.  
• Accept another person’s opinion. When you're empathically listening, you don’t just hear words but you demonstrate that you know how the other person feels. And this holds true even if your loved one’s point of view differs from yours.

Continual Growth at Complete Harmony
Our team of credentialed clinicians helps you explore your own recovery journey while learning to heal relationships and build a sober social network. For more information about our cutting edge treatments, call today: 866-930-4673.