#156 – Episode 156 – Empowering Habits for Sobriety

VeronicaValli

We get asked all the time what we do to be okay. In this episode, Chip and Veronica discuss their empowering habits that support their sobriety, mental and emotional health.

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about this episode

When we drink, we have a lot of bad habits that don’t support us.

Sobriety is about imperfectly but consistently doing the things that support your mental and emotional wellbeing.

That’s why we need empowering habits.

Empowering habits are personal development for sober people.

Everybody needs it and we as sober people are the lucky ones to recognize the potential we unlock with empowering habits.

key highlights

Why being fit doesn’t cancel out an alcohol problem

“I get up at 5:30 and go to the gym every day, no matter how much I’ve drunk.”
Many people use exercise as a way of denying that alcohol is a problem. Is exercise a healthy habit? Of course. But no amount of exercise will negate the central issue: an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.

“I work really hard, I’ve earned it.”
Living as a “functioning alcoholic” is another way we distract ourselves from the truth of the matter. When you come home and “reward” yourself with a bottle of wine, all it does is to undo all the good you’ve just done.

 

Reframing the deeper work of sobriety

“Why do I have to do this? Why can’t I just be normal?”
Everyone on the planet needs to do personal development, it’s just that a lot of people don’t realize the empowering benefits of self-reflection and taking care of your mental health. As sober people, we’re very fortunate to have this discovery so that we can take care of ourselves and live the lives we’re meant to live.

 

How you start is not how you keep going

In early recovery, sobriety can feel like a lot of work. It’s our main focus and we’re doing lots of different things to get to steady ground. Once you get there, it’s not so intense and your focus becomes maintaining your balance and mental and emotional health.

What I do and my daily routines have changed over time as my life has changed and that’s normal. It’s all about balance.

 

Hiccups are part of the process

Even in long-term recovery, things can happen that require you need to do some intense work. Even with over 10 years of sobriety under my belt, I’ve had times where I had some real issues and had to return to therapy and other habits which aren’t a part of my daily practice.

Some of those periods happened after I had my children. I was so caught up in being a new mother that I stopped doing all the things that supported me and within a few months, I got into a place where I felt very uncomfortable in my own skin. That’s when I recognized that I needed to go back to a serious focus on prioritizing my sobriety and I was able to bring back balance to my life.

resources mentioned

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