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| Celebrating Wellness in Recovery |
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September is National Recovery month - an ideal time to embrace and celebrate the many joys of clean and sober living. As I like to emphasize in my writings, I firmly believe that a wellness-oriented lifestyle goes hand in hand with experiencing the full joy of recovery. What can we do to fully celebrate the joy of our recovery? A partial listing includes:
1. Celebrate the FUN of recovery - Remember the old saying "Are we having fun yet?" More to the point ' what have YOU done today that was truly fun? In our fast-paced, achievement-oriented society, it's all too easy to get caught up on the treadmill of constant goal-driven activity, without taking the time to lighten up and smell the roses. This is definitely the case with compulsive, over-achieving types like yours truly.
Recently, Ann and I were visited by our two granddaughters from Southern California. While having two pre-teen children on our hands was challenging at times, it also gave me a real opportunity to 'lighten up' and experience the world around me through the eyes of a child. Developing a renewed appreciation for the simple pleasures of life ' like sitting on the bed one evening with my granddaughter, Sara and our old tom cat, Mystery - admiring the cat's beautiful black coat and laughing about all of his crazy antics. Likewise, now that Summer has finally come to our corner of the world, I find myself 'playing hooky' more often, strolling downtown to grab a slice of pizza and spend some quality time 'vegging out' on the beach down by the waterfront. What have YOU done lately that was totally non-productive - and deliriously fun?
2. Start your day with a daily Gratitude List - I learned this little trick several years ago from my friend and mentor, Steven Farmer, as he was helping me navigate my way through a significant health-related crisis. He suggested that I begin each day by jotting down a list of things that I am grateful for. Most of the time, I find that this simple exercise really helps me get the day off to a good start. Not rocket science, but guess what ' it really works!
3. Take care of your body, and embrace a form of physical exercise that you truly enjoy - One of my favorite sayings is a line from one of my early wellness mentors, Dr. John Travis, who writes 'If your body is a temple ' why treat it like a motel?'
One of the best things we can do for our bodies is to cultivate the habit of vigorous exercise, preferably on a daily basis. In addition to helping us release accumulated stresses from our bodies and promoting cardiovascular fitness, vigorous exercise also promotes the release of endorphins ' those wonderful chemicals that trigger the pleasure center of the brain, producing a natural, drug-free high. My own favorite form of exercise is brisk walking '- 45 minutes, each and every morning. Fortunately, living in a beautiful coastal community in Washington, I am greeted by breath-taking mountain and water views as I climb up and down the hills throughout our little town.
4. Celebrate good foods - One of the true joys of wellness in recovery is learning how to eat right, enjoying the pleasures of truly nutritious foods. During our granddaughters' recent visit, Ann and I took great pleasure in introducing them to the joy of making (and consuming) generous salads to accompany our evening meals. As my wife is half Italian, we enjoy home-cooked pasta with marinara sauce quite frequently. I must confess, however, that I've gotten so spoiled by her cooking that when we dine out, I find that the fare of even the greatest restaurant pales in comparison to what I get at home. Earlier this week I picked up some organic apples at our local food co-op ' DELICIOUS!
5. Celebrate the healing power of music - Several years ago I wrote a column for 'Steps' titled 'The Healing Power of Music'. This prompted a call from a reader who had just moved out to Huntington Beach from Virginia Beach ' and we spent the afternoon reminiscing on the joys of listening to John Coltrane, Miles Davis and other jazz greats. More recently, I picked up an album which presents a compilation of Coleman Hawkins' greatest hits. His rendition of Greensleeves is simply outstanding ' truly the most soulful, from the heart music I have ever heard! While I am by no means a virtuoso, during my younger years I enjoyed traveling around the Southland, playing the guitar and leading hootenannies for the Sierra Club and other groups. And now, in my twilight years, I enjoy staking out at the local beach, propped up against a driftwood log, serenading the seagulls with my harmonica.
6. Link up with a stress management mentor. - As most of us lead highly stressful lives, we need to find role models to indoctrinate us in the fine art of stress management. In my case that's easy, as we have two cats. Our Siamese cat, Cooney, is so laid back that whenever I pet him when I'm stressed out, he immediately 'shakes off' all my negative energy.
Anyhow, I'm sure you get the picture. Hopefully this column will inspire you to add to this list some of your own favorite ways of celebrating wellness in YOUR recovery. Until next month - to your health - and enjoy the journey!
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About The Author:
John Newport, Ph.D., is author of The Wellness-Recovery Connection: Charting Your Pathway to Optimal Health While Recovering from Alcoholism and Drug Addiction. He is a free-lance writer and wellness counselor based in Port Townsend, Washington and is available (either in person or by telephone) for low-cost personal counseling on all issues relating to wellness and recovery. He is also available to provide consultation and presentations for treatment programs across the country. To contact "Dr. John", visit his website at www.wellnessandrecovery.com or call (360) 385-0229.
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