What Does "Living Life on Life’s Terms" Mean?

When we get sober it can be hard to live in acceptance at first. Things can come up that can be difficult to walk through. It is imperative that we learn how to live life on life’s terms. What this means is that we turn our will over to a higher power and learn how to take things as they come. If we are willing to accept things as being exactly how they are supposed to be in each moment we will be able to gain clarity and approach each situation with peace and dignity. Prior to receiving alcohol addiction help for our alcohol addiction, going through the addiction recovery process, and getting sober, most of us were used to trying to control every aspect of our lives. Most of us had become so isolated and spiritually bankrupt that there was no one else to turn to let alone a set of spiritual tools that we could use to help cope with each situation. When we get sober we learn that in order to have any real sense of power or control over a situation we must surrender, ask for guidance, and take action. As it says in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous “Faith without works is dead”. Therefore while it is important that we have faith and surrender, it is also equally as important that we take action. In recovery we get to find the balance between surrendering and taking action while living in acceptance.

Recovering From a Relapse and Doing Things Differently This Time

Unfortunately as alcoholics and addicts, relapse is a part of many of our stories. While it is not always the case many of us have a hard time getting sober the first time around and can get caught up once again in our drug addiction. Relapse does not have to be a part of your story; but if it is it doesn’t mean that you are incapable of recovering.

Your Feelings are Normal

It is normal to feel beaten down, scared, and even more defeated after relapsing then you might have

prior to originally getting sober. Many of us feel like we have failed and have let ourselves and others down. Our ego usually takes a beating when we relapse. All we can do is be grateful for what we learned from the relapse and try to do things differently this time around.

Learn from Your Relapse

If we are able to look back at our experience and see where we fell short we can do things differently this time around. Perhaps we need to go through alcohol inpatient treatment, attend 12 step meetings, go to therapy, or seek extra alcohol addiction help. Whatever the case may be we all have the chance to recover if we keep trying, and don’t drink or use no matter what. If we are willing to put our sobriety first then we can begin to build a strong foundation for ourselves and our recovery.

The Benefits of Treatment

Some of us have tried time and time again to get sober on our own yet we find that we always end up relapsing and can’t seem to figure out where we are going wrong. There are those of us too that are finally ready to get sober and do not know where to begin. This can be due to fear, getting stuck in the midst of our alcohol addiction or lack of experience with trying to get sober. Whatever the case may be for you treatment can be a great option. Through going to treatment and committing to the addiction recovery process one can gain greater self knowledge, walk through fear, learn how to deal with uncomfortable feelings without using maladaptive behaviors, receive tools to help you get through any situation sober, and ways to prevent relapsing again. 

Don't be Hopeless - Gain Confidence

It is common for people that have suffered from this seemingly hopeless state of mind and body to feel completely defeated and somewhat helpless when it comes to our sobriety. Through places such as SDA we can gain the confidence we need in order to stay sober and we can begin to heal through doing work on ourselves, rehabilitation, and therapy. Over time we can begin to see that we have just as good a chance as anyone else at staying sober. Substance abuse programs can be a great way to build a strong foundation for your recovery and are especially helpful for those of us that struggle with staying sober.

Proper Intervention for a Loved One Addicted to Drugs or Alcohol

Most of the time it is the people that are closest to us that can see that something is wrong long before we or others ever can. It is the people that know us, our behaviors, and our lifestyle that can spot immediately when something is just not adding up. If your loved one is battling with drug addiction or alcoholism and are in denial you may be their only chance at being introduced to recovery. You may try talking to them, taking them to AA/NA meetings, or introducing them to some sober people. If they are still unable to see how their use of drugs or alcohol is affecting their lives in a negative manner and that it has become a problem then it might be time for an intervention. This process includes having someone come in that can mediate the situation, setting firm boundaries, discussing the problem, offering support if they are willing to accept it, different treatment options, and seeing if they are willing to seek help or not. If they are aware that other people are being affected by the situation and how their drinking or using has ruined them then they might be more willing to discuss the possibility of getting sober. Nobody likes being told they have a problem with drug or alcohol addiction but the underlying theme of an intervention is that they are loved and there is help out there if they are willing to turn their life around and get sober.

Investing in a Relationship with Yourself

 Many of us when we first get sober and receive alcohol addiction detox don’t know much about our likes, dislikes, or who we truly are. Most of us were so caught up in our disease that we never really had the opportunity to grow emotionally or figure out what we were about. This can be a long process but it is well worth it. When we go to a recovery center, AA, or Above It All we have the opportunity to build a relationship with ourselves, figure out what our dreams are, and achieve them. We have the chance to learn what our likes and dislikes are, what we stand for, and how to love ourselves. We get to attempt the impossible and climb that mountain we’ve wanted to climb, jump out of planes, get that degree, or build that family we’ve always wanted. The sky is the limit when it comes to possibilities in sobriety. We get to dream big and live the life that we have always wanted to live as long as we continue to apply ourselves and work towards our ideals. Many of us have always had hopes and dreams even when we were using that we had given up on. Most of us were so stuck in our disease that our dreams never came to be, but now that we are sober, we are capable of picking up the pieces of our broken dreams and rebuilding them. We can do anything we set out to do as long as we put our sobriety first.