When I stopped drinking, I was left with an abundance of time and energy that I didn’t know what to do with. (Coincidentally, the same thing happened when I medically retired.) Without planning life around the next drink, I had long stretches of space that were filled with restlessness. In early sobriety, I tried to think my way out of thinking. I learned quickly and out of desperation that only action would shift my mindset. It would interrupt the downward spiral into obsession. In IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) I received a handout, which I still have to this day, listing 100 things to do sober. This list saved my sanity because I didn’t have to think of something to do. I just picked something off the list, and did it whether I felt like it or not. Getting active gave that idle energy an outlet and my mind a break.

Being active in, out, and around my support groups is a simple way to get active. Helping someone new feel welcome, volunteering, and leading support group meetings are opportunities to connect and build confidence in recovery. As my mind cleared in sobriety, I got to entertain it more by taking classes, listening to books, and other mentally stimulating activities. So, I learned how to be restfully active as well. The adage, “move a muscle, change a thought,” really worked for me and still does today in stroke and vestibular recovery.

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For more information, visit me at ⁠⁠⁠recoverydailypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com⁠.

Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

For more information about vestibular disorders, visit https://vestibular.org.

#SoberLiving #RecoveryJourney #MentalHealthRecovery #MoveAMuscleChangeAThought #SoberCurious #RestfullyActive #SobrietySupport #StrokeRecovery #HealingInMotion #ActionOverObsession