Overcoming substance use disorder (SUD) and maintaining a healthy sobriety from drugs and alcohol is incredibly difficult. It is important for each person to celebrate every step in their journey toward a sober life. No step is too small to celebrate. Even navigating the first full 24 hours in detox sober is a genuinely incredible achievement. However, knowing how to celebrate milestones and success in sobriety can be challenging. It is necessary to adopt a number of new strategies and perspectives to effectively relish in each profound sober accomplishment.
Distancing From Previous Celebrations
Those overcoming the use of addictive substances will have to make many adjustments to their lifestyle to prioritize sobriety. It is common that those reaching their first milestones in recovery will want to celebrate such accomplishments but may also still harbor dangerous ideas about what a celebration could entail. For many, past ideas of celebrations and festivities may be linked with the use of addictive substances. Distancing from previous ideas and rituals is necessary to effectively celebrate each person’s accomplishments in a healthy, sober life.
While unlearning previous lifestyles is difficult, it is always important to celebrate these accomplishments. Replacing previous behaviors or expectations with new strategies is instrumental in ensuring that every accomplishment is effectively recognized and continues to bring further success to each person’s sober journey.
Why Is It Important to Celebrate in Recovery?
Those overcoming SUD may still face several intense and difficult emotional trials, with feelings of anxiety, depression, shame, guilt, grief, and much more all being prevalent throughout the recovery process. Those working to overcome co-occurring disorders can be met with an even more complicated recovery journey. It can be difficult to truly celebrate accomplishments, especially if an individual is still searching for forgiveness for mistakes made while using drugs or alcohol. However, taking time to celebrate accomplishments is absolutely necessary and can greatly impact each individual’s continued sobriety.
Celebrating accomplishments has several active benefits for those in recovery, including:
- Drawing attention to personal obstacles that have been overcome
- Ensuring that progress goes noticed and reflects the challenges that led up to such milestones
- Helps those in recovery constantly analyze and set new goals for continued success
- Provides motivation and earned feelings of pride
- Create new cultures and sober holidays
- Helps those in recovery see their growth and challenge feelings of stagnation on the sober journey
EEverystride made throughout a person’s sober journey, from celebrating a week without drugs or alcohol to trying a new self-care outlet, activity, therapy, and more, should all be met with celebration and pride. Finding sober ways to celebrate in recovery is necessary to ensure that these accomplishments maintain their sober spirit and focus.
Valuable Ways to Celebrate Sobriety
There are always new ways to celebrate sobriety, and exploring a number of new strategies can further facilitate the earned feelings of accomplishment made at every step of the recovery journey.
Plan With Family and Friends
Celebrating alongside support, such as family and friends, is always important. Not only can planning a day with these important people continue nurturing these relationships, but these supports also can ensure that every celebration maintains the sober spirit. Making dinner plans with family and friends where those celebrating pick the restaurant, decide on a family activity, or choose the movie for a family movie night can all empower those in recovery to explore their interests in sobriety while celebrating profound accomplishments.
Write Down Accomplishments
If an individual is celebrating an accomplishment, it is important to record the challenges and obstacles overcome that led to such a celebration. Recovery is rarely a linear line, and there will be many ups and down along the way. Creating a record of all of a person’s accomplishments, celebrations, and strides throughout each stage of the recovery process can provide context and perspective even during trying and stressful times.
Make a Personal Purchase
Buying something solely for a person’s own interest can be a wonderful approach to celebration. Putting a bit of money towards personal interests or wishes can be a great way to keep focused. For example, allowing oneself to purchase a certain item after maintaining sober goals for two weeks can continue to provide perspective and a powerful motivator throughout recovery. Working with family and friends can help an individual set appropriate budgets and maintain this focus, keeping these interests in sight and with the motivational intention necessary to overcome the challenges of the addiction recovery process.
Host a Sober Party
Hosting a sober event on sober anniversaries or other accomplishments, such as getting a job in sobriety, can be a great way to draw attention to these accomplishments. Not only can those in recovery reap the feelings of pride in their accomplishment, but it can also allow those in recovery to surround themselves with individuals sympathetic to the challenges overcome. Hosting a sober dinner party or game night can connect an individual to peers in sobriety in a positive, celebratory manner.
Collect a Symbol of the Accomplishment
Having a living reminder of each accomplishment can also ensure that each accomplishment has lasting positive effects. Adding a note to a journal, a charm to a bracelet, or keeping 12-Step chips accessible can all be active reminders of the milestones each person has reached in their recovery journey.
Celebrating each milestone on your journey to sobriety is important. We at Buena Vista Recovery are committed to helping you reach and celebrate each of your sober goals. From your first step into detox to our comprehensive inpatient treatment and ongoing outpatient care, each step of your journey is populated by caring professionals, understanding peers, and a plethora of proven and personalized therapeutic strategies for you to create your own best, sober life. We are prepared to work with you to celebrate accomplishments and constantly set new sober goals. For more information on how we can help you, or to speak to a staff member about your needs and goals, call (480) 741-9414.
