What Addiction Recovery Can Teach All of Us

Addictions are forces that have immense impacts on our habits, compulsions, brain chemistry, and general quality of life. Those who have succumbed to various forms of addiction have had to embark on a long journey to recovery.

A successful path to recovery requires some serious hard work built on a foundation of strong principles. But these principles don’t have to be reserved for those who experience immense suffering from their addiction. Anyone can stand to benefit from studying, embracing, and understanding strong addiction recovery principles.

When properly implemented, many addiction recovery principles led to more connection and fulfillment in our lives.

Find your behavioral support coach

Admitting We Have a Problem

While this application is obvious in the context of addiction, it can have a broader meaning in everyday life. This could be an issue with a friend, something hindering your job performance, or lacking work-life balance. Admitting an issue exists in your life means you have the initial courage to do something about it. If we live without fear of acknowledging our shortcomings, we are much better equipped to grow more rapidly as people.

Reflect on Our Addictions

Taking inventory of our problems means understanding how they negatively impact our lives. While it might be painful, reflecting on past experiences will help us improve ourselves going forward. Knowing when and how our problems manifest helps us achieve two things. It helps us understand the specific behaviors we need to improve, and it helps us understand real examples of where our lives can improve in the short term and the long term.

RESOURCES: Ebooks | Virtual Workplace Checklist | Webinars | Podcasts

Changing Our Environment

When one commits to overcoming their addiction, they experience drastic changes to their environment. While the average person likely does not require as immense an overhaul, being in touch with our environment always has its benefits. It helps us live balanced and well-rounded lives that provide longevity and general happiness.

This could mean changing the people in our life or committing to new routines. It might mean improving our fitness or growing our knowledge. Understanding how our environment impacts our short-term and long-term prospects is an important

Finding More Connection and Fulfillment

This progression from awareness, to reflection, and profound actionable change is powerful in any context. You don’t need to be suffering from the pain of addiction to take an honest inventory of your life, recognize problems, and seize the opportunity to grow.

If we consistently approach our lives through this lens, we can grow as individuals, and achieve more connection to others. These principles can provide a framework to help people and communities alike reach their fuller potential.

What do you think? Am I over-optimistic or naïve? Or maybe there’s something to this? Let me know in the comments!

Show Support and Let Your Perspective be Heard by Joining the 91,000+ Leading Tomorrow Subscriber Community!