At some point in everyone's life, they will want to start a new chapter. You may confront a significant turning point and make a life-changing decision. For example, if you wish to end a relationship, find a new career, or quit using substances, you have reached an awakening and want to say farewell to your old life. The prospect of starting a new chapter is appealing, but you may not know how or where to start.
How Do I Make The Decision?
No matter what, there is no age limit to starting over. However, deciding to begin again is not something to take lightly. You are, after all, tearing away the walls and looking at what lies beneath. Why do you want to change your life? Before taking the first step towards reinventing yourself, understand the old you. Any major decision means you must leave behind the person you are now and willingly embrace a new path.
A few tips to start the process of change are:
Ask yourself what you are inclined to give up for your new chapter. A life-changing decision like substance addiction treatment requires you to give up toxic relationships and environments. You must want change.
Find resources that are available to you and do your research. Do an internet search to find detoxification (detox) and substance addiction treatment centers close to where you live. When you know what is available, the work you need to put into beginning a treatment program becomes more manageable.
Contact treatment centers and talk with them about their services and philosophy. Then, make a choice and enter a program.
I Finished Treatment. Where Do I Begin?
Your life after substance addiction treatment will look different than the life you had before. Your relationships—especially with those you use substances with—have changed, and that is okay. Starting over means getting rid of everything that holds you back or is toxic. You cannot expect to move forward if you reattach the chains that hold you back. Leave the past behind and find new friends. Go to sober-focused groups, volunteer, or go back to school. Change is not easy, and it certainly requires getting out of your comfort zone.
You may also want to consider:
Working on patience. When you were drinking or using drugs, the cravings were the driving force of your life. They drove you to seek harm without thinking about the costs to you or others. Forget the urge to push through emotions like self-doubt or depression and instead sit and stay in the moment. Relearn how to think and process.
Not selling yourself short. Maybe the people you hung out with in the past will tell you that you are no fun, you will not stay sober, or you will fail. Who cares what they think? You cannot control who they are, but you can control how you react. Walk away from toxic people.
Being obsessive. Take the energy you once used to drink or use drugs and rechannel it into a way to achieve your goals. For example, if you want to learn how to make sushi, dive into learning. Your therapist can guide you in this process.
Continuing to improve. Just because you decided to change and have made strides does not mean you finished evolving. If you stop improving because you risk reverting or digressing backward. You are stagnant once you stop moving forward, being curious, or wanting more.
Consider accepting what is or all that is. Yes, Alcoholics Anonymous's (AA) 12-Step programs say you should surrender yourself, but beyond the 12-Step process, find out what it is. For some, this means creating or recreating goals. For others, the question “what is it?” becomes a life-long journey of learning. Once you accept and acknowledge who you are, you can embrace your reality, accept your frailties, and still pursue what is.
How Do I Make New Friends?
To begin with, making new friends is like anything else: get out of your head. Stop worrying about your appearance, the impression you made, or finding the right words to say. Most people are just as worried about these things as you are. If someone does reject you for any of those reasons, they are not the type of person you need in your life.
A few more tips include:
Get in touch with acquaintances you would like to know better. Did you lose touch with someone? If you want to further the friendship, text or message them on social media.
Become friends with your existing friend's social group. You probably will get along with their friends since you get along with them.
Accept invitations. Say yes to anything that sounds interesting, within reason. Shared interests can build friendships.
Change is a shared desire. Most people want to become someone else or lead different lives at least once. However, few will take the leap and start fresh. Fear of the unknown is a significant factor in not becoming a better version of yourself. Making the decision to stop drinking or using drugs is intimidating but rewarding. You will change your life while losing toxic friendships in the process. However, you can also gain self-confidence, a new career, return to furthering education, or pick up a new hobby. Starting over with Monte Cristo Recovery means living a healthy life free of alcohol and drugs. You can establish your search for whatever propels you forward in our private residential detoxification center. Our location in Southern California makes us close to major cities while you feel far enough away to focus on your treatment. To learn more, call us today at (714) 824-9896 for treatment options.