Why is a Daily ‘Pause’ Button Important for Recovery?

When people think about hitting ‘pause,’ it typically means they think of stopping altogether. Not just pausing to reflect on why sobriety is a powerful substance abuse recovery tool, but how to stop doing what they are doing altogether in favor of a different way of life. While there are bigger pauses in life, there is also an element of hitting pause on the small moments. The thoughts, the triggers, the cravings, and everything in between the margins that can cause recovery to feel more difficult than it needs to. Pausing is a choice to live with intention in recovery and find purpose and meaning in reflection. Find out why it is so important and how to incorporate this into daily life.

Get Intentional

Recovery is an inner journey that has outward expression. In other words, change the mind and the body will follow. Many people struggle to realize how the inner thought world can change so much about the outer behavior. The longer a person battles within their own mind, the harder it is to change what is needed to live a bolder life on the journey of recovery. Since recovery is a journey, not a destination, daily reflection is key to the experience of transformation. It is sort of like taking window cleaner to the soul and removing all the dust, dirt, and grime that accumulates simply by sitting, noticing, and paying attention.

Purpose from Pain

The ugly truth about recovery is that people come into it with lots of baggage. Stuff from the past that lingers, previous trauma, and old behaviors or patterns that continue to drive their experience. Recovery is fueled by one moment at a time thinking and living into the purpose of this new life. Without clearly understanding ‘why,’ it may be harder to process the grief. It may also cause people to have less gratitude for what is happening. A ‘why’ is a reason, a purpose that can come from all the hard work, resistance, and a sense of futility about having just lived a horribly difficult experience. It helps to think about it as pausing to remember that this is a solitary journey but it is not meant to be experienced alone.

Daily Pauses

Pausing is about reflection, but also recharging batteries for what’s to come. Finding inner strength for the journey of recovery comes from taking moments of stillness and turning them into outward action. People don’t grow in recovery if they are not focused on the interior journey of transformational change. Peace can grow from understanding that nothing is within a person’s control except what they have in front of them. Belief in a higher power can help bring peace for this journey, as well. The reward for learning to stop and reflect every day on where the journey has gone since quitting drugs or alcohol can be healing in itself. This reward of grace and peace cultivates a deeper inner joy. Everyone needs to believe in self-love and give it to themselves. This helps people reflect on the blessing of peace that people need to feel like they are moving in a forward direction in recovery. Every step has meaning and is a reason to celebrate, so why not take a moment to pause, reflect, and accept these new changes into this new life that awaits. The journey is only beginning.

The Last Resort helps you understand how to take a break from life and focus on your self-care for a moment. This pause can change everything if you let it. We are here to help you navigate it step-by-step, moment by moment, day by day. Call us if you are ready to begin the journey of transformation in recovery. Contact us now!