Find your center: With all of the chaos and hubbub of daily life, it’s important that when you are home you take special effort to make sure you focus on yourself. Instead of engaging in high quantity low-quality outlets, like excess video gaming, binge watching the latest movies, shows or dramas here are some suggestions that may be better for you;
1. Go outside: While this may sound like something your mom told you a million times when you were a kid, this old adage is actually very applicable. Nowadays with cell phones and iPads and other methods of distraction, going outside does not have to always be boring. You can bring a book or an e-book or your favorite music.
Other ways to make the outdoors a little more interesting, are to walking over to a sports fields where you can see watch playing sports, become an amateur photographer with your iPhone, or go walking with a friend. The outdoors make for great selfies.
2. Develop a hobby or learn a skill: With our new 21st-century technology, you can learn any language you want from the comfort of your iPhone or iPad while simultaneously making dinner. You can also learn how to make dinner by studying cookbooks, getting tips from people, checking out YouTube, and becoming a mini chef. Or perhaps it might be more interesting to become a movie producer, utilizing technology again as well as highly accessible (and free) software. Have a cool idea? You could literally bring it to life utilizing relatively low-cost household items and share it with your friends and soon to be YouTube and social media fans.
3. Reconnect: With the daily grind it’s not always easy to stay connected to friends who are not local or family. Setting aside time to reach out and connect is very valuable both for you and for those around you. As social creatures connecting with people we love and care about also makes us feel good and gives purpose and meaning to our day. Many people, and the pursuit of social interaction, spend an inordinate amount of time at social events at social locations and the like this is not recommended in excess though of course hang out with friends dating and going on on the weekends are all things you can do to reward yourself and stay connected just don’t do it in excess.
4. Sports: For those who are competitive and or sports minded, engaging in a team sport or even individual type competitions (chess?), can be a wholesome way to both spend time and give your brain and body a workout. A simple Google search should bring up a list of local leagues for almost any kind of sports or competition type events. Hone your skills and test your mental against other like minded individuals and get some satisfaction from bringing home a win or at least developing your skills.
5. Quiet Time: Many people under-rate the importance of having some quality time, and some quiet time, by yourself. This can be done by taking a walk, taking a nap, taking a hot bath or shower, meditating, journaling, or engaging in other expressive outlets such as art, calligraphy, songwriting, playing music, listening to music etc.
6. Upgrading: There is always something that can be done around the house, in the car, on the cars inside, outside, for you, or even for a friend or relative to upgrade your surroundings. This might mean a new coat of paint, new rims, doing the lawn, doing your hair, doing someone else’s hair, making a DIY project, organizing or re-organizing the garage, and the list goes on. In this way you can get some personal outlet that both provide satisfaction and practically makes the world around you a better place.
For more information on supportive Recovery services as well as events and education on addiction contact The Detox Center of Los Angeles; 888-767- 5692
