{"id":1447,"date":"2021-06-29T06:52:52","date_gmt":"2021-06-29T06:52:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jameshaggertyrecovery.com\/?p=1447"},"modified":"2021-06-28T21:03:11","modified_gmt":"2021-06-28T21:03:11","slug":"celebrating-milestones-recovery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jameshaggertyrecovery.com\/blog\/celebrating-milestones-recovery\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Celebrating Every (even small) Milestone in Recovery"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
My sobriety journey has been one of the greatest adventures in my life, so far. I just recently celebrated my sobriety anniversary date, and looking back from where I started to where I am today, well, it is simply amazing. Through my sobriety journey, I have come to realize the importance of celebrating milestones, regardless of how early or late into your journey you are.<\/p>\n
Milestones mark your progress towards your bigger or longer-reaching goals. It is recognizing and celebrating your movement forward, no matter how small of a step it may seem. These small moments are an integral part of recovery because it is the small moments that keep us going when things get rough. It can be too easy to lose yourself in the larger concerns, worries, and stresses of life. Taking the time to step back and celebrate your achievements can keep you on track.<\/p>\n
The importance of celebrating anniversaries and milestones in recovery is impossible to ignore.<\/p>\n
Sobriety is a journey that will last a lifetime. Celebrating milestones never stops because the journey never stops. If you are someone new to recovery, or someone struggling with relapse, reinforcing your milestones, and taking the time to celebrate them can make all the difference. By recognizing your small milestones, you\u2019ll feel a boost in your confidence. The milestones show you are heading in the right direction, and that is something you should feel amazing about. Milestones can help keep you motivated. I know how hard it can be to maintain motivation. Some days are tougher than others, but your milestones will help remind you why you are motivated to stay sober. I know celebrating my milestones was crucial to staying motivated. Recognizing your milestones also helps to reinforce the strength of the sobriety you\u2019ve accomplished so far. There are days where you\u2019ll feel down and will find yourself focusing on the more negative aspects of your journey. Milestones help you to look past those negative thoughts and focus on what is profoundly important.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
While there may be some obvious milestones, such as a week, month, 6 months, year etc., there are plenty of other milestones that you may decide deserves celebration. Milestones are personal, and everyone has a different journey. When it comes to milestones, it is all about what you deem worthy of a celebration, large or small!<\/p>\n
Some milestones you could (and should) celebrate include:<\/strong><\/p>\n These are just a few examples of important milestones to celebrate and not all celebrations will fall in line with a day on the calendar. When it comes to moving into sobriety, there are a lot of other accomplishments and goals that you may have set. It is important to celebrate these moments. It could be small daily accomplishments, making amends with friends or family you may have hurt in the past due to your addiction, or you just want to celebrate life, because life is worth celebrating!<\/p>\n Some other instances of great milestones to consider include:<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Take the time to write down your goals, both long and short-term. This allows you to keep track of the important days, as well as keeps you motivated to see how quickly they are approaching. This also gives you the opportunity to create and maintain a sobriety journal. Keeping track of your thoughts and feelings throughout the process can be cathartic. It also gives you the chance to look back at how far you have come. If journaling isn\u2019t for you, there are plenty of apps available that make tracking your process and milestones quick and easy. It may even provide an opportunity to connect to others who are progressing in their journey.<\/p>\n You may be asking, what do you do to celebrate your recovery?<\/em> Or, how do you celebrate 6 months of sobriety? Or a year?<\/em><\/p>\n Celebrating safely is key to continuing your journey. Safe celebrations, or non-triggering celebrations, may seem odd at first. For many addicts, celebration once meant drug use or drinking, and learning to celebrate again without these aspects can be difficult. In time, you\u2019ll learn what celebrating is about, and it\u2019s about feeling good, having fun, and enjoying those around you. No matter how small the milestone, celebrate it!<\/p>\n When it comes to celebration ideas, the possibilities are endless, but these are a few of my favorites:<\/strong><\/p>\n Milestones help you remember what your goals and aspirations are. Regardless of where you are in your recovery journey, establishing goals both large and small will help keep you on track. Motivation is key to your success. You must remind yourself that you\u2019re doing great, and that any achievement is worth feeling proud. You decided to change your life, and following through will only help you continue to live the best life possible. Sober life has its challenges, but it will always be better than where you could be if you had remained in the harmful world of addiction.<\/p>\n If you are just starting out, struggling with relapse, or want to renew your passion for the sober life, contact me<\/a> so we can talk about your personal story. Let\u2019s share this journey together!<\/p>\n As always, stay strong!<\/p>\n Jim<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My sobriety journey has been one of the greatest adventures in my life, so far. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1449,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[107],"tags":[116],"yoast_head":"\n\n
\n
Celebrate Your Recovery Anniversaries<\/h2>\n
\n
Remember to Celebrate the Milestones, Big or Small<\/h2>\n