How to Make Your Home a Better Place for Staying Sober
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If you or someone you know has made the decision to stay sober – congratulations! You have taken the first step towards making a better life for your family, your friends, and most importantly, yourself. The journey will not be easy, but fortunately, there are many resources for you along the way.
One of the first things that you’ll want to take care of is making your home a safe space for staying sober. Your home should be a place of refuge and safety, but for many, it is also a place of temptations and failed attempts. To combat this potential pitfall, here are a few tips to consider.
Clean It Thoroughly
Cleaning your house thoroughly can be the first step in removing destructive habits and staying sober. The saying “out with the old and in with the new” holds true here. Do a thorough cleaning of your home – or, if you’re not quite up for doing a deep-clean yourself, hire a cleaning company.
Cleaning is not only a great stress reliever and a physical reminder that you are scrubbing away the old life, but it can also help in practical ways too. Deep cleaning will remove or air out familiar odors which could be a snare on your journey. Cleaning your carpets thoroughly, for example, can help you keep your home fresh and a healthier place to be.
Showcase Your Reason for Staying Sober
You should be proud of your decision to stay sober! It can be hard to showcase your decision out loud and to others, but it’s a proven method for helping you to stay on track to sobriety. Remembering your powerful “WHY” can make it easier to stay sober. It’s easier to remember your “WHY” if it’s in front of you continually. For example, you can place pictures of your children and/or loved ones around your home to constantly remind you of why you’re staying sober. It can also be helpful to place scripture verses and other mantras in visible places to remind you, especially when you are struggling.
Identify Your Triggers
Human beings are creatures of habit, and everyone has ruts, habits, automatic responses, and routines that you are carrying out often without realizing it. While it’s unlikely that you can do anything about the human propensity to create habits, what you can do is identify your own personal habit triggers. Many people, for example, may feel the need to drink after a stressful day at work or when they are feeling lonely. Finding and identifying your own habit patterns or “triggers” can help you prepare for times of temptation.
And something to do when you are feeling tempted? Try filling the time by reading and interacting with sobriety blogs. It’ll help you gain a sense of community and feel connected to others who are walking through the same struggles.
Keep in mind that these are just a few of the tips and tricks to aid you on your road to recovery. Please remember that addiction recovery isn’t a struggle that you can conquer on your own, so please seek the help of others, professionals, and people you know, who will support you on your goal to sobriety.