Highs and Lows: Learning Gratitude

It is said that those who have survived addiction know about the lowest of the lows so much more than those who have not battled addiction. With that propensity of feeling such strong emotion, which often is one of the reasons for addiction, comes the ability to feel strong gratitude. The strength that it takes to survive addiction, to find the conviction to stick to recovery, and to live in sobriety, gives us the strength to see life for what it is. This process, and the process of taking inventory, help us to remember the gratitude in sobriety.

At Fresh Start of California, we give you the tools to start fresh in a life of sobriety. One of these tools is learning how to practice gratitude. Our Orange County detox and recovery specialists are here to offer you support, tools, and a holistic approach to recovery.

Contact our team today if you need drug or alcohol rehabilitation in Orange County. We are here to answer your call 24/7.

Humility and Gratitude in Recovery

A huge part of recovery and sobriety is humility- the act of humility and the understanding of humility. Humility, or being humble, goes along with the knowledge that we are not the center of the universe. Truly understanding that we are not entitled and that we are capable of having a negative (or positive) effect on others, is understanding that we are human.

Through this understanding we find gratefulness. All things positive in our lives are worth being grateful for. This is true especially in sobriety because we often are coming from a place of complete destitution, or complete surrender, and as sobriety fills the holes in life, it brings with it reasons for thankfulness. Sobriety gives us everything we have, from stability and “normalcy” to the things we own, new relationships, and employment.

Gratitude can help us get through hard times in sobriety. It can change our attitude and behavior, improving our outlook on the present and the future. We can even practice gratitude for surviving our time in addiction and for the chance to live in sobriety. Practicing gratitude for what we have allows more positivity to come our way. Gratitude for what you have releases the unhappiness the comes from focusing on what we don’t have and releases resentment for what you have but don’t want.

Creating an Attitude of Gratitude

Living in sobriety and gratitude can take practice. There are several ways to cultivate gratitude in your heart and life. Use our tips below to get started.

• Start your day by thinking of 3 things to be grateful for before you get out of bed.
• Keep a gratitude journal and try to fill one page at the end of each day with positive thoughts and things you are grateful for.
• Send thank-you letters via snail-mail or email to friends, family, or associates.
• Look around when you are in nature and say a mental “thank you” for the beautiful things you see.
• Practice speaking about things, experiences, or events that you are excited and grateful for rather than sharing negativity.
• Give compliments freely and happily, tell someone you love their shirt, tell someone they did a good job.
• If you enjoy spending time practicing self-care, remember to do so with mindfulness and gratitude, even if it is just giving thanks for the hot water in your shower, or the taste of toothpaste.

Find a New Life with Fresh Start of California

Fresh Start of California offers residential and outpatient detox and rehabilitation for our patients. We understand that everyone has unique needs and individual treatments that will best provide the framework for recovery. Let us walk with you into your new life, into a mindset of gratitude in sobriety. We are here for you.

Contact Fresh Start of California for detox and rehabilitation treatment in Orange County.