We are all familiar with the holiday song, The 12 Days of Christmas, but this year we are turning it upside down in honor of you and your recovery. Instead of an ode to the gifts you are going to receive, we have put together a list of activities that will ensure that not only you will have a happy holiday but those around you will also catch on.
Create a Shared Emotional Connection
Being social and garnering a sense of community while in recovery is essential. For the first day of recovery, we challenge you to reach out and create a shared emotional connection with those who are in your recovery group or even in your social circles.
Host a Gathering
Playing host or hostess doesn’t always have to translate to a grand and extravagant celebration. For the second day of recovery, we challenge you to simply host someone that is new to recovery. Ask them to join you for coffee or to go for a walk to talk about how they are doing.
Keep Your Contacts
The holidays can be a particularly lonely time, especially for those in recovery. So, for the third day of recovery, we challenge you to create a list of recovery contacts that you can reach out to when you need a little extra support. It doesn’t have to be long – even one person is enough.
Stay Busy and Don’t Forget Your Manners
Invites are rolling in this time of year, and it can be all too easy to RSVP “Yes” to each and every one. Today, for the fourth day of recovery, we challenge you to line up your holiday celebration invites and fill up your calendar with only the ones you feel align with your goals in your recovery plan.
The Party Escape Trick
We’ve all been to parties where we may want to leave a little earlier than we had initially planned and since parties are a hotbed of triggers for those in recovery, it’s important to have an escape plan. So, on the fifth day of recovery, we have a little gift for you: a party escape trick. Look like you’re having a great time and say, “I’m sorry I have to leave so early, this is such an awesome party!”
I’m Thankful For…
Gratitude is often overlooked in recovery but it can one of your best assets. For the sixth day of recovery, we challenge you to make a gratitude list. A list of all the things in your life that you are currently thankful for.
Get a Hobby
When you are new to recovery, boredom is enemy number one. Don’t meditate on the negative. Instead keep busy by picking up a new hobby. For the seventh day of recovery, we challenge you to pick up a book, a craft, or even a yoga practice to pass the time in a fun way.
Take it Easy on Yourself
It’s easy to get carried away, especially this time of year. No one is perfect so try to take the holidays and especially your recovery, one day at a time. For the eighth day of recovery, we challenge you to do just that by living in the moment.
Pay Sobriety Forward
Achieving sobriety is an amazing accomplishment. You will feel great and what is better than sharing that and encouraging others to do the same? For the ninth day of recovery, we challenge you to reach out to someone who is newer to recovery than you are and give them a pep talk. Let them know they are doing great and that it only gets better from here.
Reconnect and Repair
Your relationships likely suffered at the hands of your addiction and during the holidays this can be so much more apparent. For the eleventh day of recovery, we challenge you to reach out to someone from your past to reconnect and repair what damage has been done. Remember, I’m sorry goes a long way.
Appreciate the Journey
At the end of the year, it’s common to look to the year ahead and begin making goals. For the twelfth day of recovery, we challenge you to look back at your recovery journey and appreciate how far you’ve come. There were probably a lot of dark times, but take some time to access your decisions and to learn from your past.
If you or someone you love could benefit from addiction treatment, contact The Discovery House today at (818) 452-1676 to speak to an addiction counselor. We can provide information about the addiction treatment programs at our addiction rehab center and answer any questions you might have about addiction and recovery.