Make This Your Best Year Yet!

What is a New Year’s resolution? Well, if you ask Siri, it is a tradition in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their life.

Recently, I found myself stuck in an old pattern of focusing on the qualities I deem to be “bad” about myself in the hopes of making some changes. Then one night, while lying in bed unable to sleep, it became clear to me that I needed to stop placing so much pressure on myself. I got out of bed, dropped to the floor, and quieted my mind. In that moment, I remembered that I had the power to shift my awareness to reframe how I had been viewing things.

When reflecting on the past year, I was not looking at all the amazing things I was able to experience but rather the things I felt I had not yet achieved. I got to thinking that resolutions are unrealistic expectations that lead to disappointment. Picking one thing that I feel I need to improve limits my potential as a human. If I look back at the person that I was a year ago, I wouldn’t recognize her. So much has changed — all my experiences, interactions, struggles and achievements over this past year, over my lifetime, have shaped me. I have evolved as a person and will continue to evolve.

When you flip a critical approach into a positive one, you can create deeper meaning in your life. Rather than focusing on one thing this year, why not begin to highlight your growth? If you aren’t sure about your progress, call a friend, speak to a co-worker, or talk to a family member. Sometimes they see things that we can’t.
I started a journal to remind myself how amazing my life is and to become more in tune with myself. Each morning I write about how I am feeling and five things that I am grateful for. I then set a positive mantra for myself, something that I can turn to if I need it throughout the day. Before I go to sleep, I again write five things I am thankful for, how I am feeling, and one thing that I learned that day.

Doing this has helped me focus on the good and stay in touch with reality. It brings me back to earth, rather than drifting off into some unknown place in my mind. I am so grateful for self-awareness. It has helped me recognize when I need to make changes in my life that help me rather than harm me. I can’t wait to see who I become this year, and the journey is going to be amazing.

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Share Night Volunteers Speakers

Mark K. West Haven. CT 2055 Days Matthew C. Litchfield, CT 2032 Days Dylan W. Canaan, CT 1586 Days James G. Seymour, CT 1142 Days Shaun C. Torrington, CT 1101 Days Devon M. Canaan, CT 739 Days Talea M. New York, NY 381 Days

Please email Jessica Dolan if you are an alum with six months of sobriety and are interested in sharing your story at Alumni Share Night.

Recovery is Possible: Paul M.

My sobriety date is June 14, 2017. The 12 Steps have changed my life in so many ways but the most important to me has to be the courage to over come fears that arise in my daily life. Before I ran and hid in my addiction. Now I am prepared with tools and a higher power of my understanding.