The holidays are right around the corner—like days away. For some of us, holidays are a great opportunity to connect with loved ones, whether family, friends, or both. For others, it means navigating being around people and situations that trigger us. We need to learn ways to handle those triggers so we don't have anxiety that may lead us to a setback in our recovery or healing.

I'm about to sound old, but "back in my day," the approach to recovery was limited. We either went to rehab, AA, jail or died. Or we could do what I did and quit cold turkey, but as I've said a million times before, I don't recommend that approach. 

Thankfully, the days of old are long gone. We've learned so much about our amazingly ever-adapting, malleable brains. Yay, science! Now, there are so many approaches to recoveries to choose from. It's up to you to figure out which one is right for you. My only recommendation is that you don't do it alone. I tried to recover and heal alone, and that was a terrible mistake. Whichever path you choose, please find a Sobriety Circle to surround yourself with.

How often have you read here about how important it is to practice self-care and have tools while on your journey of recovery and healing? It would be helpful to have it in one place. I'll update it as I think of more, so keep checking back!

Have you ever had "one of those days?" What about "one of those moments?" For those of us in recovery and healing, knowing how to handle challenging days and moments is an essential part of our recovery and healing journey. And it's much better than having One of Those Days! like Limp Biscuit. Having a safe space at home can help alleviate stress and calm our nerves while promoting and maintaining a positive mindset. It's also a perfect place to go when you're experiencing a trigger.

Have you ever been ready to take a big step forward and suddenly, you freeze? That fear of the unknown can feel overwhelming. You might think, “I’m just not going to do it today.” Guess what? I’ve been there too. Fear can be crippling. So, what do we do with fear? There are two ways we can respond to fear: 

“Forget Everything and Run”, or “Face Everything and Rise.”

Which one will you choose?

Hopefully, you chose “Face Everything and Rise” so you learn about the powerful techniques: playing the script ‘til the end and the stop sign technique. I’m going to use a common example, but these techniques can be applied to just about anything you’re feeling fearful or anxious about.

In my last post, we did the first half of the Setback Prevention Plan. This plan is designed to help you have a proactive approach toward your recovery versus a reactive one. This is a great way to handle challenging moments, urges, situations, and emotions that may lead you to a setback in recovery and healing.

If you have a setback, come back, and evaluate what needs to be adjusted in your Setback Prevention Plan. Remember, this is a no-shame zone. Dust yourself off, learn from the setback, and keep moving forward.

Last week, I talked about what steps to take after a setback. This week, I’ll share about taking a more preemptive way of thinking by implementing a Setback Prevention Plan. This plan is designed to help you have a proactive approach toward your recovery versus a reactive one. This is a great way to handle challenging moments, urges, situations, and emotions that may lead you to a setback in recovery and healing.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: For most people, setbacks are a part of the addiction recovery journey. That doesn't mean every single person will experience them, but many will. When they happen, the important thing to do is pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and learn from them. The last thing we want is to wrap ourselves up in a blanket of shame. That’s why want to focus on the steps to take after a setback, versus the setback itself.