That first year of recovery tho...

Hey Friends!

Today's episode I wanted to dive into the first year of recovery. As I always state, recovery is personal and individual but I have seen some common themes when it comes to navigating that first year. I want to spend today's time with you to talk about some things that were amazing (to me) and things not so great (to me) as I navigated my first year of recovery or as I like to see it the "Renaissance year of Cynthia." Let's dive in!

The Good:

• Understanding yourself more!
  • During my first year, I learned so much about myself. Discovered what matters, what I value, and what I don't. I never knew what I really stood for until I decided to recover my life.
• Having a clear head
  • I was used to always being a fog. Alcohol consumed me and if I wasn't shaking off a daily hangover (of some kind), I was focused on the happy hours or weekend, so I could indulge. My mind wasn't being used to its fullest potential.
• Building relationships outside of using
  • Learned to meet new people can be awkward and anxiety-inducing. I'm very introverted but developing new relationships or cultivating the ones I had before in a new way was key. I discovered being able to have activities where alcohol wasn't the focal point and it was fun.
• New hobbies
  • Talk about these all the time. Got really into sensual dance. Discovered my love of self-portraiture. All new things for me that I enjoyed and used a tool to explore and get to know myself more.

The Bad: (kinda)

• Emotional Ups and Downs and how to navigate them
  • Man, oh, man! It was nuts. Allowing myself to feel. Defining what I feel. Why I was feeling it? There was just a lot there to unpack. It was overwhelming and I hated parts of it but I tried my best to put in that work.
• FOMO or old hangouts/friends may not “fit” you anymore
  • It sucks feeling like you have outgrown people or situations but it's really a part of life. We may just halt ourselves from doing it.
• Struggling to find balance
  • For an all or nothing type of chick, this was something I STRUGGLED with.
• Seeking out new ways to get “high”
  • You still crave that rush of intensity. How do you navigate that and channel it constructively?

Net/Net: You will grow so much without even realizing it! I encourage you to document this process and revisit where you were and reflect. It can be hard to see growth when you are just trying to make it through the day. I've been there and I see you.

Stay safe out there, friends! Here is the link to some online AA meetings.

And as always, thank you for listening to my lovely show. If possible, I would love for you to review me on iTunes, Google, Stitcher -- anywhere, really.

If you have comments or suggestions feel free to hit me up via the ways below! And sign up for my mailing list. I do like to do giveaways from time to time.

• IG: gettingyourishtogether
• Email: gettingyourishtogether@gmail.com