Quiet time is essential for everyone. Some may welcome peace and quiet, while others aim to avoid alone time at all costs. This may be the case as a result of personality traits or could be in an effort to hide or escape from something.
If you are struggling with an addiction to drugs or alcohol, you might fit into both categories. It can be common to self-isolate amid your addiction out of shame and guilt. You might shy away from gatherings where you might see people who know you well and care for you.
On the other hand, you might make efforts to surround yourself with people to avoid facing the fact that you have a problem. Often, these are not the people who support your well-being. The people you spend time around typically live a similar lifestyle and may also be struggling with substance abuse.
As you come to terms with your addiction and begin the healing process, you will need to do a little soul-searching. Self-discovery is an important part of recovery and can be the only way to really process and cope with your history of substance abuse and how it has affected you and those you love.
Quiet Time
Quiet time can be whatever you want it to be, as long as it is quiet. Quiet doesn’t necessarily mean silent, but it does mean distraction-free. The great thing is that quiet time can take place outdoors, indoors, at home, or in the community. You might find a great place for quiet time at a park. Maybe you have a favorite room in your house that brings you peace. Anywhere you feel comfortable is an excellent place for some quiet time.
Usually, quiet time is spent reflecting or thinking. In treatment and recovery, it is important to reflect on your experience and what led you to substance abuse. Individual and group therapy can help you process these thoughts and guide you in developing strategies for processing and filtering your thoughts outside of therapy.
Journaling
You may spend some time journaling during quiet time. Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you process them and work through any challenges you might be having. Seeing things written on paper makes them real.
It can be common to fight your thoughts and feelings in treatment and recovery. You may feel ashamed or embarrassed to share certain things in therapy or in group settings. Writing this information can help you feel more comfortable with your truth and may eventually help you share it with others.
Goal Setting
Quiet time is also a great time to think about what you want to accomplish in treatment and recovery. Goal setting can take a lot of thought. Considering your goals and making sure they are realistic and measurable is important. You want to be sure they are thoughtful and in support of your sobriety. Spending a little quiet time coming up with goals for the future can help you stay focused and on track.
Meditation
Meditation is something that everyone can benefit from. Life can get hectic and stressful. However, taking time to slow down and focus on the moment can be grounding and help restore balance. It can be easy to get caught up and distracted by other things when what you really need to focus on is healing and recovering.
Meditating helps remove distractions and allows you to focus strictly on yourself and your thoughts and feelings in that moment. This will enable you to check in with yourself and evaluate what you might need support with.
Prayer
Forming a connection with God or a Higher Power in treatment and recovery is crucial. Handing over control to God when you feel powerless can be both relieving and encouraging. Spending time in prayer each day can help strengthen your relationship with God or a Higher Power. When this connection is strong, you are more likely to turn to Him in times of need.
Prayer offers an opportunity to voice your fears, worries, and needs to a non-judgemental audience. Putting faith in God and the healing power of His promise can provide comfort and assurance. Using a little bit of your quiet time to pray can be very helpful to your recovery.
Learning to Spend Time Alone
Learning to be comfortable spending time alone can take some time. However, the more you practice, the better you will get. You might even find yourself looking forward to some quiet time each day.
Checking in with yourself regularly throughout treatment and recovery is extremely important. Your overall well-being and maintaining sobriety have to be your top priority. Try scheduling some quiet time every day. Whether you spend that time journaling, goal setting, meditating, or praying is up to you.
When was the last time you scheduled a little quiet time into your day? Spending time sitting with your thoughts and emotions can aid in the healing and recovery process. You can use this time to meditate, pray, journal, or work on setting goals that support your recovery. At Renaissance Ranch, we help you prioritize prayer and quiet time, as we believe it is essential to your recovery success. If you or a loved one is in need of help for their addiction and could benefit from our programs, we would love to connect and provide you with more information. To begin your journey to recovery and healing, call Renaissance Ranch today at (801) 308-8898.