A Short Guide to Finding Clarity and Nurturing Intentionality
The world we live in isn’t really set up to nurture a mindful, intentional approach to life. It’s really no surprise that so many of us are struggling with addiction/compulsion behaviors as a stress and trauma response. The body does what it can to survive in a world that insists we go and go and go, ignoring the signs that we need to rest, heal, re-set, or refocus.
But you can be different. You can rebel against this. You can make the time and space for Mental and Emotional Clarity. I promise you, it will pay dividends in successful recovery from addiction, increased productivity, quality of life, and a deeper sense of wellbeing.
What would it look like to take an afternoon, or a whole day, on a yearly basis to intentionally spend in careful consideration of your life? A Clarity Day. A day set aside to examine your goals and your progress. A day to consider where things maybe went wrong this past year, and make a plan for how to approach those areas in the future. A day to slow down and reconnect your body and your mind, a day to get back into harmony with yourself.
I firmly believe that this practice is particularly important to those in recovery. I’ve said it before, and I’m not the only one: addiction recovery is a journey, not a destination; a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes the road is bumpy, even rocky, and sometimes we can get thrown off course. Regular clarity checks help us maintain the “high view” of progress along that journey and help us keep the road in front of us clearly in mind. An intentional time set aside for it can help us reconnect with our "why" – the deeper reasons behind our commitment to sobriety.
So what does a Clarity Day actually look like? That’s going to be a little different for every individual, but here are some prompts and tips to get you started:
1. Practice Grounding
Grounding is a fantastic way to integrate your mental and physical state. This integration is really key to be sure that you approach your time of goals and progress assessment with you whole self. Here are some techniques you can integrate into your day of Clarity:
Be outside in Nature. Watch a sunset or sunrise, take a hike, sit on your deck, go birdwatching
Move your body: Some light (or heavy!) exercise will give you an endorphin spike that will contribute to your ability to keep a positive outlook as you do your goal-setting.
Practice some breathing exercises. Breathwork is a fantastic way to reconnect body and mind in harmony together.
2. Values Check-In
Grab a journal or your favorite note-taking app and answer these questions:
What are my core values? (e.g., honesty, integrity, health)
How do my current life habits/schedule/priorities align with these values?
Are there any areas where my current behavior might be conflicting with my values?
3. Goal Assessment
Reflect on your goals for sobriety. They could be short-term (e.g., attending a support group this week) or long-term (e.g., building a strong, sober network). Here are some prompts:
Have I achieved any milestones lately?
Do my current goals still feel relevant?
Are there any adjustments I need to make to my goals to better serve my recovery?
4. Celebrate Small Wins!
This is so key. In our journey through life, we are definitely not always traveling at the same speed– we’re not even always traveling forward, to be honest! So try to cultivate a celebratory attitude toward every small movement in the right direction. Did you resist a trigger? Tried a new healthy coping mechanism? High-five yourself! Keeping track of these wins, no matter how small, can be a powerful motivator. Consider using a gratitude journal or a progress tracker app.
5. Practice Self-Compassion
The purpose of your day of Clarity is not to beat yourself up because you haven’t “done better”. That’s not the point of setting or measuring goals. Of course, setbacks happen. We're all human! You’re here to observe, not to punish yourself for not “measuring up” to an invisible standard. Instead, practice self-compassion. Here's what that might look like:
Acknowledge where things went off the path you set for yourself
Acknowledge your feelings about that: "I'm feeling frustrated right now."
Be kind to yourself: "It's okay to feel this way. It’s ok to make mistakes."
Learn from the experience: "What can I do differently next time?"
Remember, you are not alone on this journey. There are countless resources available to support you, including support groups, online communities, and therapy. Don't hesitate to reach out for help when you need it.
Here are some additional resources:
The National Institute on Drug Abuse: https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/what-we-do/nih-almanac/national-institute-drug-abuse-nida
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): https://www.samhsa.gov/
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org/
Sending you strength and compassion on your journey!
