INTRO

One of the things that is shocking to me about more popularized recovery programs is the lack of basic knowledge surrounding how to care for your body and spirit during the early phases of recovery. Basic needs such as food, water, and sleep may have gone out the window while you were using, and a foundational skill for rebuilding your life is paying attention to these needs. Not only does it stabilize you physically, increasing your chances of irrational thinking leading to relapse, it sends the message to your subconscious that you are worth caring for. 

Here we will put the focus on the basics of your needs: 

Physical Needs

• Food and water
• Rest and sleep
• Movement 
• Fresh air

Psychological Needs

• Emotional balance
• Connection to self, source, and others
• Mental wellness  

It's not enough to recognize that you are hungry or tired; preventing yourself from getting to a suboptimal state such as hypoglycemia and exhaustion are key.  Maintenance of your physical body to prevent hormonal shifts is as important as knowing how to meet those needs.  This way, you can address what your body is really craving, and send positive nurturing subliminal messages to yourself.

Our Habits Become Our Lives

Our daily patterns become our default patterns. This works in both directions - when we are actively improving our wellness and building in positive practices and when we are becoming less careful with how we are treating ourselves physically and emotionally.

Core Needs Check In

Read the following statements and reflect on whether they feel true over the last 2-3 days:

I have eaten nourishing foods that make my body feel energized.

I have drank enough water so that I rarely feel thirsty. 

I have moved my body by walking, dancing, stretching or doing other forms of exercise that I enjoy.

I have spent time outside or in other relaxing environments.

I have allowed myself to take deep breaths and pause between activities/responsibilities.

I have gotten 7-8 hours of sleep and maintained a consistent sleep schedule.

Incremental Change

It is rarely effective to revamp your whole life at once. Rather focus on incremental changes. Doing things better tomorrow than you did today, but with approachable changes in behavior. This way, the new patterns can become your default patterns. 

Important: Pick 1 or 2 things to focus on at a time. Commit to them fully. Allow them to become habits and then pick 1-2 others.

Examples: 

• I will drink a full liter of water when I wake up before coffee or breakfast.
• I will go for a short walk at lunch everyday.
• I will be in bed without my phone every night by 11 PM.

Throughout this course you will find many things that you may want to integrate into your life. It can feel exciting to try them all at once. While this sometimes works for a short period of time, we recommend incremental changes for more sustainable life shifts. Keep this approach in mind as you move through this course and your recovery journey.