Is This All There Is?
I was born with the “MORE” gene. It’s part of who I am. That’s probably why I became an addict. Thirty-four years ago, I crawled into recovery as a beaten and broken man. By following suggestions from people who were able to get and stay sober, I learned how to stay sober too.
The challenge became this: I didn’t just want to be clean and sober—I wanted a great life! Over time, I began to realize that if the Creator built this “more” character trait into me, then surely it could be put to good use.
My experience is that the true joy of recovery is redirecting our “more” tendencies to achieve positive, worthwhile goals. If you are seeking solutions or just some fresh ideas on how to move your recovery dreams forward in 2025, let me offer a few suggestions:
1) Be careful how you talk to yourself.
We talk to ourselves all day long. And our internal conversations either propel us forward or drag us backward. During active addiction, many of us developed the habit of mentally beating ourselves up. This unproductive, limiting habit can stay with us long after we stop using.
“The voice” in our head tells us: I’m not good enough, pretty enough, or talented enough. Sometimes we reinforce weak suggestions such as: Someday I’ll fall in love. Someday I’ll finish college. Someday I’ll make more money.
Remember—Today is Someday!
Suggestion: Write down four positive affirmations and read them aloud several times a day or whenever you drift into unproductive thinking patterns. Over time, these affirmations will become part of your subconscious. This is an easy way to rewrite the software in your head and create a new, positive habit.
A few examples:
- I was created to be sober, free, and loved.
- I can achieve all my goals.
- I can create the reality of my choosing.
- I am healthy in body, mind, and spirit.
2) Ask yourself better questions.
Better questions produce better answers. Better answers ensure better results. What kind of questions are you asking?
Do you begin your day with unproductive questions such as:
Why do I have to wake up? How come I never get a break? Why do I have to go to work? I don’t know if I can succeed, so why bother trying? How am I ever going to pay my bills?
These types of fearful and negative questions instantly produce negative emotions, putting unneeded stress on your entire being. Physically, our bodies tense up, self-esteem plummets, and we can even feel achy and nauseous. Mentally, we become anxious and depressed. These types of questions are carryover habits from our days in active addiction. They are a self-fulfilling prophecy and a complete waste of time.
Suggestion: Begin a new, more empowering habit of starting your day in a productive way by asking better questions.
Examples include:
- What would I do today if I had unlimited time, freedom, and money?
- How can I do something enjoyable and get paid for it?
- What would I do if success were guaranteed?
- How am I going to have fun TODAY?
This is not idle daydreaming. This is how you design a life.
All human accomplishments begin in the workshop of the mind. These types of questions, when answered intelligently, give you clues as to what really interests you. When you do something you like, you do it with enthusiasm, and it doesn’t feel like work. Do something with enthusiasm instead of just for a paycheck, and you typically do it well. Doing something well increases your self-esteem. Do something well, and you will earn more money.
3) Take Action
We have all had good ideas and grand dreams about what we want to do, own, or accomplish, but few of us take the consistent action required to turn our dreams into reality.
A successful life rarely happens in a flash of brilliance or in a moment’s stroke of inspiration. More often, it happens by taking consistent, focused, daily action over an extended period of time.
A good idea might pop into your consciousness, but unless we take focused action, nothing will come of it. Sometimes the hardest part of becoming successful beyond sobriety is just getting started. The good news is that all the tools needed to maintain sobriety are transferable into everyday life.
Suggestion: Write down one action step you could take today to turn your dreams into reality.
It might be as simple as making a phone call. Maybe you want to register for a class. Perhaps you could find a mentor who already knows how to accomplish what you are seeking to achieve.
After all, isn’t that how most of us got sober? We took small steps on a daily basis, and it turned into a sober life. The same process can be used on your journey to abundance.
At the very least, write down your goal and place it where you will read it every day. Following through on these simple suggestions will increase your ability to make 2025 your best year ever!
To learn more, visit mymentalhealth.org and download the APP!
Taking this simple action today is your first step to making 2025 a year of Happiness, Joy, Sobriety, and Abundance.
Brian McAlister is President of My Mental Health, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, creator of the Freedom 365 Virtual Recovery System, author of the #1 Amazon bestselling book Full Recovery, and CEO/Founder of the Full Recovery Wellness Center licensed treatment facility.