Let’s face it, living in one of the busiest cities doesn’t leave much time for taking care of ourselves, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life in a big city can lead to a myriad of health problems both physical and mental. When you’re surrounded by constant activity, constant things to do, and constant entertainment, it can be difficult to maintain the lifestyle you’ve come to prefer for yourself. What’s important to realize is that no matter your surroundings, they don’t have to dictate the person you are. Instead, make your life all about you, as it should be. If you’re living the sober lifestyle and struggling to maintain it while living the city life, here are some tips.
Make More Time for Yourself
Self-care is at the height of importance when you are striving for a healthy lifestyle. And by self-care, we don’t mean canceling plans with your friends forever to go to endless wellness retreats. Simply prioritize taking care of your needs before saying yes to those dinner plans. Adding self-care to your routine can look like a number of different things. For instance, if you find your stress level climbing, try a massage or a yoga class. Treating yourself and getting back to your center can give you the internal space necessary to stay on your healthy path.
Set Your Schedule in Stone
This may seem like the opposite of what you want to do if you’re already fighting that stressfully busy city life and imbalanced work-life balance, but for some creating a rigid schedule can help them stick to the morals they have chosen for themselves. As a bonus, having an already packed schedule makes it easy to turn down other activities that may lead to stepping off of your plan. Schedule everything you do, from eating breakfast to feeding the cat, and stick to it. The routine may give you some serenity.
Take a Break
If you’re feeling extremely overwhelmed, perhaps it’s time to give yourself a break. This can be in the form of getting away from stressful things for a while, like a vacation from work, a trip out of the city, or even just some scheduled time away from your everyday responsibilities. This can be useful for people who have fallen off the wagon, as well. Sometimes a change of scenery is all that’s needed to put things back in perspective. There are a number of NYSHIP rehabs outside New York, for example, making it easy for NY residents to find what they need to get back to themselves.
Examine Your Relationships
Do the people who are currently in your life ever cause you to feel like a burden, or do you feel as if you can’t go to them when you are wanting a change in lifestyle, such as trying to live soberly? If this is the case and as difficult as it may sound, it may be time to start exploring new friendships and new relationships. Throughout the course of our lives friendships come and go, and people change.
If you are feeling as if your current group is holding you back from your true potential or even the person you see yourself as being, explore your area for free sober living events and groups, or even just activities to do that don’t involve the substances or events you are trying to stay away from. True friends and family members who actually care about you will encourage your healthy choices for yourself.
Think About a Meeting
Even if you’ve never been involved with AA or similar groups like ACoA, think about attending a meeting. There’s nothing required to attend a meeting – you don’t have to participate, you don’t have to tell your story, and you can show up and listen and leave without saying a word or interacting at all if you so choose. Sometimes, just hearing the stories of others can help you maintain the lifestyle you want to live. There are millions of people in our country alone struggling with similar issues, and sometimes all we need is to realize that we are not alone.
No matter where you are with your lifestyle choices, or if this is a temporary or permanent thing for you, sober living can be hugely beneficial and can give you a boost toward the life you want for yourself. Living in a big city doesn’t mean conforming to big-city stereotypes. Live for yourself!
