What’s Next In 2020 — 3 Tip’s For A Successful New Year
What’s Next in 2020?
By Brian McAlister, Freedom 365
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. Twenty-nine years ago, I crawled into recovery 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, 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.
Most recovering addicts find themselves at some point asking themselves: Is this all there is? Am I destined to spend my life in church basements attending meetings? Will I always be struggling to make ends meet? Will I ever find true love? What is my purpose in life? I have seen scores of addicts get sober, yet not be able to experience all the joy and abundance recovery offers. They continue to struggle in their relationships and suffer the burden of financial scarcity. These real challenges and struggles are often a contributing factor to relapse.
My experience is that the true joy of recovery is redirecting our “more” tendencies to achieve our positive worthwhile goals. If you are seeking solutions or just some fresh ideas on how to move your recovery forward in 2020, let me offer a few suggestions:
1) Be careful how you talk to yourself.
We talk to ourselves all day long. And the conversations either propel us forward or drag us backward. During active addiction many of us developed the habit of mentally beating ourselves up. This sadistic 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 they will become part of your subconscious. This is an easy way to create a new positive habit.
A few examples are, 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? These types of 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 depressed. These types of questions are carryover habits from our days in active addiction. They are self-fulfilling prophesies 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 would be: What would I do today if I had unlimited time, freedom and money? 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 for a paycheck, and you typically do it well. Do something well and you will earn more money.
Other examples of better questions might be: What do I enjoy doing? How can I do something enjoyable and get paid for it? When you do what you enjoy then work becomes play.
3) Take Action
Faith without works is dead. We all have 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. All the tools needed to maintain sobriety are transferable into everyday life. Sometimes the hardest part of becoming successful beyond sobriety is just getting started.
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 that already knows how to accomplish what you are seeking to accomplish. 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 2020 your best year ever!
Brian McAlister is creator of Freedom 365 Virtual Recovery System, the most comprehensive program of addiction recovery ever offered on a digital platform, author of the #1 Amazon bestselling book Full Recovery and CEO/Founder of the Full Recovery Wellness Center licensed treatment facility in Fairfield, NJ.
To learn more visit; vrsfreedom365.com