Power of Recovery Affirmations in Sobriety

The most considerable impact on our self-perception is made by what we say about ourselves. When a person tells themselves, “I’m a failure” or “I’m worthless”, unfortunately, these words can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Often these beliefs are so deeply ingrained within a person that they’re almost second nature.

This is problematic because the things that we think about ourselves impact how we feel and in turn, affect how we act. A person is unlikely to embark on a process of transformation when they feel that they are incapable of making changes in their life.

This is where positive recovery affirmations can help. If we want to feel better about ourselves and be motivated toward positive change, we have to change our inner narrative. We can shift the messages we tell ourselves on a daily basis and the broader way in which we frame our life. We can rewrite the story.

What Are Recovery Affirmations?

Recovery or sober affirmations are slogans and mantras that a person tells themselves regularly that reinforce positive belief about themselves and the situation they are in. They are a form of positive self-talk that helps to challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts and keep one in a state of mindfulness in recovery.

While affirmations are based on an optimistic outlook, they are more than just cheerful statements or wishful thinking. Affirmations are practical - they are pointers for conduct and instructions for action. In other words, they are intended to stimulate and motivate a person to act upon them in some way to achieve a goal. Let’s take a look at some examples below.

Why Are Positive Recovery Words Important?

The goal of recovery affirmations is to aid an individual in recovering from their addiction, but more broadly it also helps to change the way an individual thinks about themselves. If before the recovery process, a person looked in a mirror and didn’t like the person looking back at them, recovery affirmations help to improve one’s self-perception and give them a greater sense of self-worth. Regular repetition of one’s chosen phrase, even when one has finished inpatient and outpatient treatment, will allow it to become embedded in their thought process so that one can really internalize its meaning.

Recovery affirmations also help to improve a person’s mental health. Substance abuse and feelings of anxiety, depression, self-doubt, and shame often go hand-in-hand. Mental health problems and addictive behavior often have an interdependent relationship - sometimes, these issues will be what leads to the addictive behavior in the first place, and other times it is the addiction that undermines self-confidence and causes one’s mental well-being to deteriorate.

Recovery affirmations assist a person in improving their self-esteem, which will give them more confidence and empower them to be more productive and resilient in the face of challenges by building up mental and emotional strength.

How to Choose An Affirmation

Just as addiction will be different for different people, so too when it comes to recovery affirmations; there is no one size fits all.

One way to go about choosing an affirmation would be for the addict to consider which area they are struggling with the most. For one addict, the greatest challenge could be their lack of self-worth. For another, it might be frustration with how long the process of recovery takes. Once a person has identified the area that presents the biggest obstacle to them, they can then go about choosing an affirmation that will help them with it. It can also be helpful for an individual to brainstorm their goals, values, and good qualities in order to get a clearer idea of what is important to them and where they are headed.

Some other things to consider are that a person’s affirmation should ideally be something that can be used for a long period of time and is suitable for a wide range of situations. The process of recovery has several different steps, and one’s affirmation should be able to accompany them throughout the entire journey, through both the highs and the lows, and during sober living.

Examples of Affirmations for Addiction Recovery

Here we will take a look at some examples of recovery and sobriety affirmations for addiction and analyze what they mean. It is important to bear in mind that affirmations don’t need to mean the same thing to each person; they can each take on their own personal meaning to different people.

One day at a time - Made famous by Alcoholics Anonymous, this is one of the popular AA affirmations. To some, the journey to recovery might seem like a never-ending process that causes a feeling of despair. This affirmation breaks the journey down into baby steps and allows the addict to celebrate milestones such as weeks or months of sobriety or abstention from drugs.
Progress over perfection - Setbacks and relapses into old and familiar habits are bound to occur, but what matters is that one is headed in the right direction. As long as one is on an upward trajectory, it’s fine and normal if there are bumps along the way.
This too shall pass - This focuses the individual’s attention on the fact that their addiction is a temporary rather than a permanent state and allows them to envisage a future and a life beyond addiction.
My recovery is giving me the chance to live the life I deserve - Envisaging all the good things that one’s future after recovery involves fills a person with optimism.
I treat myself like a friend who I really care about - Treating oneself with dignity and value is a precursor to living a better life. A person needs to know that they matter and are important.
There is beauty in being alive - Life-affirming statements declare that life is not only worth living but existence is filled with beauty.
My struggle with addiction doesn’t define who I am - Addiction need not be all-encompassing and envelop the entirety of one’s being. Addiction is just one aspect of their life.
I forgive myself for my past mistakes - Forgiving the past can relieve the weight from a person’s shoulders and give them a sense of freedom to enter the future with ease.
You are in charge of your life story - As the famous poem ‘Invictus’ ends, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Our life doesn’t define us, but we define our life.
You are stronger than your temptation - There is a saying in the Jewish tradition “Who is strong? The person who rules over their passion.” True strength is internal, and through recovery, a person will build up their inner strength, and it will become increasingly easier to say ‘no.’

Recovery is Within Reach With Sober Affirmations

There is an idea that words cannot change reality, but they can change how we perceive reality. This isn’t, however, entirely true. By altering how a person views themselves, they will be able to change the way they act in the world, which will change the reality around them. And recovery affirmations can cause that change.

If you or a loved one are suffering through addiction, Avenues Recovery can make that which seems impossible possible, and within your reach. Our team of trained professionals will guide you to take control of your emotions rather than have them control you. You can make positive changes in your life and start your addiction-free journey today.