Making any big change can seem like a massive undertaking. When we see others doing it, we often only see the beginning and end of their journey. Behind the scenes lies multiple roadblocks, setbacks and challenges that had to be overcome along the way.
Our skewed perception of personal change is fueled further by the presence of these stories on social media. Typically accompanied by motivational quotes that boil down to just doing whatever it is you want to do, these posts only serve to make those still on their journey feel they’re doing it wrong somehow.
There’s No Wrong Way To Make Progress
What works for one person may not work for another. There are groups of people who wake up in the morning and have their routine to set up their day for success. Others simply aren’t the morning type and find that they’re more productive in the later hours, saving their to-do list for the evening.
It’s important to find what works for you to keep motivation high and rewards worth the time and energy. Small victories are what wins the war as it’s extremely rare that a single change will flip the switch needed to achieve your long-term goals.
Think about your favorite athlete, entertainer, academic or anyone else that you look up to. The accomplishments and accolades they’ve achieved didn’t happen overnight. Rather, it took them years of training and practice in order to become who they are today.
The same applies to everyone. If you want to start exercising regularly, it starts with moving your body in some way even if only a few times a week. Consistency with these small steps starts to build a routine, eventually becoming second nature and requiring little motivation to stay the course.
Focus On These Routines Instead of the End Goal
When there’s something you want to achieve, it’s near impossible to forget about it. Rather than constantly comparing where you are to what your endgame plan is, hone in on the grind that will get you there.
If your goal is to reel in your alcohol consumption, start by setting daily limits on how much you allow yourself to drink. Clue your loved ones in on what you’re doing to create a support system that can help hold you accountable. As you continue to meet your goal, start reducing the amount even more.
Let’s say it takes you six months of small adjustments to ultimately reach your goal of a healthy amount of drinking or even total sobriety. By taking the time to change your drinking habits at their core, you:
- establish that drinking isn’t a requirement for you to go about your day.
- allow your body to wean off of the large amounts of alcohol and avoid withdrawals.
- build up the discipline needed to avoid drinking in excess during stressful times.
Once you know which approach works best for you, stick to it and rest assured that your efforts will eventually pay off. If you wait around for a miracle solution to your problems, you may never realize your personal goals.
Understand That Motivation Is a Fickle Resource
No matter how many positive influences we surround ourselves with, there’s only so much motivation available to us at any one time. We can’t anticipate how we’ll feel the morning after a night of pumping ourselves up, regardless of how much we want it to carry over.
Motivation simply isn’t reliable enough to get us through to our goals alone. If ending substance abuse is the most glaring target for you, waiting on motivation to strike to start making changes can drag the process out for years or even indefinitely.
It’s even easier to turn to substances in these cases as we tend to give up on the entire day if motivation hasn’t made its way into the equation. By choosing to take the first baby steps on the road to recovery, you’ll start building momentum and turn those steps into leaps and bounds.
Get Help Figuring Out What You Truly Need
Are you worried that overcoming substance abuse is too big of a change to make on your own? If so, you should know that substance abuse and addiction treatment is the best route forward. To achieve long-term sobriety and the ultimate goal of being in control of your life, turn to the compassionate professionals at America’s Rehab Campus.
Don’t wait on a sign from fate or a magic stroke of motivation. Contact ARC today for a free consultation and discover just how manageable recovery can be.
