A Life Worth Living in Addiction Recovery With FREE PDF Download

From a Life Worth Dying For to a Life Worth Living

We have to find a way to go from a life worth dying for to a life worth living. For many of us, living can be far scarier than dying. We know our addiction is killing us but we choose to do it anyway. Why? Because, in that moment, our life feels like it's worth dying for. But living? Truly living? How do we make our life worth living for when the very idea scares the shit out of us?

I mean, the idea of truly living can be terrifying for an addict. It means stepping out of the numbness and into the vast expanse of the dark unknown. It means feeling all the emotions we've been avoiding or trying to escape from, like failure, disappointment, and shame. But it also means discovering joy, purpose, and connection in ways we've never even dreamed possible.

Addiction feels safer because it's familiar. It's what we know, even if it's destroying us. As addicts, we significantly shrank our comfort zones without meaning to or even knowing what it would mean. The thought of living without our substance can seem impossible. We fear failure, rejection, shame, and the pain of confronting our past and our emotions. This fear can be paralyzing, making us believe that a life worth living is out of our reach. So, how do we make that shift? How do we make our life worth living for?

Living fully means facing our fears and insecurities. This can be scary as fuck, but we can channel our anger to help us through.

"Be kind to yourself" they say. "Forgive yourself for any setbacks" they say. I say,
"Get pissed off and get your ass moving!"
Anger is energy, and a whole lot of it. We have the ability to direct this energy any which way we choose. We can use it destructively like many of us have done for decades, or we could turn it around and use it to build great and wonderous things. Like our sobriety! Sure, recovery is a journey with ups and downs but so is life in general. Now, I don't mean you should beat yourself up for a setback. I mean that you should get pissed off at the addict monster that tripped you up and show that little bastard what you are capable of even with that fuckin' monkey riding your back and screaming in your head! Fuck that little bastard, show him who's boss! Self-compassion is key to building a life worth living and allowing ourselves to get pissed off for the right reasons and using that energy for our good IS using self-compassion. How we use our anger energy is a choice.

I know it's the mainstream belief that social media is bad for us, but there's no denying that it's a great place to find inspiration for how we want our lives to go. Many people discover their passion on social media and are inspired to run with it. Do you know what makes you feel alive? What activities or interests you thoroughly enjoy? What lights you up? What would give your life meaning? Discovering or rediscovering our passions can give us a sense of purpose and direction. It could be anything from painting to hiking to volunteering to world travel. Mine was writing, but I had to rediscover that passion.

The ambiguous "they" say to set "realistic" goals, ones that are small that you can see yourself achieving. "They" say this helps to build confidence. But I say quite the opposite! Set big-ass goals, make a plan, and get your ass to work! THIS is what builds confidence! When we break down a huge goal into daily or weekly actions, we quickly gain confidence in our ability to take on big things. How would this kind of confidence help your sobriety? Pretty fucking good, right?

TSo, we need to MAKE A HUGE GOAL. One we always thought was impossible for us. Maybe we didn't think we were smart enough, rich enough, strong enough, or bold enough. I'm talking, removing ALL limits! If anything in the world was possible, what would you do? Where would you go? Who would you be? How would you be? Who would you love? Sure, we can't see ourselves doing something we believed was not possible for us but that doesn't mean it isn't!

Now, listen Linda, listen! If we are currently working to change our lives and narratives, why can't our greatest desire be possible in our future? But we have to be intentional in making it possible. We can't just dream about a thing and do nothing to ensure it happens. We have to make a plan. Start big, then break it down into manageable chunks and tasks.

I always wanted to write and be a published author. Then I had a child. Whelp, I certainly don't have the time to pursue writing, right? I mean, that just wouldn't be practical. I needed to have a job to pay bills and support my family. Too bad I didn't think to work on it in my free time, I would have been published years earlier. Two decades, lost! But I rediscovered my passion and joy about 10 years ago and decided it was my calling. Yes. I am a published author. It took a few years from rediscovering my love for writing to the time of being published, but I did it! But here's the deal: none of it would have happened if I hadn’t started and made a plan. Sure, in the beginning my plan was pretty wonky. But as I moved along, I learned new things and little by little, I made changes to my plan, never giving up-never loosing sight of my prize.

FIND WHAT EXCITES YOU AND PURSUE IT LIKE TOMORROW DOESN'T EXIST.

Isolation fuels addiction. But building meaningful relationships can help us succeed in both our sobriety and our big plan. Find your supporters, those who inspire and encourage you and surround yourself with those people. These connections can provide the love and support you need to thrive. A professional therapist or counselor can provide invaluable support. A therapist can help you work through your fears and develop strategies for discovering who you really are on the inside and what living a fulfilling life looks like for you. Plus, counselors are known to be a person's biggest cheerleader!

To move from a life worth dying for to a life worth living, we need to change our perspective. We need to shift our focus from what we’re running from to what we’re striving to become. This means finding hope and believing in possibilities. It means envisioning a future where we are not defined by our addiction but by our resilience, our passions, and our capacity to love and be loved.

The rewards of truly living are profound. It’s freely experiencing genuine joy and connection. It’s waking up each morning with a sense of excitement and purpose. It’s discovering who we really are and what we’re really made of. And the good news is that this transformation is possible for all of us, no matter how dark things may seem in a moment. In recovery, we learn that living, with all its challenges and uncertainties, is ultimately far more rewarding than the false safety of addiction. But we have to be intentional.

There are countless others who have walked this path and found their way to a life worth living. Brainstorm what will work for you. Be patient. Take it one step at a time. And above all, know that you deserve a life that’s not just worth dying for, but one that's truly worth living!