Gathering a support network, getting your finances in order, practicing self-care, and setting new goals are just a few of the many ways to help you get your life back on track. There may be a few bumps in the road, but staying positive and continuing to grow will only benefit you in the long run. If you’re wondering what’s next, below are four helpful ways to start fresh and continue on your sobriety journey.

Gather a Support Network

Building a supportive network of people around you is one of the best ways to help you stay accountable. Whether you navigated outpatient or inpatient treatment, you more than likely had support from others in the same program. After treatment, it may be more challenging to face the triggers, stressors, and temptations alone. This is why it’s crucial to have a supportive group of people that you can trust and lean on.

Before you took the steps to gain back control of your life, you may have not had the best circle of friends. If they’re not supportive of your recovery, you may want to consider finding a new group of friends that are trustworthy and cheer you on. Making amends with those you’ve hurt is also a great step in your sobriety journey. When struggling with your sobriety the most, you might want to consider exploring resources to help you through the tough times. A great resource to download is a sobriety app as an additional tool for strengthening your recovery commitment and assisting you during your weak points. This interactive app helps reduce relapse and allows you to monitor your success along with personal development. The last thing you want is to be alone during tough times, so building a supportive circle and finding the necessary tools to help you is key.

Get Your Finances in Order

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, drugs interfere with the way neurons send, receive, and process signals via neurotransmitters. Drugs can alter important brain areas that are necessary for life-sustaining functions and can drive the compulsive drug use that marks addiction. For this reason, people may spend most or all of their money purchasing drugs or alcohol.

When starting over, learning how to be financially stable and smart with your money is vital. Start by creating a weekly and monthly budget. This could include things like groceries, transportation, hobbies, and entertainment. Monthly items to include in your budget are insurance, phone bills, subscriptions, debt you might owe, and rent or mortgage payments. If your current living situation is not helping your sobriety, you may want to consider moving to a new place. This can feel overwhelming especially if your current financial situation is not the best. Start by being realistic about what you can afford. The first step is to estimate how much you can afford to pay for a house. To determine your price range, enter your location, yearly income, monthly debts, and how much money you have for the down payment and closing costs into a mortgage calculator. Knowing your budget and sticking to it will make the process of searching for a new home much easier. The last thing you need is to add more stressors to your daily life, so getting your finances in order is important to help you become more financially responsible.

Practice Self-Care

Now that you’re sober, it’s important to find new ways to keep yourself motivated, nurtured, and happy. Practicing self-care is one of the most beneficial things you can do in your sobriety journey. It’s also a great way to help you prioritize your mental and physical health. Eating healthy, getting plenty of rest, and setting new routines for yourself are all great ways to help your physical and mental health. You should also explore new hobbies that you enjoy, such as yoga, painting, music, baking, cooking, reading, or journaling. Journaling for your mental health is a great way to write down your feelings, thoughts, and worries to help you better understand them more clearly. It can also help you gain back control of your emotions and improve your health.

To avoid temptations, try avoiding social gatherings or outings for a while. Instead, do things for yourself such as cooking a nice meal, going for a walk, watching a new series, or taking a relaxing bath. Prioritizing yourself is the first step to taking care of yourself and taking back control of your life.

Set and Accomplish New Goals

To help hold yourself accountable, try setting goals to accomplish and big milestones to work towards. By having something in your life to look forward to, you’ll feel a sense of achievement and accomplishment once you get close to reaching your goals. Bucket lists are also a great way to keep yourself motivated by working towards exciting things that you hope to do someday. Although you may want to achieve every goal right away, it’s important to take each day one step at a time. Accomplishments won’t just happen overnight and will take time to work towards. Although things take time, don’t forget to celebrate every accomplishment with your support network, loved ones, or even find a group celebration location near you.

For more help with your recovery management, find a sober coach to help guide and improve the quality of your life.

Check-ins

Recovery is a lifelong journey, so when times feel unbearable, it’s important to use all of your available resources around you for help. A sober coach is the first point of contact you should lean on after rehab. Sober coaches are there to guide you through the hard times and provide you with advice along the way. Rebuilding relationships with family members should be a top priority as well, especially if the bond was broken in the past. Having a friendly face to rely on and build you up can make all the difference in your sobriety journey. If you’d feel more comfortable having assistance 24/7, try downloading a sobriety app to help stay on track with your progress. The last thing you want is to feel alone.

Start Over

To avoid temptations, distancing yourself from anything or anyone that could have a negative impact on your progress will be in your best interest. Old friends still using, local bars, and even your home can all be temptations. Rebuilding your life somewhere new or close to your family does not have to be dreadful. If money is tight, no need to worry. Consider exploring an FHA loan to assist you in the home buying process. FHA loans are perfect if you’ve experienced a poor financial history, such as debt. It’s government-backed, so it allows you to purchase a home with looser financial requirements. Nonetheless, moving to a new location allows you to start fresh and help avoid any relapses because you’ll be away from things that remind you of your past.

Self-Care

Staying on top of your health is crucial after rehab. Eating healthy, finding a new social group, and starting a new hobby are all ways to guide you through the recovery process. Staying active with a daily routine will also help rid any stress you might be feeling. Just getting outside and going for a walk can be a huge improvement to your mental health. Finding a new friend group that lifts you and supports your sobriety is key to taking care of yourself. If the people around you can’t lift themselves up, how will they be able to help you? Picking up a new hobby to take your mind off things such as reading, journaling, painting, or cooking is also a great way to stay focused. Looking forward to something every day will help you feel grateful and motivated to continue on your sobriety path.

Celebrate

Lastly, don’t forget to celebrate yourself each step of the way. After rehab, everyday life can be challenging. Maintaining your sobriety takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Although big milestones worth celebrating are 30-day, 3-months, 6-months, and 1-year, every day of sobriety is a huge accomplishment. However, one day might be easier than the next, so it’s important to keep your head up during the highs and lows. To help you celebrate your wins, find fun ways to keep yourself motivated such as nice dinners out, dessert, or perhaps starting a new tradition. A tradition could be similar to celebrating a holiday, you could invite friends and family over for a dinner party or book a trip. No matter how you celebrate, always remember you’re not alone and to keep staying motivated — you got this!