Imagine hanging out on the beach with friends, the sun is beaming, the waves are crashing and totally perfect, you have a beer or maybe a margarita or maybe a vape or a joint in your hand and are ready to party…this may seem like a typical scene for a lot of folks and, yet, it can also be a trigger for those who are in recovery or who want to embark on their recovery journey. Replacing those same scenarios with new meaning is key to staying sober. The insight, strength, and fortitude that folks engaged in recovery strive for every day help guide them to recovery, and help them stay in recovery…what is so important is replacing those old trigger places with new, healthy experiences while still participating in the fun aspects of life.
Research suggests that exercising our bodies raises our endorphins and increases the serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine that are natural highs, enabling us to feel in general less depressed, happier, and less reliant on outside stimulants - we often become addicted because of our circumstances and the ease at which we can access drugs, alcohol, shopping, eating and other things that temporally ease our current uncomfortable state - and enable us to function or at least to appear as if we are functioning until we no longer can -
Our society is built upon the comparison factor which can lead to low self-esteem and at the extreme, even warfare - isn't it the idea that someone has what we want that can lead to a battle, even it if ends up only being a perception? One of my sons recently shared that he cares very much about what society or his network thinks, but does not compare himself to anyone but himself - I thought how did I produce such a wise young man, where I am still struggling with this issue at a much more advanced age - These lessons need to be learned and repeated until they actually become integrated into our psyche and soul… when we spend time comparing, we lose sight of our own uniqueness, our own vulnerability and therefore, our ability to reflect upon what we need and want vs. what others might have. It becomes a distraction that can lead to feelings of inadequacy, and that leads to wanting to get rid of those feelings any way we can…
Addiction is a battle one wages internally, and recovery is the armor that guides folks to stay sober - that armor is often supported by communities of folks who have been there before - there are numerous methods and each individual needs to find what works for them. We know that getting support is significant in staying in recovery. Who would have guessed that surfing would be one such community?
Waves of Recovery was founded by two courageous individuals who wanted to share their experience, wisdom, and belief that recovery is not just possible, but a way forward celebrating life by remaking or reworking old triggers into new healthy experiences.
