Sobriety is a gift. In fact, it just may be the best gift you could ever give yourself.
It means you can find your way back into a functional reality and even spend time doing boring daily tasks like washing dishes or doing laundry. It also means that your broken friendships and relationships are on the mend.
You’ve got a lifetime to push through, but once you’ve grabbed a hold of your sobriety with both hands you are looking straight at the best gift ever.
Believe it or not, it is not only the monotony of normal living that you gain.
Picture this: Your gift of sobriety is handed to you in a huge gift bag overflowing with brightly colored tissue paper. As you reach in the bag and dig through the paper, you find item after item that you didn’t expect. You just thought you were receiving sobriety, but now you’ve got all of the bonus gifts, too.
It really happens that way. As you live each day sober you will discover that there are these unexpected gifts that come with your gift of sobriety. And just so you know what to look for in the buried treasure of tissue paper, we’ve got 8 of these awesome unexpected gifts that have been known to come in the gift bag.
Gift #1: Finding the Confidence to Be Comfortable With Who You Are
You don’t realize just how uncomfortable you are with yourself until you learn to be comfortable with who you are.
Through the ups and downs of your sobriety, you have worked hard in learning who you are and why you do the things that you do. You have also learned how to accept yourself – the good and the bad.
Being confident means that you can be comfortable with who you are – and that is a wonderful gift that blooms from all of your hard work.
Gift #2: The Ability to Be Honest
Addicts hide things.
It is the art of deceit and manipulation that let so many individuals get deep into addiction before ever being caught. That is why one of the things you will learn in treatment is the importance of honest – and how to be honest.
The gift arrives when you actually latch on to the ability to be honest in your life. Being honest with your friends, your family, your co-workers – when you can do that, you will realize you have received the gift.
Gift #3: Finding Appreciation the Small Things
Life is full of big things. Getting sober, finding a job, getting a car, securing a place to live, etc.
But, what about the small things? The little things in life often get overlooked.
For example, the peaceful sound of a thunderstorm, the relief of a hot bath, the taste of your mom’s best beef stew, or the way it feels when you are embraced by the one you love.
Learn to love these little moments in life and you will discover a whole new meaning to life. And that is a gift.
Gift #4: Bonding With Another Human – Healthily
How many broken relationships or one-sided, abusive, or twisted relationships or friendships did you have while you were using?
Bonding with another human being can be difficult when you are focused on getting your next fix.
The gift of sobriety can bring with it, however, an opportunity for bonding with others in a healthy manner.
Gift #5: The Feeling of Freedom
You have probably heard people compare being an addict to living in a prison. But, you didn’t need to hear those words because you lived it, right?
You know all too well the about the walls of the prison you lived within.
Not anymore.
Your gift of sobriety was your key out of the prison block. You are free.
And that feeling of freedom – the disappearance of those heavy chains –makes the gift of sobriety a chain-breaker.
Gift #6: The Joy of Laughter
Laughter is the best medicine,they say. It just makes us feel good. But when you are so involved in life as an addict, there really isn’t too much to laugh about.
But, when you embrace the gift of sobriety you will also learn to enjoy laughing – and the good feelings it brings.
Gift #7: A Good Night’s Sleep
Being an addict is tough.
It requires nearly a complete deviation from normal living. That also means the loss of sleep.
Substances can alter routines and natural body processes. And regular, healthy sleep patterns disappear.
Thankfully, the gift of sobriety brings with it a good night’s sleep, too. Once you incorporate this into your daily routine, you will find it hard to live without. Such a wonderful – and healthy – gift.
Gift #8: The Feeling of Becoming a Productive Citizen in Society
There is no better way to feel better than to know that you are, well, feeling better. When you find yourself deep into your sobriety, you will wake up and realize that you are functioning in society – in the real world. A place that you may have thought you would never see again.
It is at that time when you can look back on your progress and all that you overcame and find happiness and contentment at just being a normal person.
It’s a simple thing that so many people take for granted. But when you have lived a life of chaos and addiction, then you know why you want to be thankful for any small, gift of normal life monotony that you receive.
These are simply 8 gifts that come unexpectedly with the gift of sobriety. It is important to note, however, that they are not the only gifts you may receive.
Each individual is unique, and each circumstance is unique.
So, as you transform into the healthy, sober person you are meant to be, you will discover that your sobriety will bring you many, many gifts that will give your life meaning.
Dr. Deena is the Chief Clinical Officer of Westwind Recovery®, an award-winning outpatient treatment center in Los Angeles where she oversees the clinical and administrative program and treatment methods. Dr. Deena is a doctor of psychology and licensed clinical social worker since 1993. LCSW #20628. Originally from the East Coast, Dr. Deena has worked running treatment centers, worked as a therapist in psychiatric hospitals as well as school settings and currently has a thriving private practice in the LA area. Dr. Deena has appeared regularly on the Dr. Phil Show as an expert since 2003. She has also been featured on many other TV shows, podcasts and has contributed to written publications as well as podcasts.
