As we’re working to recover, one thing we realize is that our healing journey is inviting us to find ways to love life again, to replace our unhealthy habits and activities with healthier ones, and to learn how to enjoy ourselves without the use of addictive substances and behaviors. We realize that enjoyment, recreation and adventure are important parts of our recovery work, along with sobriety and inner healing. Having new experiences opens our eyes to all of the possibilities that lie ahead for us and all of the potential that resides within us. New and exciting experiences like traveling remind us that there is so much to live for, so much of the world we have yet to see, so many new people to meet, friends to make, and cultures to explore. We have so much to learn, and traveling is one of the most exciting ways to learn not only about other people and places but also about ourselves.
When we travel, we learn and practice certain skills and talents. We practice resourcefulness, self-reliance, self-actualization and self-determination. As we deal with the challenges that inevitably arise during travel, we naturally increase our resilience, our patience and our problem-solving skills. We learn how to think more critically and how to see the big picture. We learn how to follow our intuition and be guided by our instincts. Traveling alone gives us the opportunity for solitude and space that many of us have not had for many years, that we need in order to heal. Solo travel allows us to reconnect with ourselves, to learn about ourselves on a deeper level, and to grow in self-love and self-acceptance. The more we travel and rise to the challenges presented to us, the stronger we feel. We’re reminded that we can do anything. We feel affirmed that our recovery is possible. We feel renewed hope in life and in ourselves. Travel and time in nature can make us happier and more optimistic. We shed many of our negative thought patterns and replace them with healthier, more positive ways of thinking. As we grow stronger and more resilient, we become even more proud of ourselves, giving ourselves even more momentum, more encouragement and more fuel to keep working at our recovery.
Seeing new places reminds us that there is a beautiful world for us to explore. Travel gives us one more reason to want to stay sober. We can replace our unhealthy behaviors and our drugs of choice with things like travel that naturally make us feel elated, satisfied and fulfilled. Travel is a meaningful, profound and therapeutic way to help ourselves heal.
Riverside Recovery is committed to helping you uncover the issues fueling your addictions. Our treatment programs include multiple forms of therapy, family workshops and mindfulness-based relapse prevention education. Call (800) 871-5440 for more information.