Many of can feel lost when we enter into a life of sobriety. In the past, our only sense of purpose came from the feeding our addiction. Now that this element has been removed, we must begin searching for a new driving force in our lives. Though our perceived lack of meaning may initially seem frightening– through sobriety, however, our potential to find purpose is limitless. Addiction was constraining. Many of us felt trapped and could only find relief from the false comfort of intoxication. The beauty of recovery exists in the individuality of each person’s journey. We may take similar steps to achieve sobriety, but the meaning and purpose we find on the journey are entirely dependent on each person. Our spiritual life, our conception and relationship with a higher power, are of our own design, as is our sense of purpose. The idea of purpose is not a grand, external fact that we must seek out. Carol Adrienne, in her bestselling book, The Purpose of Your Life, explains, “Our purpose, I believe, is not a thing, place, occupation, title, or even a talent. Our purpose is to be. Our purpose is how we live life, not what role we live. Our purpose is found each moment as we make choices to be who we really are.” When we were choosing not to be who we are by living an unexamined life in addiction, we truly were lost, even if we did not recognize it at the time. Victor Frankl, famed psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, similarly explains in his book Man’s Search for Meaning, “One should not search for an abstract meaning of life. Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated. Thus, everyone’s task is as unique as is his specific opportunity to implement in.” Sobriety may not define our life’s meaning, but it gives us the opportunity to finally reach our true potential and live a meaningful life.
Your story can be take on a new meaning in sobriety. You can make the decision to take the first step on the road toward recovery by choosing to get help now for addiction and alcoholism. Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment facility in beautiful Laguna Beach, is staffed with knowledgeable recovery professionals dedicated to providing all the tools necessary to achieve and maintain sobriety. For more information about treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
