Many of us develop routines in our recovery that keep us feeling safe and protected from anything that could potentially put our sobriety at risk. While these habits are wonderful for us, we can’t allow our lives to be controlled by such strict adherence to routine. There is an entire beautiful world out there, and we should embrace the opportunity to explore that we have been given by our sobriety. Fear is powerful. It kept us immobile for so long when we were in a state of active addiction, and nearly every one of our actions at that time was driven by fear. Recovery is about overcoming our fear and breaking its grip on our lives. Instead of giving into our fears in favor of the protection we feel as a result of routine, we choose to engage with the world in a way that our past fears made impossible. We may be afraid that breaking our recovery-based routines could put us into a position where we will be tempted by alcohol or drugs. However, according to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, our attitude and fears will change as a result of recovery: “We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been placed in a position of neutrality—safe and protected. We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removes. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition.” Certainly, this does not mean we willingly put ourselves into situations where alcohol and drugs are present, unless we have good reason to be there. We examine our motives and purpose, and if we are entering into a situation where alcohol and drugs are present, we have no reason to fear as long as our intentions are pure and we have a strong spiritual connection. The Big Book clearly tells us, “our rule is not to avoid a place where there is drinking, if we have a legitimate reason for being there.” Through recovery and maintaining spiritual fitness, our obsession and desire for substances has been removed and, with it, our fear of temptation.
Fear doesn’t have to be the author of your story. You can enter into a life filled with hope, faith, and courage by making the decision to seek help now and embark upon the journey of recovery from addiction and alcoholism. Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment center in beautiful Laguna Beach, is dedicated to providing all the tools necessary to achieve and maintain sobriety. For more information about treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
