Lifelong Recovery

Lifelong Recovery

Junel Barnes

As you can see, anyone can do Yoga.  You don't have to be super slim, or have that bikini body.  As much as one may want to have that beach body, remember life as well as recovery can be life long with ups and downs.  But if you keep in mind that recovery is a process; it can be enjoyable and obstacles can be seen as challenges to overcome.  Challenges can be seen in a positive light and help you become more than a "conqueror".  I have found that Yoga can help alleviate stress.  Especially when I may be worrying, as oppose to just feeling stressed.  It is helpful to take my mind off the stress and change my mood.  Fortunately, I have found other ways to master my stress management, to the point that I only have to use Yoga for when I am seriously in the act of stressing or worrying.  The road to successful recovery is a life long process involving challenges, stressors and positive stress management.

The path to wellness will always involve challenges, be it school, work or meeting needs and goals.  Scholastic challenges such as doing the work required to get the grade you desire, only makes the reward that much sweeter when attained.  Challenges such as obtaining and keeping employment, being able to meet your needs such as being able to buy food, shelter yourself and dependents, are literally necessary to survival.  Overcoming the obstacle of doing what's required to accomplish goals and dreams is all a part of the process.  This path does involve challenges, just do the work and overcome!  

Be prepared, the successful way of recovery will have hiccups, stressors and problems.  It's up to us to become problem solvers and compensate!  Challenges can create stress and problems; which can result to worrying and fixation.  Now that you know what it can result to, choose not to worry and fixate.  Don't let it happen!  Choose to find ways to distract yourself from what you may be stressing about.  Consciously choose to avert your mind from worry.  Find healthy habits, such as stretching, exercise, yoga or other stress reducing mediums.  Successful lifelong recovery is going to take some effort and there will be bumps in the road, but do not be discouraged.  Dust yourself off and try again!



The true avenue to beneficial health through this process is positive stress management.  Stress management can come in many forms; from making sure you get a good night sleep, to eating right, to exercise, to finding ways to reduce stress that you can control, to following your doctor's orders.  Personally speaking, I work at getting a good night sleep, to me that means getting at least seven hours, but I ideally like to get at least eight hours of sleep.  Getting in my sleep also means taking a nap during the day.  I do my best to eat healthy.  I love to get in a lot of vegetables, some protein, limit my carbs and drink water with every meal and in between meals too.  I love to exercise!  Not because it feels so good, because a lot of times it is painful and takes a lot of effort, but I know that it will make my life better in the short term as well as in the long term.  Finding ways to reduce stress; in my life translates to the decisions I make.  Will this or that decision be beneficial in the long run, how will it affect me in six months from now, to five years from now or longer.  Lastly, and probably most importantly, follow your doctor's orders.  Get involved in your medical recovery too, and if one has a question or concern talk about your journey talk about it with your doctor, before making any changes to his orders.  Following these simple keys will lead you to a pathway to better stress management.




The road to beneficial life long recovery may involve obstacles and stress to overcome, but it can be conquered with positive stress management.  Yes, there will be challenges through school, work, and meeting needs and goals, so be prepared!  The journey will have hiccups, but it's up to us to be problem solvers and never give up.  Stress management is essential.  So just do the work; get a good nights sleep, eat right, exercise, find ways of reducing your stress and follow your doctor's orders.  With those five keys you will be more than on your way to positive life long recovery.