Ditch the Resolution – Start 2022 with a Life Audit!
Resolutions are a thing of the past. No one keeps them, and we talk about them as if they are motivating but really they are a wasted effort if we are not fully taking stock of our entire selves. When we assess what changes we actually need to make, we are able to make the most out of efforts to increase our overall life happiness. Today we want to suggest an alternative…. completing your own life audit. Essentially what a life audit does is to help you take stock of where you currently stand in self-fulfillment in multiple areas of your life. This audit will explore multiple areas of your life and help you to determine improvements and changes each one of those areas can benefit from. A life audit is a great reflective exercise that helps you to see where you are doing well in life and acknowledging that.
Where do I start?
When you are ready to complete your own life audit, I would recommend breaking your life down into categories or segments of living. Your breakdown could take the form of a wheel such as this:
Other layouts can include columns, a box design, or just free writing! Remember, this is YOUR audit, so you can make it as simple or complex as you would like! Once you have your design, we want to begin by labeling the primary areas of your life. Below are a few example categories that you can use to get started:
Primary Categories
- Physical Health
- Emotional Health
- Spiritual Health
- Occupational Health
- Community/Social Health
- Financial Health
- Recreational Health
Once you’ve chosen your categories, now is the time for self reflection. Beginning one section at a time, what are your initial thoughts? What are doing well in that area, and what goals do you still have? Put any and everything down about that category you can think of. It can also be helpful to decide how to quantify your level of satisfaction. Some people use a numerical scale, or even an alpha grading system (A, A-, B, B+, etc). If you find yourself struggling with how to determine your satisfaction in these categories, consider asking yourself the following:
- How is my Physical Strength, mobility, and energy in life?
- Job Satisfaction – does it match your personal values, do you feel challenged?
- Career Progress – are you where you believed you would be in your career at this stage in life?
- Net Worth – do I spend or save in the way I should? Should I be planning for a major life event such as retirement or a child going to college?
- Financial Knowledge – Do I understand my financial needs, now and in the future?
- Do I have the relationships with my family that I want?
- Am I committing enough time to friendships, or building friendships that I need?
- Do I have a connection with my community? Do you have an interest in giving back?
- How is my love life? Do I have a relationship with my partner that is enjoy?
- Is my Self-Image healthy and realistic? Do I appreciate myself and have a motivating internal narrative with myself?
- Are you participating as often as you would like in your faith?
- Habits, Fun & Leisure – What is there to add, take away, or change?
- Personal Growth – As you walk through your life, what more do you still want to learn, do, or experience?
Ok, So How did I do?
This is designed to be a simple exercise, but there are a few things to keep in mind:
Be honest
This is the time to get real with yourself! Do not let yourself sugar coat or minimize your patterns, or real issues that need to be addressed. Same for allowing yourself to gloat when it is deserved. If you are especially accomplished in an area of your life compliment yourself on that!
Take your time
This is such a great opportunity to dive deep into your life, so take your time with this. After writing, set it down for a period, then come back to it later. You may find that you have new reflections to add in.
Be prepared
With this honesty can come heightened emotions. Let’s stay aware, that emotions cannot hurt you but they are purposeful in the way that motivate and provide feedback that change is necessary!
Completed! Now what?
Now you have the information about yourself. Some of it is filled with praise and accomplishments, but other parts are acknowledgements of needs to be addressed. This last step is going to help you to engage yourself intentionally for 2022
Action Statements
Let’s take ACTION! Taking you next moments to identify what you can do is your next step. However, there is a really important small step to take first. There are parts of our emotional unhappiness that we cannot change and you will have to be on the lookout for that. For example, a chronic health problem is most likely identified as a negative in a category. Since you are unable to change that, you will have to examine what elements of it you do have control over, such as an exercise regime or diet change which helps to alleviate some of your symptoms. Seeing elements of what we CAN do is an important process in this step. Once you understand this we can now formulate your action statements. Using concrete language which includes the what, where, when and who we write down specific steps to change. This helps you to form achievable and most importantly workable goals that actually give you specific steps to make lasting improvements on that category of your life.
Take the next step
Just get started! Choose the category that you feel most motivated to see a change in and begin with follow through with that action statement. You will notice an increase in overall happiness soon. To help yourself stay accountable, make a note on your calendar to check in on your progress quarterly throughout the year or speak with a therapist to see what is holding you back from attaining your goals. Those reviews are not meant to be opportunities to criticize what you haven’t done yet, but are chances to reinvigorate your intention for yourself for the year and to start again!
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Managing addiction issues in the holidays
Managing addiction issues in the holidays
The holidays are right around the corner. This is an exciting time of the year for many, but for those who struggle with substance use, the holidays can be challenging, stressful, and exhausting. The business of the holiday season, along with emotional stress that can come from family conflict, trauma, financial strain, or loneliness can lead those in recovery to resort back to poor coping strategies, making them more vulnerable to relapse.
For people struggling with addiction, the holidays are fraught with triggers and other aspects that can make maintaining sobriety difficult. Developing a strong sobriety plan to manage triggers goes a long way in helping a person be successful during this time. Isolation from family and others greatly contributes to people feeling depressed and looking for ways to cope. Finding support groups, such as AA, Celebrate Recovery, and Smart Recovery, to connect with during the holiday time can be a big support. Identifying warning signs of lapse, and making a plan for how to manage high risk situations ahead of time can also greatly increase a person’s chances for success.
We have put together some tips and strategies to help you safeguard your sobriety during the holidays:
Be Selective About the Invitations You Accept & Avoid Risky Situations
- Don’t feel obligated to accept every invitation you receive.
- Ask yourself: What is this event really about? Is this event appropriate for my stage of recovery? What are my motives for attending this event?
- Say yes to celebrating with people or in ways that are supportive of your recovery. This will give you peace of mind.
Limit Triggers
- Identify your triggers- Are they stress, specific environments, or certain people?
- Be aware of your own warning signs related to triggers, such as thinking patterns or unhealthy situations
- Take care of your basic needs (food, sleep, mood) to help you manage your triggers better
Have a Plan in Place
- Practice responses to triggering questions or stories from the past through role-play with a supportive friend or counselor
- Practice turning down substances or avoiding certain behaviors
- Consider bringing an accountability person to events with you
- It may be beneficial to arrive early and leave early to avoid potentially risky situations
- Bring your own safe food/beverages in order to have control over what you consume
- Have an escape plan. Make sure you would be able to leave at any time, if needed. Have your own transportation or means of escape.
Establish a Support System
- Reach out to sober friends or people who are understanding of your experience. Schedule an appointment with a therapist in advance to help make your holiday plan.
- Attend additional meetings with a counselor or support group during the holiday season.
Practice Mindfulness
- Be mindful about your attitudes and feelings about the holidays and adjust them when necessary. This may involve talking to a counselor or friend who understands addiction recovery. Be open, accepting, and positive at gatherings, instead of on-edge and defensive.
- Be mindful about what you’re consuming- keep a drink in hand that you have selected
Practice Self-Care
- Engage in stress-reducing activities during the holiday season. This may include, walking, hiking, biking, yoga, deep breathing exercises, meditation, or gentle exercise.
- Be sure to get enough rest and proper nutrition during the holidays
Try New Activities or Spend Time Serving Others
- This can help you avoid triggers and give you some good alternatives to former habits during the holidays.
- New activities may include cooking meals or baking with friends, watching holiday movies, experiencing nature, etc.
- Serve a meal at a homeless shelter or volunteer at non-profit organization.
Seek Additional Treatment if Needed
- There is no shame in going to rehab during the holidays if it protects you from harmful situations.
Remember that recovery is a one-day-at-a-time endeavor, regardless of the season you are in!
If you need additional help during the holidays, the Substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline is 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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Build healthy communication with family members during difficult conversations of politicatal elections.
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Suicide Prevention Month, How you can help
Suicide has impacted us all and often the question is repeatedly asked: How can we prevent it? 
September is #suicidepreventionmonth. You may have come across this hashtag on social media. But what does it mean for you?
Did you know that suicide is a serious public health concern? Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. In 2018, nearly 48,000 people died by suicide and another 10.7 million adults experienced suicidal thoughts.
Suicide is tragic and can be very hard to talk about, but it is often preventable if we know what to look for and how to engage in conversations about it. Suicide prevention month exists to shed some light on the topic by raising awareness, sharing resources with those who might need them, and normalizing conversations about suicide without stigma. I want to provide you with some tips on how to recognize and respond to signs of suicidal thoughts among your loved ones.
Risk Factors
There are several risk factors that can help us identify those in our lives that are more at-risk for suicide. This does not mean that people with one of these risk factors will attempt suicide. It is just something we should be aware of. Risk factors include:
-Previous suicide attempt
-Family history of suicide
-Significant life events that may be triggering, such as relationship problems, unemployment, history of child abuse, bullying, sexual abuse, or diagnosis of a chronic health condition
-Existing mental health struggles, particularly mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and personality disorders
-Substance use or abuse
-Access to firearms
-Experience of discrimination, prejudice, isolation, and/or family rejection on the basis of sexuality among LGBTQ youth
Warning Signs
It is also important to know the warning signs of suicide. You might not think that someone is having thoughts of suicide because they aren’t openly talking about wanting to die or sharing feelings of hopelessness. However, it often is not this clear. Other warning signs of suicide include:
-Increased alcohol or drug use
-Aggressive, impulsive, or reckless behavior
-Withdrawal from family and friends
-Extreme mood swings
-Change in eating or sleeping habits
-Talking about being a burden to others or having great guilt/shame
-Giving away important possessions or putting affairs in order
What do I do?
So now that you know what to look for, what do you do if you identify someone in your life who is in emotional pain or having thoughts of suicide? Are you worried you may be caught off guard or afraid that you might not say the right things? This is normal, as you are probably not a mental health professional, but anyone can take these 5 simple steps of action to help.
- Ask: It might not be easy to ask someone if they are thinking about killing themselves, but, if done in a caring way, this often gives the person a sense of relief and does not cause any harm. Be sensitive, but direct. Here are some example questions: “How are you coping with what’s been happening in life?” “Are you thinking about hurting yourself?” “Are you thinking about suicide?” “Have you ever tried to harm yourself?”
- Keep them safe: Ask if this person has already thought of a plan. Consider questions like: Have you thought about how or when you’d do it? Do you have access to weapons or things that can be used as weapons to harm yourself? Help them out by removing lethal items or reducing access to potentially lethal places.
- Be there: Listen without judgement to what the person has to say. Allowing them a safe space to talk about what they are thinking and feeling may reduce depressed, anxious, and/or suicidal thoughts.
- Help them Connect: By creating a network of resources for support, you are helping this person take action. Save the national suicide prevention lifeline in their phone and offer to help them connect with a mental health professional and/or another friend or family member as soon as possible.
- Follow Up: Be sure to stay connected with the individual during and even after treatment. Let them know that you’re still there for them.
My hope is that this information will not only make you more aware of suicide and those in your life who may be dealing with suicidal thoughts, but that it will also make you more comfortable talking about suicide or reaching out to those you might be concerned about. I encourage you to do your part this month, and even after, to raise awareness about suicide and be there for those you love. Therapists at Miracles all want to help someone find their way through depression and live a good life again.
Ready for additional information? Here are some resources that might be helpful in learning more about suicide prevention and how you can get involved.
https://theactionalliance.org/
https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/suicide-prevention-awareness-month
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Counseling while Social Distancing….
Greetings! These past few weeks have been extremely challenging for all of us and I know it is hard to think about how long this pandemic will impact our community. Miracles Counseling Centers wants to encourage each of you that we will continue to be support the emotional health needs that you will experience as we all continue to adjust to changes in our lives, supports, and resources.
Maintaining mental wellness can be a struggle right now. We may be rapidly trying to adjust our lifestyles, but in doing so we may ignore the emotional toll it is taking on us and our relationships. We are here for you and your families and are now offering Teletherapy sessions to meet you right where you are.
What is Teletherapy?
Teletherapy is a digital platform where you can securely and privately meet with your therapist while on a computer or smart phone. Teletherapy is much like talking with someone on Facetime or Zoom and can feel just as comfortable as meeting someone face to face. Our staff choose HIPAA compliant and secure platforms to meet with you so that your confidentiality remains protected.
Is it as effective as meeting with a therapist in the office?
Yes! Research has compared teletherapy with face to face therapy and has shown that teletherapy is just as effective.
What are the benefits of Teletherapy?
The #1 most obvious benefit of teletherapy is that it can be done anywhere your computer or smartphone is. It saves in gas money, travel time, and can give you access to specialists when you may not otherwise be able to leave your home…such as right now! Utilizing teletherapy can also help prevent other obstacles from interfering with your work on your goals – such as broken down vehicles or out of town business trips.
Does insurance cover Teletherapy?
YES! Due to statewide shutdowns and recommendations from the CDC for social distancing, most insurances are covering teletherapy services, and some are even waiving copays.
Is this even a good time to start therapy?
Therapy can be started easily through secure digital platforms and can give you the support and care you may need during this pandemic. Waiting until the pandemic is over may only further delay your future goals and further complicate the work you may need to do due to the strain you could be going through now.
Reach out to us to connect with therapist that will keep you moving in the right direction!
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