Out here on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula the weather cycles can get rather weird. Despite several false starts, spring has finally come to our little corner of the world.

Regardless as to whether you’ve tackled your annual household cleaning, now is a perfect time to undertake some “spring cleaning” in your recovery program. (Remember, we’re all in recovery from something.) An annual cleaning ritual, by whatever name we choose to call it, carries profound ramifications for moving forward in our lives. Symbolically, this focused cleansing process enables us to let go of whatever no longer continues to serve us, making room to attract into our lives new opportunities, challenges and vistas for growth.

Using myself as an example, as a busy writer I keep a rather cluttered office. Whenever I clear off and organize my desk I invariably uncover, buried in the accumulated clutter, golden opportunities for embarking on exciting new projects. In addition, through the simple task of organizing my desk, I experience a profound sense of freedom that enables me to open up to new sources of inspiration that had previously gone unnoticed.

Spring cleaning in your recovery

As always, feel free to share this article with clients or anyone else who may benefit from this message. First off, I’d suggest you start your cleaning process by doing a bit of inventory.  Namely, are you still doing the basics — going to meetings, working with your sponsor and applying the steps in your daily life? If not, sounds like time for a course correction — time to get back on track by going to a meeting TODAY!

NOW is the time to actually get started on your cleaning process, so don’t lay down your inventory pad just yet. As you do a spot check on your current life in recovery, some things you might wish to consider discarding include:

1. Any long standing resentments: Harboring resentment drags us down and is a total energy drain. Indeed, clinging to past resentments can take a devastating toll on both our mental-emotional and physical well-being. By forgiving the perceived offender and letting go, we release a heavy burden of negativity — thereby freeing ourselves to attract love, harmony and creative inspiration into our lives.

2. Any sense of limitation that blocks you from moving forward: Let’s face it, we all carry some heavy baggage in the form of perceived limitations that hold us back from fully pursuing our dreams. Common perceived limitations include: “I’m too old (or too young)”; “I don’t have the time for this”; “I failed at this in the past, so why try again.” These perceived limitations are grounded in fear of failure. When we succumb to these fears, we risk becoming entrapped in a profound sense of alienation and stagnation. While holding back from pursuing our dreams may initially seem to provide a modicum of security, we ultimately end up stifling ourselves from taking whatever risks we need to take to fully express our unique creative life force and sense of being.

3. Carrying around trash in your body: While you have hopefully freed yourself from a clinging attachment to your primary drug(s) of choice, you may still be cramming into your body a wide range of toxic substances — including nicotine, excessive amounts of sugar, caffeine and highly processed foods and other unhealthy food choices.

Your body may be badly in need of a “Spring Cleaning.” If you are constantly feeling sluggish and bloated, with a weakened immune system, you may want to consider cleansing your body via a one- to three-day juice fast. If you are unfamiliar with this process, consult with a nutritionist or other health professional with expertise in this area. Once you come off the fast, you then need to focus your attention on transitioning to a healthy diet that is fully supportive of your recovery. (This is addressed in detail in chapters four and five of my book, The Wellness-Recovery Connection.)

4. Dangerous “substitute addictions”:  These can include nicotine addiction, food addictions, sexual addictions and any other compulsive self-destructive behaviors. Take an honest inventory concerning where you stand in this area, and seek professional help if needed.

The above points are presented to help you get started on your “spring cleaning” in recovery. I’m sure you’ll come up with creative ideas of your own for moving forward with this invigorating process. Enjoy the journey and until next time — to your health!

This article is published in Counselor, The Magazine for Addiction Professionals, April 2009, v.10, n.2, pp.46-47.

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