Rebuilding Life from the Bottom

Advice & Questions
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What life advice do you have for starting over and not getting overwhelmed or putting my recovery on the back burner??

My life is still pretty unmanageable. I am in debt, my car needs work done before I can drive it again, I don’t have a job, etc. I have absolutely nothing right now except my sobriety, 55 days clean!

This is a major accomplishment for me and I am so grateful for my growth in just this short amount of time, but life keeps lifeing and it isn’t waiting for me to have X amount of recovery. I have bills to pay and a child to raise and I am so eager to jump back into life but I am terrified!

I always struggled with knowing my purpose and feeling fulfilled in what I’m doing everyday. I had an amazing career but I don’t think think I want to go back due to the high stress level of the job and the fact that the industry is riddled with active addiction.

I am looking into part time positions anywhere right now so I can keep my recovery my main focus but I don’t know if I’ll every find true happiness in this new life. I am debating on going back to school but I don’t know how I will manage that, a job, and getting in the meetings I need.

I am accepting any and all advice, encouragement, anything!

Thank you!!!

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You don’t have nothing, silly. Your sobriety and the strength it has taken for you to stay sober is EVERYTHING! The best thing about getting sober is discovering that you possess all the qualities you need to live the life you want. You’re resilient, determined, thoughtful, and clearly self-aware, and those things will take you so far. Recovering addicts are some of the strongest people I know, so I have faith that you’re on the right track. Keep going, my friend! Just focus on the recovery and the rest will fall into place!

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Congratulations on 55 days!! :sunflower:

Your posts sounds overwhelmed. First things first. Do not decide major life changes all at once. Keep your focus on what you CAN do and on your priorities. The rest will evolve and fall into place when you honestly work on your life day by day.
First of all: Your recovery comes prior to everything else.
Second: Care for your finances, seek help, make a plan, seek a job even when it’s not your dreamjob, it shall pay the bills and you shall go along with it ok. More opportunities will come along the way, practice to be openminded with healthy boundaries.

Keep us posted here how you are doing. We are here to listen, share and help. Sending you good vibes and kindness :sunflower:

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Thank you! I know my sobriety is the most important, I’m just afraid of getting stagnant with things. I think I might make a list of all of my goals and figure out which are more easily obtainable than others and get more advice from the support I have around me on how to manage everything. I appreciate you!!

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Thank you so much. Man, I am overwhelmed, lol. Per usual I can’t do anything in moderation, it is all or nothing. This is going to be a very humbling experience for me, I have to surrender to a lot in my life. I appreciate your reply.

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Congrats on your 55 + days of sobriety. This is no small accomplishment so please take time to be proud of yourself.
I think you’ve gotten some great advice here. I would not start school just yet as you need to focus on you and your sobriety. Get some solid “sea legs” as they say and then you will be able to do school without feeling as overwhelmed.
Great that you are going to meetings. With a sober clear headed mind you can tackle anything so please do not put your recovery on the back burner. It should be front and center.
A part time job with money management is possible to chip away at the debt. Have you looked into a program that can help you manage debt payoff? Smart to stay away from jobs that could be stressful or triggers.

Just take it ODAAT - i find this site to be super helpful so read around and engage when you feel ready. Some great advice and support here.

Wishing you the best of luck and hope to see you updating us on your journey.

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Hey man, rebuilding your life from the bottom is some tough sledding, I’ve done a bit myself.

Here’s some things that have helped me.

Put your sobriety above all else. If you aren’t sober, the chances of succeeding go down to near 0.

Work on being better. Be better today than you were yesterday. If that’s practicing a skill, learning a new one, or reading a few pages of a book. As long as you’re always moving forward you will get closer to success.

Focus on what YOU can control. Most of our lives is out of our control, what we can control is our selves and how we react. This is not easy, but when faced with something that is out of your control, just let it go and navigate the best YOU can.

Prioritize your finances. Understand your income and your debt. Pay what you need to survive, negotiate the rest. Make a financial plan and stick to it (but adjust as needed).

Surround yourself with people who are more successful than you. Jim Rohn used to say, “you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with”. Choose your company wisely!!

Always be learning. People are more willing to give opportunities to those who have gumption.

Take the opportunities when they present themselves, even if they might be risky. We usually didn’t expect to be where we ended up (career wise) but we got here by taking calculated risks and jumping on opportunities.

Calculate your risks! Know what’s at stake and make decisions appropriately.

Ask for help! Its a long journey and we can’t make it alone; don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Im sure there’s a ton more, but this may get the ball rolling!

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When starting from the bottom only way is up if you have stopped digging now you can climb out the hole odaat if you stay sober everything else will work itself out :pray:t2:

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Congrats on 55 days. It may seem like you still have a lot to accomplish but just take it 1 day at a time. Each day you will feel better and life will start falling in place. I have 2 years and 7 months clean. I found a job 4 months after getting sober and my life slowly changed each day. Im grateful to be alive and able to see life clearly. Keep your head up.

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