At Timberline we talked a lot about what life was going to look like once we left. Remember that last quote I posted – to recover a new, more desirable life has to be created such that those things giving need for a recovery program don’t pull us back down. In one session we were given a check list titled Is Your Lifestyle Causing You Stress? There were negative and positive self-care behaviors listed for us to consider. I’ll post those under Lists.
In another session we talked about A Meaningful Life – Balanced Living. This one included 10 areas of life with a positive statement of building that area into our life. We were to give each area a 1-10. This could be based on:
How well we were balancing
each area with the other
areas on the list- How important each area
is to us in our recovery - How much we want to
work on each one
Then we were asked to fill in a pie chart
to see in front of us which areas were
strong or were lacking. I’ll post those here…
—— Environment – Where you physically spend the majority of your day: home, living space, people you live with, car, room, office, closet, work environment, etc.
—— Fun/Leisure – What you do for fun: hobbies, leisure, vacation, fun non-work related pursuits, activities to recharge, etc.
—— Personal Growth – Your efforts to be a better you: personal development, seminars, reading for self-improvement, improving interpersonal skills/habits, education, reflection, etc.
—— Spirituality/Faith – Your belief in a higher power that is greater than the physical world: devotion to religion/faith, prayer, meditation, the practice of being “present,” living in the moment, etc.
—— Purpose/Career – Following your passion/what you believe you’ve been called to do: your profession, volunteer work, devotion to family/charity/career, talents, etc.
—— Financial – Your personal definition of financial security: savings, lack of debt, investment, understanding of financial situation, ability to afford the things you want on your terms, financial independence, retirement, financial future, etc.
—— Friends & Family Relationships – Your relationship, level of mutual support/respect, and personal/emotional connections with: immediate family, children, siblings, parents, close extended family members, and your small circle of close friends.
—— Romantic Relationships – Your emotional and physical connection with your significant other, romantic partner, dating relationships, and/or spouse: mutual support, respect, appreciation, friendship, shared interests/hobbies/pursuits, time spent together, and physical/intimate connection.
—— Fitness/Health – overall “wellness”: physical health, regular diet, stress management, sleep, exercise, nutrition, flexibility, strength, cholesterol level, satisfaction with weight, healthy weight/body fat, physical endurance, energy, etc.
—— Emotional Health – Mental wellness: how you feel about yourself, beliefs about self-worth, ability to feel/express emotions, mental wellness/overall happiness, feeling whole, satisfied, at peace, etc. 
