New Path Addictions & General Counseling

One of the key things in helping a person to reach their goals, their hopes and dreams, and to live a life that they really do want to live is Lifestyle Management. Too many people aren’t really living anymore; they are just coping… from one stressful event to the next. In order to live the ideal life that we desire we must manage it in a way that best supports our hopes, dreams, and desires. Our lifestyle choices need to be in line with the bigger picture of our lives. So we need to put ourselves in the best position possible to be able to manage what comes our way; we must also know what our bigger picture looks like. 

Stress effects our mental health; and if not dealt with effectively, that can often end up leading to substance abuse, overeating, smoking, drinking, or other unhealthy ways of coping. Taking steps to minimize the stress in your life can help slow this vicious cycle. It is important to consider finding healthy ways of coping that you enjoy, and that work for you. 

It is also important for us to look at things in our lives that may be causing us stress and ask ourselves some questions:

For example:

⦁If we are at a job that we hate, that may be putting demands on us that are beyond what we can handle, is there anything that can be modified about our work? Can we perhaps start planning for another job that may have less stress? Is there another job that we would actually like to do? If so, what steps need to be taken to possibly get that job? What are our options?

⦁Am I drinking too much or using drugs that are negatively impacting my life in ways such as my relationships, my employment, financially, and my mental and physical health? If this is the case, is there something I can do about this? Can I consider changing my drinking and substance habits? Do I need to consider stopping? Why am I doing these things to begin with? Where can I get help?

⦁Are there unhealthy relationships or unhealthy people in my life? Why do these people have a negative impact on my life? Do I need these people in my life? How can I build more positive relationships and find more supportive, healthy, and positive people to graft into my life? What is my role in these unhealthy relationships? What changes can I make to contribute to better relationships and friendships?

⦁Do I have any passions and hobbies in my life? If so, am I taking part in them and actively doing them? What is it about these things that bring me happiness and drive in life and purpose? If not, what are things in life that used to bring me happiness and that I was passionate about? How can I reconnect with these hobbies and activities? How and where can I find hobbies passions if I do not currently have any? Why are they so important to wellness?

Here at New Path Addictions Counseling we can help you explore the above and help guide you to find the answers that we believe you already have; they may just be buried under problem focused thinking, great amounts of stress, being overwhelmed, and perhaps not knowing which questions to ask... we ask questions; we guide you; because we believe the answers already lay within yourself...

Lifestyle Management is about finding passion in life again, challenging our perceptions, making healthy lifestyle choices, and living life to the fullest in the best ways we can. It is about giving ourselves permission to create our own little place of happiness on this earth, which we are all entitled to if we only allow ourselves, and give ourselves the chance to do so.

We are only here but once, so we may as well get it right this time around…..