Recovery and Wellness Lifestyle Introduction

• It is not always easy to take the action necessary to create change. However, without taking some action, you cannot make changes in your life that may be necessary to help you feel better.
• Change takes time and may be difficult. You may have to overcome many obstacles. Take small steps. Don’t give up. Be persistent.
• Creating change is something you need to do for yourself. No one else can do it for you. Others can help you and support you as you create change but it is up to you to do what needs to be done.
• If you don’t feel you have control over your life, it is important that you take back control. It is very difficult to feel well when you are not in charge of your own life.
• You deserve good health care. If you have a good health insurance plan, this won’t be a problem. If you don’t, or your access to health care is limited, see what is available in your community that is free or has sliding scale fees you could afford.
• The space where you live, your home, can affect how you feel. Perhaps you need to make some changes in your living space or living arrangement or find a different place to call home.
• While there are difficult aspects of every job or career, overall you should have a job or career that you enjoy, one that increases your enjoyment of life rather than detracting from it.
• The foods and other substances you put in your body may be affecting the way you feel.
• Do you exercise regularly to help reduce unpleasant symptoms and improve your overall stamina and health while reducing stress?
• If you often have trouble sleeping–either falling asleep, or waking during the night and being unable to get back to sleep–one or several of these ideas might be helpful to you.
• You can do many simple things to improve the quality of your life-things that are free or that would not cost very much—things that would make you feel better.

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