Effective recovery from addiction and other mental health disorders will require you to participate in a professional treatment program. In treatment, you will learn to identify and overcome problematic patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Following treatment, however, you must delve into your interests and passions to sustain your long-term recovery. Fortunately, the virtual therapy services provided by Mindfuli can assist you in finding your passion outside of treatment.
What Is Passion?
The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health explains that in psychology, passion is defined as “a strong tendency towards an activity that people like, that is important for them, and in which they invest time and energy.” Having passion is powerful because it acts as the fuel that drives you closer to your short-term and long-term goals. Additionally, your passions will allow you to become more resilient when you encounter hardships and other challenges in your life.
Having passion is especially important in recovery. If you are recovering from substance use disorder (SUD), your passions can help prevent relapse. Likewise, if you are recovering from a mental health disorder or other mental health concern, your passions can motivate you to prioritize your health and well-being. Your passions will enable you to constantly move forward, rather than merely go through the motions of recovery.
Finding Your Passion as You Heal
Everyone has something that brings them joy. However, it can be challenging to put your passions into words when you are tasked with identifying them. Additionally, you may wonder if the activities and interests that bring you joy will benefit your recovery. Fortunately, your healing and recovery journey offers invaluable opportunities for finding your passions.
Identify Your Values
Finding your passions begins with identifying your values. Oftentimes, the peers and professionals that you cross paths with in treatment will encourage you to identify your values in counseling and therapy sessions. Outside of treatment, however, you may be exposed to even more opportunities and experiences that may become of value to you and your recovery.
It is important to understand that everyone has different values. Similarly, there are no values that are necessarily more important than others. Explore the topics and the things that matter the most to you in your life. Talk about your values with your friends, family, and other loved ones. Discover why these values matter to you. Come up with ways that you can honor these values throughout your healing journey.
Learn to Prioritize Your Values
For example, say that one of your deepest values is love. Reflect on your current lifestyle and whether or not you are keeping this value a high priority in your life. Additionally, be sure to address sub-values, such as self-love and love shown to others. As you reflect, explore new ways that you can highlight this value in your life. You may find that certain activities, such as volunteering at your local community center or being of service to a friend, will deepen your understanding and use of this value in your life.
Examples of Values
Repeat this process with other values in your life. If you feel stuck, consider exploring some of the following values:
- Respect
- Gratitude
- Courage
- Generosity
- Family
- Freedom
- Loyalty
- Intelligence
- Honesty
- Kindness
- Teamwork
- Balance
- Adventure
- Fun
Finding Your Passions With Mindfuli
Mindfuli is a virtual therapy platform that can add support through every step of your healing journey, especially in finding your passions. With our Mindfuli app, you can easily get connected with a mental wellness team to further your healing and recovery journey. Our app can also provide you with wellness exercises and a variety of other activities and resources to promote your well-being.
Wherever you are in your recovery journey, Mindfuli remains a consistent point of contact. You can chat with your wellness team from the privacy of your device from Monday through Friday, 8 am-midnight (PST). We provide a variety of evidence-based interventions and support for anyone seeking to better their health. Whether you are recovering from addiction, mental health disorders, or a specific challenge in your life, Mindfuli can offer you the foundation you need for lasting recovery.
Finding your passions has never been easier with the help of the Mindfuli app. As you consider the next step in your healing journey, here are some suggestions for finding your passions:
- Participate in local community programs. Every community hosts events from time to time. Participating in these events can help you explore your values and connect with your passions.
- Consider participating in higher education. Many people contemplate going to or returning to school to pursue higher education, especially in recovery. You can certainly find and grow your passions by going back to school.
- Cultivate your self-awareness. Your self-awareness started to increase as you contemplated your values. Continuing to cultivate your self-awareness will help you identify important themes and patterns in your life that could direct you to your passions.
- Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, encourage you to sit with your thoughts and emotions without judgment. As you become more aware of your emotions, your passions may become more clear.
Finding your passions plays an important role in sustaining your recovery. You can start by exploring your values, connecting with your community, and practicing mindfulness to learn about what truly matters to you in your life. The Mindfuli app offers a variety of tools and resources that you can utilize as you go about finding your passions. No matter where you are in your healing journey, Mindfuli will walk with you every step of the way. Additionally, Mindfuli can provide you with the professional advice you may be seeking. The therapeutic alliance is at the heart and soul of the care provided through Mindfuli. To learn more about our virtual therapy platform, call us at (866) 973-4415.
