Once you’ve started on the road to recovery, you may find yourself wanting to give back. And, although you may be wanting to give back, you may also be unsure of how to go about it.
Giving back to others does not necessarily mean donating money, it can also mean doing things such as: being a friend, sponsoring another person, donating or volunteering your time to helping others, hosting an event to benefit recovery, etc. There are many ways to give back and support yourself and the community of recovery.
Think back to your first days in recovery: did someone offer you a helping hand? Did you meet a trusted friend? What did your sponsor do for you? Believe it or not, those people were utilizing giving back to others in recovery. By doing the same thing, you can encourage someone who is new to recovery to keep pushing onward. In fact, you can make a meaningful impact. Giving back not only feels amazing, but it keeps you in the space of recovery, ultimately strengthening your own journey.
Here are different ways you can give back and spread hope in the recovery community:
- Share your experience during 12 step meetings
- Volunteer at a meeting, a local treatment center, hospital, food bank, church, veterans organization, youth group, etc…
- Be active at sober events
- Reach out to newcomers in 12 step meetings
- Help others find gratitude in their life
- Help those new to recovery find their own path and support their successes
- Donate what you can to help the causes you care about, whether it’s time, money, or materials
