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Last Updated:
December 1st, 2023
Sometimes, we all need an extra push to reach our goals. Whether that be through our friends, families, or even with the help of teachers and educators, small words of wisdom can be crucial to keeping ourselves motivated, staying on track to a better future. For those new to sobriety, or even years into their recovery journeys, words can be a powerful tool for reinstating balance and positivity when we need it most.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the best sobriety quotes practised in the recovery community today, using them as tools to motivate, ground, or inspire us to work towards our sobriety, during difficult times.
Below, we have split some of our favourite sobriety quotes into six categories, which we hope give you the motivation to persevere through each recovery stage.
Category 1: Motivation to stop drinking
Making a huge change like quitting drinking is never easy – especially with countless temptations all around us like pubs and social gatherings, events which are so often fuelled by alcohol. With these constant reminders pointing to the object of our addiction, many of us struggle to take that first step, disheartened by the idea that they will lose touch with all that is meaningful to them.
These quotes are evidence of the transformative potential of sobriety, teaching us that recovery offers a chance to stop existing and start living – without the weight of addiction on your shoulders.
Here are the top five quotes which can help motivate you to stop drinking…
1. “At first, a sober life seemed unnatural. We wondered what life could possibly be without ever taking a drink. But the longer we were in it, the more natural this way of life seemed.”
2. “Alcoholism is to give up everything for one thing. Sobriety is to give up one thing for everything.”
3. “I would rather go through life sober, believing I am an alcoholic, than to go through life drunk, trying to convince myself that I am not.”
4. “It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
5. “To call yourself an alcoholic or a drug addict is a badge of honour, because the secret – the shameful secret – is the reason that it is such a pervasive illness.”
Category 2: Reminders to take with us each day
Each day is an opportunity for growth and new beginnings, but this can also come with unexpected hurdles.
Below, we have offered a selection of affirmations that, according to twelve individuals within an AA group, can be turned to each day for motivation and guidance.
1. “Recovery is about progression, not perfection.”
2. “I have no power at all over people, places, and things, and if I ever for a moment mistakenly believe that I do, pain is on its way.”
3. “‘Feelings aren’t facts’ tells me that my feelings are real, but they aren’t reality.”
4. “Avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep looking upward.”
5. “Your best days are ahead of you. The movie starts when the guy gets sober and puts his life back together; it doesn’t end there.”
Category 3: Setting boundaries
Actions (or lack of them) are integral to a well-established and meaningful recovery from addiction. For example, when put in an uncomfortable or potentially distressing situation, it is crucial that we set boundaries to protect our sobriety, prioritising ourselves and all the wonderful progress we have made to get us where we are today.
Here are five excellent quotes about setting boundaries on your path to sobriety:
1. “Nothing pays off like restraint of tongue and pen. We must avoid quick-tempered criticism and furious, power-driven argument.”
2. “You are selfish in your addiction, so you have to be even more selfish in your recovery.”
3. “Boundaries are a part of self-care. They are healthy, normal, and necessary.”
4. “No is a complete sentence.”
5. “Daring to set boundaries is about having the courage to love ourselves, even when we risk disappointing others.”
Category 4: Peer support
We all need a little extra support from time to time, and usually the best place to find it is with the help of our close friends and loved ones.
In addiction treatment, peer support is the pillar we need, as the bonds we build in recovery can be some of the most important we will ever make:
1. “Your relationships with other people and the connections you make are very powerful in your recovery.”
2. “The feeling of having shared a common peril is one element in the powerful cement which binds us.”
3. “Practical experience shows that nothing will so much ensure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics.”
4. “Want to find out who your true friends are? Get sober.”
5. “Friendship is a widely underrated medication.”
Category 5: Self-acceptance
It can be easy to fall into the trap of comparison when in recovery, likening the experiences of others to our own and believing that we just cannot match up. In cases like these, it is essential that we take steps to accept ourselves and where we are in our current circumstances.
We’ve all fought huge battles, whether it be alcohol rehab, drug rehab or something else, to be where we are and sometimes need a reminder:
1. “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
2. “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”
3. “Don’t forgive them because they deserve forgiveness, forgive them because you deserve peace.”
4. “We can never make peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”
5. “One of the hardest parts was learning that I was worth recovery.”
Category 6: Inspiration following a relapse
If you have recently experienced a relapse, a common reaction is to freeze and think it impossible to get back to the place you were, especially one you spent a great deal of strength to finally reach. However, a relapse doesn’t mark the end of your recovery. In fact, quite the opposite.
For many, a relapse has proven to be a huge motivator to reach a long and lasting recovery:
1. “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”
2. “When you think there is no hope and you feel broken, that is where the window to get better is. When there is nothing left to give, it’s time to hand it over.”
3. “Rather than viewing a brief relapse back to inactivity as a failure, treat is as a challenge and try to get back on track as soon as possible.”
4. “Recovery is not a race. You don’t have to feel guilty if it takes longer than you thought it would.”
5. “Don’t stay too long in the shame-filled grounds of relapse. Fertile soil awaits you in your recovery.”
Every person has a different journey on their road to recovery and make sure to remember these quotes throughout the process.
If you feel like you are in a difficult situation and want to start your path to sobriety, make sure to contact us today to begin your rehab treatment.