Recovery is a multifaceted process. Giving up drugs and alcohol — and staying clean — isn’t always a straight path. There may be obstacles and difficulties on the journey to the new and improved you. However, it’s a road worth traveling and one others have successfully traversed. Recovery quotes may help you gain strength and understand the process from another person’s perspective.
The Impact of Quotes in Recovery Journeys
Feeling alone is common during the recovery journey, especially in the beginning. Reading recovery quotes can be helpful because it demonstrates others have been where you are. In some cases, the people you read about have been through nightmarish conditions and emerged victorious on the other side. Reading their stories and things they’ve said can help you on your own unique journey to a clean, sober life and its many rewards.
Although it takes more than quotes about recovery from addiction to actually recover, reading inspirational quotes for recovering addicts can keep your spirits up. Even a shred of motivation may be all you need to prevent a lapse in judgment when you’re craving a drink or drug. Another person’s inspiring words can keep you from making a bad decision in a moment of weakness.
Encouragement and Inspiration: Recovery Quotes for Resilience
There’s a plethora of inspirational quotes for those in recovery. So many, in fact, that you could browse for hours and never read them all. We’ve narrowed down the field to some of our favorite recovery quotes for addicts:
- “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “If you can quit for a day, you can quit for a lifetime.” — Benjamin Alire Sáenz
- “When you rise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love …” ― Marcus Aurelius
- “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” — Alice Walker
- “Sometimes, we motivate ourselves by thinking of what we want to become. Sometimes we motivate ourselves by thinking about who we don’t ever want to be again.”— Shane Niemeyer
Finding Strength in Shared Experiences
Reading the Big Book is a great way to find quotes that speak to you. Many of the quotes you’ll find in the Alcoholics Anonymous guide are by other addicts in recovery, just like you. Some of our top picks to help you persevere include:
- “You can’t think your way into right action, but you can act your way into right thinking.” ― Bill Wilson
- “One day at a time.” ― Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous
- “I came to A.A. in order to stop drinking; what I received in return was my life.” ― Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous
Bill Wilson, the first person quoted on our list of quotes above, is the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous and known as a pillar of the recovery community. As you’ll see below, there are multiple quotes for recovering addicts attributed to AA’s founder.
Quotes From Notable Figures in the Recovery Community
There are also quotes from leaders in the recovery community that can help you thrive in your efforts. Here are three of our top favorites to reflect upon — two of which are also by Bill Wilson:
- “The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker.” — Bill Wilson
- “When I am willing to do the right thing, I am rewarded with an inner peace no amount of liquor could ever provide.” — Bill Wilson
- “Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.” —Deepak Chopra
All these quotes can help you reflect on making a choice today that will benefit you in the future. Turning to old coping mechanisms can make you a prisoner, while using new ones can bring peace, as Deepak Chopra says. And as Bill Wilson states, doing the right thing provides rewards far more fulfilling that any substance can provide.
Incorporating Quotes into Daily Reflection and Motivation
There’s no right or wrong way to incorporate quotes into your daily recovery efforts. Write your favorite quotes in a pocket-sized journal to keep with you and read when you need motivation. Or copy them onto a file on your phone for digital access. You can meditate on these quotes during quiet time or use them to motivate yourself first thing in the morning.
Call the Mental Health Hotline to connect with a substance abuse recovery professional today. The compassionate professionals staffing this hotline are available to guide you through the sticky parts of recovery and refer you to resources that may help further.