In a recent entry, we started a Casey Kasem-inspired countdown of our favorite pop culture references across our blog.
Numbers ten through six included:
- Budgeting is Important (Popeye)
- A Collection of Quick Tips (Classic Catchy Songs)
- Recovery is a Journey (“Life Is a Highway” and “It’s the Climb”)
- Questions of Willpower Don’t Apply to Recovery (Green Lantern)
- Hearty Laughter Help Buoy Your Recovery (Abbott and Costello)
As Casey would say back in the day: “And the countdown rolls on.”
Number Five: Experiential Therapy Supports Sobriety (Hamlet)
Experiential therapy is different from talk therapy because it involves expressive activities including role play, guided imagery, arts and crafts projects, and more. These activities help a person recreate and reimagine traumatic experiences they have had so that they can clearly identify the emotions that were central to those experiences. This process of identification can make it easier to leave those painful moments in the past, which supports sobriety.
Our pop culture reference for our exploration of experiential therapy was William Shakespeare’s famous play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. While Hamlet asked himself an immortal question about his mortality in the play, there is no question that you should check out “‘The Play’s the Thing’: Experiential Therapy Can Help Protect Your Sobriety.”
Number Four: It’s Good to Have a Plan for Reclaiming Sobriety (The A-Team)
The idea of getting help for a substance use disorder can feel overwhelming. To overcome that sense of stress that comes with doing something difficult or unknown, it can be extremely helpful to break the process down into smaller steps. Those steps may vary from person to person, but some key parts of the process include finding the right recovery center, making appropriate arrangements at work or school, looking over your insurance coverage, and having a contingency plan for the possibility of relapse.
Our pop culture reference for this exploration of planning was the 1980s hit television program The A-Team, which featured a character who often said, “I love it when a plan comes together.” Make it your plan to read up on planning in the entry titled “You Will Love It When Your Plan to Get Sober Comes Together.”
Number Three: Various Lessons from Beloved Films (Disney Movies)
Sometimes a favorite film can remind us of lessons we have learned but perhaps forgotten over time. Movies for kids (including those that offer plenty of enjoyment for children and adults alike) can be particularly good at tugging at our heartstrings and reminding us of important ideas. Those ideas—many of which support your sobriety—include things like the value of bravery and starting over after a setback, the benefits of hopefulness about the future, and the fact that each day is a new day that is filled with possibilities.
Our pop culture reference for these ideas was an array of Disney movies from Finding Nemo to The Sword in the Stone and many, many more. Visit some of your favorite characters in an entry titled “What Can Our Favorite Disney Films Tell Us About Recovery?”
Number Two: Six Principles That Support Sobriety (Muhammed Ali)
All sorts of people have suggested all sorts of systems or sets of principles that are supposed to make life easier or more rewarding or just generally better. These ideas vary in quality, but a set of six principles created by one of the world’s most iconic athletes strikes us as particularly relevant for people in recovery from a substance use disorder. Those principles—confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect, and spirituality—help a person maintain their sobriety.
Our pop culture reference for these principles was legendary boxer and activist Muhammed Ali. Float like a butterfly (but maybe don’t sting like a bee) over to a blog titled “The View From Inside the Ring: Thinking About Recovery via Ali’s Six Core Principles.”
Number One: Remember That the World is an Amazing Place (“What a Wonderful World”)
A person in recovery can reap a bunch of benefits from time in nature. Sunlight provides vitamin D, which can lessen the symptoms of depression. Exercise is good for your mental and physical health—and for your sobriety. Time spent in nature also reveals the many possibilities for renewal, a concept that can be at the core of your recovery journey.
Our pop culture reference for the value of nature is the song “What a Wonderful World,” performed most famously by jazz great Louis Armstrong. This blog entry lands in the number one spot not only for its reminder to get out and enjoy nature, but also for its underlying message that—even when things seem difficult and stressful—the world is full of wonders. Sobriety allows you to truly appreciate those wonders in your own life. Check out “Head Out Into Nature, Explore the Wonderful World, and Support Your Recovery.”
‘Until Next Time…’
Casey Kasem signed off each edition of his countdown with the same words: “Until next time, keep your feet on the ground, and keep reaching for the stars.” That inspiring motto applies to your recovery journey, which requires ongoing effort and ongoing hope. At Bel Aire Recovery Center—located near Wichita, Kansas—we can help you reclaim and maintain your sobriety so that your future is as bright as the stars.
