Matt: What’s up everybody? This is Matt and Greg with Project Unbroken, and today we wanted to talk about our four top reasons that we recommend choosing an exercise-based replacement for addiction. I think the number one on our list is because it can be a big confidence builder. A lot of times when we’re coming out of our addiction and trying to move towards recovery we can go through some phases where we might not feel great about ourself. Exercise is an awesome way to get those positive juices flowing in your mind again. It will build your self esteem, you’ll feel better about yourself and when you start feeling better about yourself, you’ll start making decisions in a way that’s going to benefit you and it’s because you’re showing yourself a little bit of self respect. So the number one reason is because it’s a confidence builder.
Greg: Yeah. I know when I was coming out of my addiction, my confidence was at an all-time low. Not just how I looked but how I felt and all around, so that’s a big one.
Number two is it’s a healthy escape. So all of us who use drugs or drink alcohol know that those are not very good healthy escapes. What are we looking to do? We’re looking to kind of escape our current situation and get out of our mind for a minute. Really, when I go into exercise that’s my way of doing it. I get to the gym, I get in my comfort zone, I do my workout and I feel great when I’m done. So number two is it’s a healthy escape.
Matt: And just to jump on Greg’s point for a minute, it doesn’t have to be necessarily CrossFit or hard-core exercise. People say the same thing with yoga, martial arts, not that they’re not difficult, but it just allows you to take your mind off your problems for a little bit and maybe escape a little bit of stress that you’re going through at the time.
The third reason that we recommend exercise-based replacement is because it’s going to put you, typically, in a situation where you’re surrounded by positive people. A lot of times if you’re in an environment where people are exercising or doing yoga or just anything healthy, that’s a good place to center yourself. Good vibes, good environment, positive influences, and you can just dive in there and just take all that stuff in. You’re not going to be surrounded by as many negative vibrations and just people talking about drugs or complaining or whatever, that whole thing can change your mindset in a big way.
Greg: And number four is it allows you to move forward with healthy goals. Now, really when you’re addicted you probably don’t have any goals at all besides scoring, or getting your drugs, or drinking your alcohol, whatever the case is. So when you’re in something healthy like that, it allows you to set goals. I know a lot of times I’ll set goals for certain amounts that I want to lift, or I’m into jujitsu now so I’ve gotten my blue belt, now my next goal is to get to my purple belt. So it allows you to set positive and healthy goals and move forward in a positive direction.
Matt: And to Greg’s point, it allows you to keep your eye on the ball moving forward. So if you maybe get stressed out, or you think about using, or think about drinking, or whatever it is, you have that thing in the back of your mind be like, “I don’t want to screw this good thing I have going up right now,” and you know that if you use or if you drink, all that could be washed down the toilet real quick. So it’s just another positive way to motivate yourself to stay on that path to recovery.
Greg: That’s a really good point, because now that I’m in such good health and I’m so into health and I have positive people around me, that it’s like the further and further I move from addiction. If I started using now, I would ruin everything I built. So, that’s a very good point.
Matt: So guys, just to recap real quick. One, it’s a big confidence builder, two, it’s a very healthy escape from stressful situations, three, you’re going to put yourself in a great environment with positive people, and four, you can keep your eye moving forward and on the goals you have coming up, in a healthy way. Thank you for watching, we look forward to talking to you guys soon.
