February is all about love and relationships, but one of the most important (and often most over-looked) relationships is the one have with yourself. So this Valentine’s Day, make a promise to love yourself and make these 3 vows to help you stay focused on recovery.

Engage in prayer, meditation, contemplation. Make a vow to take few moments each day to connect with the greater universe can put things into perspective. Some people select a particular time of day – typically mornings or before bedtime – for taking a look at life. Conversations with a Higher Power, for those who have one, can bring clarity and encouragement to addiction recovery.   Those who take a secular approach to life can clear the mind with contemplative readings or poetry.

Do service. While contemplative activities are obvious soul boosters, giving to others is another way of enlarging the heart and mind. Giving of one’s self helps put personal problems into perspective and gets the focus off one’s own annoyances and life challenges. Volunteering, helping a friend or neighbor, or donating to a worthy cause are ways to nurture the heart and mind.

Create space for silence. Putting aside to-do lists and scattered thoughts, turning off the TV, radio and computer, and relaxing into silence, gives the heart and mind a place to rest. Some religious communities offer silent retreats where talking is prohibited for extended periods of time. Closing the eyes, breathing deeply and listening to the silence might be just the thing for enhancing one’s recovery from addiction.