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At New Visions Recovery Solutions, we believe recovery is more than just a goal — it’s a journey of transformation, connection, and renewed hope.

Recovery doesn’t only happen in meetings or therapy sessions—it can also take place on a trail, by a lake, or under a wide Colorado sky. Moving your body in nature is powerful: it clears the mind, releases stress, builds resilience, and anchors you in the present moment. If you’re in or around Teller County, Colorado, here are some fantastic outdoor options to explore—and ways New Visions Recovery Solutions can help you use them as part of your recovery journey.

Coming off time off—like a honeymoon—can be rough. Your brain resists discipline, the alarm feels like torture, and dragging yourself back into action can feel impossible. For those in recovery, simply getting through a day can be earth-shattering. But I want more. I know some of you do too.

A few weeks back, I wrote about how we often create resistance—convincing ourselves we’re in a constant battle just to survive. But the truth is, our natural tendency is to thrive. When you aim for success, you’re not fighting the world—you’re learning to collaborate with it. Think of success as playing Tetris: finding where each piece fits so that everything aligns and you earn the reward.

I used to believe that good intentions counted for more than actions. I would stress—thinking that anxious energy would somehow move me forward. Driving my family, I’d tense up, telling myself effort was enough. Now I realize how laughable that mindset was. A powerful quote from a podcast sums it up: “Addicts think we’re measured by intentions instead of our actions.” Even clean today, I still catch myself falling into that mindset.

While proofreading my book, I got hit with reflections on the past versus today: the stress then, the pressure now. Back then, surviving meant dragging myself through suicidal despair, exhaustion, bitterness. Relief came in fleeting moments through injection. Staying alive required massive, exhausting effort—with jail stays, homelessness, emotional chaos.

If you’ve ever hit rock bottom—or even just made a few decisions you're not proud of—you’ve probably heard it before: “You need to turn your life around.” In recovery, that message can feel overwhelming—like you’re being asked to flip your entire life upside down. Changing habits is hard; changing your mindsets and routines takes time.

What’s your first reaction when you notice a flaw in someone else? Many of us think, “I should fix this”—especially when it’s someone we care about or work with.

Once I found what I loved to do, I pursued it with relentless focus—obsessed, even. Others expected burnout or a fallback, but I didn't stop. And I won’t. But I wasn’t always this way. Growing up, I was that quiet kid who blended into the back of the classroom. I learned to fade. Ironically, addiction taught me intensity—and it nearly destroyed me.

Admitting you’re wrong is tough. Not just in small moments—like conceding an argument—but in the depths of realizing your worldview, identity, and choices have been misguided—for years or even decades.

A single decision, realization, or boundary can change your entire life path. That’s powerful—because it shows you’re not defined by your past or the version of you others grew used to.

Trauma can distort our capacity to connect. It dulls empathy, distorts thinking, and fuels entitlement.