Do some of the following scenarios sound familiar to you? There is just not enough time to care for yourself. Your health is compromised because there is just no time to exercise or prepare nutritious food. There’s a constant running from one commitment to another and your needs are last on the list – SELF

If you’ve ever turned to alcohol with hopes of becoming more outgoing and social, you’re not alone. Many who struggle with alcohol abuse started drinking in the first place due to feeling shy, awkward, or anxious in social settings. But what many don’t realize is that quitting drinking can actually improve your social life, and

“You have a problem,” my husband declares. He’s probably right. Another shirt with a Princess Leia graphic has just arrived in the mail. As I try it on, I must admit (again) I have a thriving Star Wars addiction. Further proof: My license plate is FORCBWU. My right arm bears a tattoo, words of the

The theme of rejection towers over denial, grief and anger in my life. That is not to say that the three musketeers were bit parts. They loomed large for decades, but rejection was the mighty overlord of the kingdom. Looking back on it, I wonder what microscopic life force propelled me forward. I was once

If you are in early recovery, you may be struggling to find your way as a sober person. You may be wondering what your life will be like without drugs and alcohol. You may feel some apprehension and awkwardness. While early recovery is not without its share of obstacles, you will begin to realize how

Many of our human brains excel at separating, dissecting, labeling, categorizing and organizing concepts in an attempt to make them more understandable, yet terribly complicated. This author has, in her genius, taken incredibly complex, timeless wisdom and historically successful methodologies for healing and made them simple(not easy), comprehensible and accessible. Over the years I have

I was working in a new situation and was asked to sort out and manage a large backlog of paperwork. It was a stack at least two feet high; a mountain of dusty paper reflecting all kinds of transactions and data in jargon I could only guess at. Although the task wasn’t as challenging as

During my first attempt at recovery, I learned to play the guitar. At the time, I worked for a Catholic Parish and aid organization in post-war Bosnia-Hercegovina. There was a kind Irish priest (and former rock n’ roller) also in residence who knew that I liked to sing. However, the only instrument I played, the

Wisdom is commonly defined as having experience, knowledge, and sound judgment. Based on that dictionary definition, it’s attained slowly across time, by living and learning, and not instantly from a jagged bolt of lightning from above, like in children’s cartoons. It’s certainly not the same thing as cognition or intelligence. And it’s hard to quantify

I have been sober for nearly 4 years, by god’s grace, before that however I was a chronic relapser. I lived the cycle between treatment, halfway and homelessness for years. I wanted so bad to get sober but that’s the thing about recovery, wanting it is not enough, if it were that easy everyone would