This is one of the most difficult posts I have ever written. ___ Imagine a magic trick where you are the one to disappear. Someone else is left holding the rabbit, but the rabbit has fangs. The trick? It is a great one called Avoidance. Addiction is like a magic trick: It is a mystery that … More Addiction: Avoidance and Your Fanged Rabbit
When Your Tidings are not Glad, it Can Just Feel Sad ___ A Season of Sad Things The holidays can be difficult. Some of us are alone or isolated. Others feel painful feelings of grief and loss or experience mental illness. Some may have a job or a life we are not happy with, or we may have no … More The 12 Gifts That Will Help You With Your Holiday Sadness
Before you write off Facebook, stop: The person on the other end be more complex than you think. ___ I think we should create a social media platform where you can begin a discussion on one topic and then the conversation becomes wildly inappropriate and stupidly personal. And the longer you stay in a conversation, the more people … More How Facebook Changed My Mind About Mental Illness
Starting, not Quitting is the Hardest Thing About Recovery. ____ How has addiction impacted you and your family? For me, it is easy to say that my father drank heavily and that I consider him an addict. It is easy to point a finger about his drinking, his anger, his abuse. An Addiction to Easy? I … More Addiction: The Hardest Thing About Recovery
I have a love-hate relationship with Religion… but I am beginning to change my mind, thanks to Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber. ___ Nadia Bolz-Weber is a pastor who swears like a trucker, is covered with tattoos and was a Wiccan. She is 6’1”and competes in Crossfit. She calls herself the Minister of the Misfits and she wants … More Nadia Bolz-Weber: The Minister to the Misfit Inside You and I
Addiction: Chaotic Neutral Addiction is chaotic neutral. Pick your addiction: drugs, alcohol, food, sex, technology and you will see the chaotic neutral up close and personal Chaotic Addiction is outer chaos that matches the rhythms that we feel inside. Inside is chaos, disorder and no direction. Chaos comes from our word for gum. Addiction is like … More Addiction: A Beautiful Mess
When you say “I wonder…” you have already changed, your recovery has begun. ___ “The Spirit of God hovered over the waters.” Before God worked, he hovered. Hovering is the work before the work. Hovering is what happens when the painter looks at her empty canvas, the writer opens an blank screen, and a builder looks into the … More Addiction: Recover the Wonder
Just mentioning Jesus can get funny looks and rolled eyes. No sermonizing here, just my thoughts along with a few funny bits about healing. ___ I know, the title for this piece is off-putting. Just mentioning Jesus means that some people won’t read what you have to say. That’s okay, everyone needs different things. Jesus was known more for walking … More 6 Thoughts on Healing, Jesus and Yoga Mats.
Our cracks are very real and often painful. How we heal can lead to greater strength and increased value. ___ I like to keep broken things for a while. Fixing broken stuff feels good because I believe there is always more life inside. Just yesterday, I threw out an old laptop case. The case was fine … More To Heal, You Must Become The Art
Life can be difficult and it can wear us down. Recovering a sense of humor may be just the change we need. ___ Aches and pains greet me in the morning. Obsessive thoughts follow me throughout the day. My bathroom scale goes up and my bank account goes down. Life is serious and it can be hard to … More The 12 Steps of Taking Ourselves a Little Less Seriously
Getting High on Recovery 