The life you have, the day in front of you. That is your recovery. Have at ‘er. ___ Most days, I get it wrong. No, I’m not being hard on myself. Just honest. And you guessed it, you are wrong a lot too. No biggie. Welcome to the HR: Human Race. Recovery is not about … More 1.5 Things About Recovery that are Dead Wrong
A while ago, I was thinking about how my depression has become a doorway to better things. It has taken me a long time to learn, but opening up to my experiences rather than avoiding or looking for symptom relief, has changed how I think about my moods and mental health. The reality is that … More 17 Things I Have Learned from my Depression
Recovery means learning to pay attention… and when you pay attention, it will pay you back. ___ Last weekend I went to the bank. I didn’t just go through the drive-thru this time, I went in and waited in line. I know, it was a radical act of patience. While I was waiting to do … More Going Slow is the Best Way to Have a Quick Recovery
3 Ways that mindfulness can support your recovery from addiction and mental illness ___ Mindfulness. What comes to mind when you read the word mindfulness? For me, mindfulness brings up images of being on a sunny beach, a few puffy clouds in the sky, drenched in sun and sitting on a sandy beach. Maybe that’s … More When Your Mind is a War-Zone, You Become the Casualty
Sometimes we feel unable to do something, anything. We can’t breathe, we genuinely don’t know, we cannot take even one step, we are not ready to accept. And sometimes, saying we are unable can be a defense. Feeling temporarily unable protects us until we are physically and emotionally safe. But feeling that we are permanently … More Are You Unable or Unwilling? Knowing the Difference will Change Your Life
“I hate my parents.” I work with families and teenagers in recovery. I often hear these words or words like them, uttered with bitterness. Sometimes accompanied by tears and distant stares. The words may be directed towards parents or family, ex-lovers, friends… or even drugs. At first, the words are spoken, jabbed like verbal daggers. … More Hate or Hurt?
Today is International Biographers Day. In recognition of biographers and sharing our stories, I have a story to tell. “Where do you get your ideas from?” Sometimes I get asked where my ideas come from. My best answer is that life is a writing prompt. Creativity is like reading in the darkness. Imagine that you … More How Your Writing Wants to Change You
Getting High on Recovery 