I want to know, “What is courage today?” ___ The other day, I heard someone say that in 1945, 18-year-olds were fighting in a war. In 2015, 18-year-olds cry if they don’t have enough likes on Facebook. This made me think: is courage really changing? We applaud children for having courage to try new foods, … More Mental Health and The Changing Face of Courage
18 Ways that exercise makes the difference in my recovery ___ I don’t often write lists, but this post has broken my pattern. I am not a runner, I am more of a generalist. I run, I bike, I do weights and I walk. I like to mix my routines so that I don’t feel … More Recovery: Why Do I Run?
Our relationships make our mental health what it is. ___ Did you know you are married to your mental health? And unfortunately, not all of us are successful in our marriage to our own mental health and well-being. As someone who lives with depression and anxiety, I know a few things about mental health. I … More Family and Your Mental Health
Taking things personally can be a personal strength. It’s all in how you look at it. ___ They whispered and talked quietly. I could see them looking at me out of the corners of their eyes. I felt like I was watching a drug deal go down, but no this was no drug deal. It … More The Sensitive Personality: Are You An Emotional Ninja?
My son applied for a job at McDonalds a few weeks ago. The Manager promised he would call my son back two days later. Two weeks later, no call. When all else fails, blame the person in charge? It’s easy to blame leadership for situations like this. A lot of people applied for work that day, I can only … More Depression and the Personal Politics of Blame
How I am taking my mind back from the scars of depression ___ “Can’t quiet figure out why my depression is back. So black… the numbness feels unending and dark. Even the spring sun cannot penetrate the cement cold and hardness of it.” I wrote those words three weeks ago. My depression came back for a … More Depression: Four Questions that Will Change Your Mind
If you were stripped of your memory, would recovery become easier? ___ I can only imagine the pain that will confront a someone who has lost their memories. Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injury, memory loss due to aging or other conditions is painful and a trial to endure. In recovery, memories become seared into the mind. … More Addiction: Forgetting Your Way into Recovery
Depression is a Spiny Toothed Madman ___ Sometimes my mind talks to me. Or more correctly, my depression talks to me. And sometimes it’s so much crazy-talk that I think of it as the comedy of your inside voice. When my head is right, my life is right. Journal entry April 1. No Joke. My … More Depression is a Like a Two-Year-Old in My Head
Tiny events add up: Recovery is one choice at a time ___ Tiny events. Small, minor stories. Events add up. Decisions matter. Do you want to make your days profound? I wrote about this in my journal the other day, “I try to make my day profound. I want it marked with excellence, exuberance and the … More Addiction: The Importance of Living Small
Maybe it’s time to give recovery the finger? ___ We have gotten the idea of recovery wrong. Wrong! Recovery is sometimes thought of the absence of an addiction and the replacement with something more healthy. But life is more than addition and absence, plus and minus. Your body is continually adding new cells and removing old, decaying … More Give Recovery the Finger
Getting High on Recovery 