This post was originally published in February 2013. Ah, Valentine's Day, the fantasy-filled holiday that comes right after we've managed to get ourselves through another year of Christmas and New Year's Eve! Have you ever wondered whose bright idea it was to have those three holidays in a row? For many people, the 3-month period of December through February can be the most difficult and depressing time of the year, and this is especially true for those whose significant relationships are … [Read more...] about From Fantasy to Reality on Valentine’s Day: Loving Yourself with Healthy Self-Care
active recovery
30 Years Clean & Sober: My Gratitude Speaks
On July 18, 2017, just a few days from now, I will be celebrating 30 years of continued recovery—primarily from prescription pills and pot. As I look back on these years, what I know for sure is that I definitely feel as if I’ve been born again within this one lifetime. So how did this happen? Truly, when I first started my recovery from addiction, if anyone had told me that I would someday have 30 years, I would have told them they were crazy. I couldn’t see past my own nose, at that point. … [Read more...] about 30 Years Clean & Sober: My Gratitude Speaks
AA Agnostica: Alternative Steps for Recovery from Addiction
I’ll always be grateful to 12-Step programs. Along with some other amazing Earth Angels that came into my life just at the right time, I credit 12-Step meetings for quite literally saving my life. Twenty-seven years ago, in the Springtime when many things begin to change and grow, I reached quite a low bottom with my drug addiction. From the time I was diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease in 1973, I began faithfully using the prescriptions given to me by my doctors: medications like Valium, … [Read more...] about AA Agnostica: Alternative Steps for Recovery from Addiction
Sir Elton: A Man of Courageous Moxie
This morning I listened to Elton John’s interview with Matt Lauer on the Today Show. This amazingly brave man spoke candidly about how he “squandered” (his word) many years of his life by giving in to his enormous appetite for alcohol, drugs, and food. He also openly discussed the great shame he carried around for a very long time, after watching many of his friends die all around him—from addiction as well as from AIDS—while he spent his time running away from his feelings by using a variety of … [Read more...] about Sir Elton: A Man of Courageous Moxie
