Tag Archives: loss

Too Much Loss

by admin Posted on May 16, 2013

If you’ve read my blog recently, you know I had to put my beloved Golden Retriever to sleep. She had been sick off and on for months. We tried medications, tests, etc. but when she was bleeding out of nose … Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Happiness, Self-Care, Spirituality, Suffering | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, breakup, change, chemical dependency, cirrhosis, drinking, family, God, grief, heart ache, Higher power, loss, love, negativity, pain, recovery, relationships, self medicating, self pity, service, sobriety, story | 2 Comments

Moving Out; Moving In; Moving On

by admin Posted on May 12, 2013

Yesterday was May 11. That is significant for two reasons: 1) It was my sober date; and 2) It was my relapse date. Last year, after three years of recovery, I relapsed. On my sober date. It was at a … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Emotional Sobriety, Parties, Regret, Relapse, Self-Care, shame, Socializing, Spirituality, Suffering | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, change, chemical dependency, drinking, loss, love, negativity, pain, relationships, self medicating, self pity, self-care, self-talk, sobriety, spirituality, substance abuse | 4 Comments

What Can I Do to Help?

by admin Posted on April 29, 2013

Today was a hard day. Allow me a brief tangent here. I know my problems are those of the privileged. I don’t live under a bridge. I never think, actually ever, about the quality of water I drink or the … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Depression, Gratitude, Honesty, Mental Illness, Negativity, Patience, Relationships, Self-Care, Spirituality, Suffering | Tagged anger, death, Depression, grief, help, helping others, loss, moods, pets, sadness, self involvement, service | Leave a comment

Cee Lo Green Said it Best… (Originally and Radio-Friendly)

by admin Posted on April 7, 2013

…when he said, F**k You. Or, Forget You. I prefer “F**k You.” I like saying f**k. F**k f**k f**kitty f**k f**k. I have never been good at forgetting anything (although I LOVE Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings’ Better Things). And finally, F**k You suits the tune better. While we are on suits, check out Cee Lo’s pink getup. Classic stuff… You likely can deduce that I am pissed. I am. I am pissed. Things suck right now. I say that without judgment. The most spiritual beings are allowed to be pissed and are expected to feel things suck from time to time. Continue reading →

Posted in Happiness, Honesty, My Story, Negativity, Regret, Relationships, Self-Care, Spirituality, Suffering, Uncategorized | Tagged attitude, change, drinking, loss, love, negativity, pain, self medicating, self pity, self-talk, spirituality, willingness | Leave a comment

That’s When He Will Start to Feel Better

by admin Posted on March 23, 2012

When I first sobered up, I was told several things that I had a hard time grasping: 1) It will be okay. Everything will be okay; 2) Letting go makes everything easier; and 3) Service work helps. Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Conflict, Depression, Emotional Sobriety, Family, Fear, Mental Illness, Negativity, Openness, Relationships, Socializing, Spirituality, Suffering | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, attitude, chemical dependency, family, fear, grateful, gratitude, joy, loss, love, positive thinking, recovery, relationships, self medicating, self pity, service, sobriety, spirituality, substance abuse, willingness | 2 Comments

Detaching with Love

by admin Posted on February 27, 2012

I’ve had the opportunity to have many conversations about that alien creature– detachment– over the past few days. I believe that in their very nature, relationships between humans fall on some spectrum of attachment. But attachment can give way to pathology, codependence, and a whole host of gnarly harms… How and when does this happen? Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Conflict, Emotional Sobriety, Family, Fear, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Relationships, Self-Care, Spirituality, Suffering | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, attachment, attitude, Buddhism, change, chemical dependency, detachment, family, fear, God, grateful, gratitude, Higher power, joy, loss, love, mindfulness, pain, recovery, relationships, self-care, spirituality, substance abuse, willingness | Leave a comment

Going All Jung on My Own Ass

by admin Posted on February 22, 2012

‘ve been chewing on some of Jung’s material for the past 24 hours. Specifically, his belief that we all go through a process he calls “individuation.” Individuation is, in my opinion, another way to talk about another process I spend a great deal of time pondering– integration. Jung believed that individuation is the path we all take to our own private, individual destinies; the journey through which we form as “whole selves;” a merging of the conscious and the unconscious. Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Conflict, Depression, Emotional Sobriety, Family, Fear, Openness, Self-Care, Spirituality, Suffering | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, attitude, change, drinking, emotional sobriety, family, fear, God, Higher power, joy, loss, love, mindfulness, negativity, pain, positive thinking, recovery, self pity, self-talk, sobriety, spirituality, story, substance abuse, willingness | 2 Comments

It Gets Different

by admin Posted on December 21, 2011

I’ve been a bit up and down this season. One of my best friends reminded me yesterday that a few weeks ago, I was spouting enthusiasm and good cheer. Then last week I was pissy and crabby. I’ve mellowed out a bit and now find myself somewhere in the middle. Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Family, Holidays, Spirituality, Suffering | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, change, chemical dependency, drinking, family, God, grateful, gratitude, grief, heart ache, Higher power, joy, loss, love, recovery, relationships, self medicating, self pity, self-care, sobriety, spirituality, substance abuse, willingness | 2 Comments

Special Guest Post: Aren’t We ALL in Recovery?

by admin Posted on November 14, 2011

A few weeks ago, I asked Emma Wilhelm, dear friend and author of blogs Divorced Before 30 and Emmasota, to pen a guest post for my blog. Her own thoughts on addiction, alcoholism, recovery…how it has touched her life. As a non-alcoholic. Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Conflict, Emotional Sobriety, Gratitude, Help, Self-Care, Spirituality | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, chemical dependency, drinking, grateful, gratitude, joy, loss, recovery, self-care, sobriety, spirituality, substance abuse, treatment | Leave a comment

Happy Birthday to Mom

by admin Posted on November 3, 2011

What is the significance of a birthday when that person is no longer around to celebrate it? Is it just a number in an obit, a carving on a grave stone? Do we remember death dates rather than birthdays? And if so, why? Or do we recall them on all pertinent occasions and thereby, depending on our location on the grief spectrum, experience: 1) sadness; 2) anger; 3) depression; 4) disbelief; and/or 5) a bittersweet/healthy acknowledgment of that person and what they meant/mean to you? Continue reading →

Posted in Family, Gratitude, My Story, Relationships, Spirituality | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, chemical dependency, cirrhosis, drinking, family, fear, God, grateful, gratitude, grief, heart ache, Higher power, joy, loss, love, pain, self pity, sobriety, spirituality, story, substance abuse | Leave a comment