Tag Archives: mindfulness

Progress, Not Perfect

by admin Posted on January 19, 2013

Typically I go to a meeting on Saturday morning. This morning I decided to stay home with my hot coffee and warm blanket. Now, I don’t want to admit this (because I can already hear the unspoken “I told you so”) but I should have gone to my meeting. If not for myself, for others. We depend on one another to show up and to be of service. This morning I was selfish.
Continue reading →

Posted in Complacency, Gratitude, Happiness, Honesty, Relapse, Self-Care, Service, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, chemical dependency, grateful, gratitude, joy, love, mindfulness, pain, recovery, self-care, sobriety, spirituality | Leave a comment

Spiritual Funkiness

by admin Posted on January 4, 2013

I always feel a bit blue come January. This year I am particularly blue because the holidays were awesome! We had a ball. And now… well, now what? I feel disappointed and a bit confused. I struggle with orienting myself to time and space without the holidays and New Year before me. I am in a spiritual funk. I want what’s just beyond my reach. But I don’t want to have to work for it. Continue reading →

Posted in Emotional Sobriety, Holidays, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged addiction, bingeing, change, gratitude, joy, mindfulness, positive thinking, recovery, self-talk, sobriety, spirituality | Leave a comment

Gratitude, On the Fly

by admin Posted on December 16, 2012

As I rocked back and forth in a cozy, enveloping recliner this morning, surrounded by other alcoholics and addicts, I felt something that’s been missing — gratitude. It filled my mind, my heart, my soul, my body. It formed an impenetrable, pink bubble about me. I was enshrouded in love. Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Emotional Sobriety, Family, Gratitude, Holidays, Mindfulness, Service, Spirituality | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, appreciation, attitude, chemical dependency, family, grateful, gratitude, love, mindfulness, recovery, relationships, self-care, substance abuse, willingness | Leave a comment

I Admit It: I Am Terrified

by admin Posted on September 29, 2012

I’ve been flirting with my “wise mind” for the last couple months. What I mean by that is that while I am usually aware that I am reacting, responding irrationally, and have the tools to stop and return to sanity, I don’t always do it. It’s as though I haven’t totally committed myself to a spiritual path. And that’s not for lack of desire. I desperately want that peace of mind, that serenity, that quiet space again. But I’ve been holding back from facing everything. Continue reading →

Posted in Antidepressants, Emotional Sobriety, Expectation, Family, Holidays, Patience, Problem Solving, Service, Socializing, Suffering | Tagged attitude, change, family, fear, grief, love, mindfulness, pause, recovery, self pity, self-care, service | 2 Comments

Finding Gratitude In Garbage

by admin Posted on August 13, 2012

While listening to others in recovery talk Friday night, I was reminded that I need to actively participate in creating joy in my life. That there will always be times that are less than. Less than fun. Less than ideal. Less than happy. And of course, less than perfect. Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Conflict, Emotional Sobriety, Fear, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Spirituality, Suffering | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, appreciation, change, chemical dependency, drinking, fear, fun, grateful, gratitude, joy, love, mindfulness, pain, recovery, self pity, sobriety, spirituality, substance abuse, willingness | Leave a comment

Addiction: The Disease that Hi(gh)jacks the Brain

by admin Posted on July 12, 2012

As I drove home from an early-morning meeting today, I realized something major. I was thinking about NOTHING. For those of you who haven’t had the exquisite pain and pleasure of experiencing addiction, this probably sounds quite silly. Or negative. For someone like me, with a diseased, addicted brain, it’s absolutely wonderful and miraculous. Continue reading →

Posted in Gratitude, Mental Illness, Mindfulness, Relapse, Self-Care, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, appreciation, attitude, change, chemical dependency, drinking, fun, grateful, gratitude, Higher power, joy, mindfulness, recovery, self-care, sobriety, spirituality, substance abuse, willingness | Leave a comment

Waiting Tables Reminds Me A Lot of Life

by admin Posted on May 20, 2012

A few weeks ago, I left the coffee shop gig for a position serving at a local cafe. In many ways, a major quality of life improvement: better hours, higher pay, and a more diverse and challenging work experience. I continue to teach at a local University as well. I had grand plans of picking up my thesis, pounding it out by the end of summer. Now I recognize the craziness of that plan. As it is today, “just” working, I have little time for play. And that bums me out. Regardless, it’s not all for naught. I am always learning. Today has been a series of reflections on what I’m learning (or re-learning) about life, from waiting tables. Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Emotional Sobriety, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Negativity, Self-Care, Service, Spirituality | Tagged attitude, mindfulness, positive thinking, relationships, willingness | Leave a comment

Temper, Temper

by admin Posted on May 1, 2012

I am mad. Not pissy. Not grouchy. Not even crabby. Mad. Not mad as in mad about kittens. Or mad as in crazy (although I do dabble in that from time to time). No. I am raising my voice, shaking “fists of rage” (as my awesome sister would say) mad. Continue reading →

Posted in Conflict, Emotional Sobriety, Mindfulness, Negativity, Problem Solving, Relationships, Spirituality | Tagged anger, attitude, mindfulness, relationships, spirituality, willingness | Leave a comment

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

The Perfectionism Assumption

by admin Posted on February 23, 2012

One assumption I carried around for years and must actively continue to challenge day in and day out is that I must be perfect. That only in perfection will I find happiness, love, and respect. What a damaging assumption! Yet it’s not unique. Lots of us, unconsciously perhaps, are programmed to understand imperfection as failure. Continue reading →

Posted in Gratitude, Mental Illness, Mindfulness, My Story, Negativity, Spirituality, Uncategorized | Tagged addiction, alcoholism, appreciation, assumptions, attitude, change, chemical dependency, drinking, family, gratitude, humanity, mindfulness, perfectionism, positive thinking, recovery, self-talk, sobriety, spirituality, substance abuse, willingness | Leave a comment