“There is no such thing as a minor lapse in integrity.” – Tom Peters, American writer on business practices, best known for In Search of Excellence (born 1942) When we have been through treatment for addiction – or even if we have not – and are entering our period of early recovery, we often carry […]
On Keeping Integrity Intact in Recovery Read More »
“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” – Epictetus, Greek sage and Stoic philosopher, born a slave (AD 55 – AD 136) The temptation to ask ourselves if we’ll ever be happy again is normal. It very likely happens
Will I Ever Be Happy Again? Read More »
People in recovery know all about anger issues. They vividly remember the constant arguments, things that set them off with the least bit of provocation, the explosive emotions and sometimes violent behavior from when they were deep into their addiction. Many thought that just going into rehab for substance abuse would magically make all that
Ready to Blow Up? Try a More Proactive Approach to Dealing with Anger in Recovery Read More »
You’ve heard of self-fulfilling prophecies, right? Well, when it comes to recovery from addiction, going around with a sour outlook is not only a miserable way to exist, it also can put a serious crimp in your recovery chances. Naturally, you want to do all you can to both jumpstart your sobriety and to ensure
Bad Expectations: How a Negative Outlook Can Ruin Your Recovery Chances Read More »
If you are among the millions of those in recovery who regularly attend 12-step Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) meetings, you already know that the Twelfth Step work involves sharing the A.A. message with other alcoholics – and that such an endeavor can help keep you sober. But there’s a lot of confusion over how you get
What it Means to be of Service to Others in Recovery Read More »
Starting out your new life in recovery involves taking chances, making decisions that can be life-altering, trying out healthier behaviors and working the 12-steps to firmly ground yourself in sobriety. It’s an incredible undertaking, a journey that, according to recovery experts, is ongoing. You’re never done with recovery. You are, as they say, in it
Learning How to Trust Yourself Again Read More »
Most individuals entering recovery from substance abuse or addiction to various behaviors are well aware that life isn’t going to be a breeze for the first few months or so. If you’re about to enter or have just entered recovery, you’re probably pretty familiar with the litany of pitfalls that you might encounter. What you
Recovery Pitfalls and Common Sense Ways to Get Past Them Read More »
Among the many things newcomers to recovery need to consider is how to best manage their sobriety. A lot of this has to do with attitude. You can have the right intention – to stay clean and sober – and still be defeated by outdated and misinformed ideas about addiction. One of the earliest to
Addiction Recovery: Blame Is Not Healthy But Accepting Responsibility Is Read More »
Getting back on your feet after treatment for addiction can sometimes prove quite frustrating. Often those new to recovery throw themselves into their jobs, figuring that if they keep busy, they’ll avoid temptations to use. While keeping busy is a good strategy, overdoing it at work can sometimes have the opposite effect. If you sap
How to Balance Work Stress in Recovery Read More »
One thing you know is true almost the minute you get out of treatment for your addiction: You need continued help to move along in your recovery. There are a lot of very good reasons for this, but most important among them is the fact that you’re still so new to being clean and sober
How to Structure Your Environment in Early Addiction Recovery Read More »