Taking Life for Granted

Life comes in different forms to each person. Some people are fed from a silver spoon, some from a metal one, some from plastic and some don't even have a spoon. These are all metaphors, though, you get idea. So many addicts use to deal with pain in their lives. Here is the problem; people often exaggerate their hardships and make them much more than what they truly are. Doing so hurts themselves and others around them. If we could only do the same with the good we would be much happier.

I was up last night with my husband reading about ISIS and how they were beheading Christians. I was so emotional after watching a video of ISIS beheading children. I was horrified and had this feeling that I was taking my life for granted. My family and I are going on a vacation and we are worried it might rain. This seems insignificant compared to the struggles of many people around the world. I have had my fair share of darkness and pain but I try to always be optimistic about life and enjoy the blessings rather than focus on the hardships.

I also acknowledge that just because someone else is having a grave injustice done to them doesn't make my own problems just disappear. Each one of us has problems, some greater than others yet they are still problems. Any time I think that I have a problem that is really difficult and stressful I'm always grateful that my problems are not more than what they are.

When you are having a bad day try to imagine the children of Islam and the trials they are facing, be grateful that your problems are fixable, if indeed they are. There is always somebody out there who has it worse than you. This doesn't mean that your problems are not hard it just means that you can overcome them. Be strong. Be faithful. Be Grateful.

Enjoying Life After Active Addiction

Today my life is so much different than it was just 8 months ago. After coming to the realization that alcohol was no longer on my "can-do" list I began thinking about how boring my life was gonna be. I'm clean and sober and I can surely say my life is far from the brink of boredom, it doesn't even get eyesight of what boredom is. I enjoy my time with my wonderful children. I enjoy learning about God. I enjoy doing my college work and receiving great grades, I have a brain after all. Life is good and life has been revived from the death of addiction.

In the month's that have past and I've been clean, my family and I have been able to save money. Now we are able to go on a family vacation to Orlando. We will be going to Universal Studios and Seaworld! Being clean has many benefits and I plan to reap them all. I am taking life head-on and I am succeeding. There is Life after active addiction. It does take some time to get that emotional stability after being on mind altering substances for such a long time but it is worth it. There is something good for every addict that suffers they just got to get up and take it. The door is open and inviting, don't let your addiction keep you from the Joys real life has for you. There is only three ends paths that addiction will take you and that is Jails, Institutions and Death; Choose your path wisely.

Serenity Prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference,
in Jesus' name, Amen.

*You are free to choose your own higher power.

Acceptance

When we start our new life being sober and clean it can be hard to accept the cold reality of having an incurable disease. Some people like to think that they are different and can handle their life using. The path of consuming drugs and/or alcohol is inevitable; jails, institutions or death.

At my start I wouldn't accept that alcohol was a problem as well and to be clean I had to give up alcohol. That was so tough for me. My family has pool party's in the summer and there is always alcohol. I told myself that I could drink on occasion, I lie I'm all too familiar with, but what happens when I decide to drink more and end up drunk? I always want to get higher than the alcohol could take me. I realized my life and family was not worth the occasional drink. When I finally accepted that it felt like a huge rush of relief. I could breath easy and enjoy life for what it truly is. I am happy with my life, family and myself. Nothing could worth more than being positively happy with my family. My kids are happy with their mommy. It's amazing that with a blink of an eye you finally see the light (Famously sung by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler).

Acceptance is one of the most important keys to having peace within. Set yourself free and be you! You were made by God and God doesn't make mistakes. You are precious and beautiful. There is always a second chance you just have to want it and take it! Free yourself!

Rome Wasn't Built in a Day

When you come to the day that begins your journey into recovery it can seem like so much and you can feel like you can't handle the fight through the storm its good to remember the famous quote, "Rome wasn't built in a day". It took you more than a day to get so down and out of control so you can expect the same when coming out.

When I began my journey to recovery I had used up every penny in the bank and caused our account to go negative over $800 and it kept going with all the NSF fees. My husband had a hard time understanding that I had a disease and it wasn't an easy journey to recovery. I had a rough first month. The hardest part was admitting that alcohol was a problem too. When I finally let go of the alcohol and spoke it aloud in a meeting with fellow addicts it felt as if an enormous weight was just removed from my back. We as addicts can't think of never being able to get high again so we came up with a solution and that is to take one day at a time. Just for today I will refrain from the use of any mind altering substances. If that seems like too much try 5 minute increments and before you know it those minutes turn into hours then days then months then years.

I myself didn't do well with just for today because then I would have a whole plan of getting high for the next day and I would get high. The way I stay clean is to stay in contact with God and Jesus. One definite action I use to stay clean is to enjoy life without alcohol. I finally understood alcohol is not necessary to have fun, all you need is Hope, Love and Faith, the greatest of these is in fact Love.

You can do it! All you have to do is want it.