Sobriety: Land of the Free, Life of the Brave

We spent my birthday, also the Fourth of July, at the beach. I grew up near the beach but now live about 2.5 hours away, so there are times I only visit the ocean once a year or so. Each time, I am transported to my happy place; a full sensory experience. The waves are Read More

Here is Everything

This week, I lived. Living consisted of teaching, being a parent, and a wife. Running a house, helping a friend, caring for my dog. Exercise, dentist appointments, rapid-Covid-19 tests, high school volleyball games, coffee, and books. Riding the wave from sleepy Monday morning, to exhausted Friday afternoon. Nothing life-changing, or earth-shaking, but I’m so glad Read More

Recovery Spotlight: Women For Sobriety

A few days ago, I received a warm hug through the mail. My fellow blogger and dear friend Barb, sent me a Rosie Recovery Strong Women Coin to mark by second soberversary. And of course, a lovely card accompanied it, as it wouldn’t be Barb without the little extra. This acknowledgement of the two-year mark Read More

Choosing Me (Rather than Changing Me)

If you follow my blog or even just read it from time to time, you know I consider myself on a wellness journey. This journey began when I stopped drinking and started choosing me. Me over what society expects of me. Me rather than a version of myself crafted by norms and group think. When Read More

Scarcity or Abundance: You decide.

Anyone who feels led, or perhaps forced, to make a lifestyle change has the opportunity to choose their perspective. Do we want to spend the remainder of our lives putting in time and feeling left out or deprived? Or, do we set out on a journey to let our downfall transform our path into something Read More

For Everything There is a Season

Anyone who has spent a large portion of their life stuck in addiction undergoes a major transformation once they break free. A course correction. A process of reassessing life and how it should be lived. An embracing of their true self; and of possibility. But it’s not clean-cut and tidy. There are pieces to pick Read More

My Issue

As most of you know, I am in a situation where someone close to me remains in the hospital after going through alcohol withdrawal and liver failure and now is trying to get well enough to enter rehab. I had a conversation with my mother-in-law about this situation and she made a comment that really Read More

Two Years of Sobriety: It is what it is

I’m glad I didn’t have any expectations around my second soberversary because it looks like it will be a party of one. COVID life is a great teacher of harboring no expectations. And while most people mark March 13 as the day the world shut down, I mark it as another year sober. This day Read More

Holding on to Hope

I’m writing this post to anyone who struggles with substance abuse or has a loved one who struggles, which is most of us. I’m writing from a place of shock and guilt, grief and some anger too. Someone close to me, exactly who I won’t disclose at this point, is in the hospital, fighting for Read More

Sunday Meditation: Loving Without an Agenda

Our society runs on agendas. Your day may run on a this type of itemized list. Agendas aid in organization and productivity. But what about the agenda that we don’t write on a page, but compose in our hearts and minds? This type of agenda, sometimes called a “hidden agenda” is often formulated without our Read More