Lake Tahoe was the perfect place to spend time with my husband before he leaves on a four-month work trip. The lake is so tied to memory for me that visiting it is like coming home to see an old friend. Driving down into the mouth of the valley is like getting a warm hug, Read More
Category: Self Development
Know Thyself
In order to love yourself, you must first know who YOU are. Just as it is impossible to love a stranger, you need to spend time getting to know yourself. This includes a lot of self-reflection and awareness, or noticing, what you respond to and why. Whatever makes your soul happy…do more of that. One Read More
Becoming
About two months into my sobriety journey, I came across the following quote from one of my heroes, Brene Brown: “Are you the adult you want your child to become?” Ouch. I immediately winced, the pain, shame and regret from drinking for the entirety of my three children’s lives still haunting my every waking moment. Read More
The Truth, As I See It
What if, one day, you realized that your reality—the truth you had been fed and willingly accepted—was a lie? What if those in a position of power through their words and images and actions told you, showed you and tried to prove to you that something was safe and acceptable when it really wasn’t? What Read More
My Own Hero
Of all the positive changes you can make in your life, quitting drinking has to top the list. It is a keystone habit that, when eliminated from your daily routine, can allow everything else to fall into place. Anxiety? Virtually gone! Guilt and shame? A thing of the past! Feeling like shit and having no Read More
Voice in My Head
Looking back, I am amazed at the ingenuity—the craftiness—of the addictive voice that controlled my thoughts and behaviors for so many years. It is still there, and probably always will be, piping in unexpectedly and trying to catch me off-guard. It is just quieter now, patient but sporadic, and a lot less convincing. A War Read More
Me 2.0
I am many things: wife, mother, teacher and writer, to name a few. Six months ago, however, the roll I identified with most was alcohol-dependent lost soul. I had come to the point where I was just existing in my life, loathing who I had become and how my life had “turned out.” I teach Read More