Perseverance

by Terrie C I am a survivor of childhood trauma and also ongoing trauma.  In recovery, it has been important to me to acknowledge my successes as well as my mistakes.  In the book THE ADDICTIVE ORGANIZATION by Anne Wilson Schaef and Diane Fassel, they describe codependent behaviors as a fatal disease and say, “InContinue reading “Perseverance”

Step 11-finding my higher power

The principle of Step 11 is SPIRITUAL AWARENESS.  Prayer means asking.  Meditation means listening.  One of the things I love about this step is that it gives permission to define our own Higher Power.  What does my spirit tell me?    Many experiences over the last 40 years of recovery work have brought me giftsContinue reading “Step 11-finding my higher power”

There’s a hole in my sidewalk

Autobiography in Five Short ChaptersBy Portia Nelson Chapter OneI walk down the street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.I fall in.I am lost …. I am helpless.It isn’t my fault.It takes forever to find a way out. Chapter TwoI walk down the street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.I pretend that I don’tContinue reading “There’s a hole in my sidewalk”

Finding Guidance in Troubled Times

Once again, we can look to our Traditions to guide us as we navigate through difficult and uncharted ground.  When faced with difficult life circumstances and relationship issues, the 12 Traditions can be the principles of our meetings as well as our interactions with others.  Who hasn’t benefitted from Tradition 12’s reminder to place “principlesContinue reading “Finding Guidance in Troubled Times”

Loving Myself Back Into Wholeness

Bringing Compassion to our Personal Inventory by Charlie B I am Charlie, and I’m still recovering from the codependent survival patterns I learned so well in childhood. I’m also grateful I’ve come so far!  So many of the program promises have come true for me in so many good ways!   Yet I still have muchContinue reading “Loving Myself Back Into Wholeness”

What you are feeling is probably grief

Someone sent me this article the other day and then a different person sent me an amazing podcast by Brene Brown where she is talking with the same author, David Kessler. He is the world’s foremost expert on grief and co-wrote with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief through theContinue reading “What you are feeling is probably grief”

Life is teaching us

Staying calm in the midst of chaos and uncertainty has not been easy for me in my life. I feel triggered by the circumstances relating to this COVID 19 pandemic. The craziness of it. The isolation. The paranoia. The feeling of scarcity. The confusing and ever-changing information. It reminds me of my childhood. Of myContinue reading “Life is teaching us”