Sometimes life throws us a curve ball and the world as we've known it gets turned upside down and inside out. Times when we've been let down, betrayed, or abandoned as if we didn't matter. When this happens we are left to either find a way to pick up the pieces and move on bit by bit, or hold onto what happened like a broken trophy of the past that defines and diminishes our life.
My dear councelor was a fierc…
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Added by srfranci on September 14, 2009 at 2:35pm —
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~To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are.” -- Unknown
Are you happy with yourself? You can change into what you desire to be. Most of us had very little choice in much of what happened to us as a child. As we grow up we do. The simple fact is we are right now, just where we chose to be.
There is only one you. No one else laughs like you. Talks, walks, or…
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Added by srfranci on August 10, 2009 at 5:00pm —
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Lack of belief in oneself is a killer. It doesn’t help you at all. You need no one else but yourself to turn things around. Here are few-encouraging words that help put a little faith into yourself:
-Think of your dream and imagine yourself reaching that. Always thinking that you’re capable of succeeding can help the thought sink into your subconscious. Remember, failure begins with di…
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Added by srfranci on July 20, 2009 at 9:59pm —
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Online Recovery Support Radio: Episode 9 hosted by a dear friend. I decided to add a little about my own reflections on meditation. When I first learned about meditation, I thought it was silly. I did not think I could get much out of it. Not only that, but I knew I could not sit still for any period of time because I found my mind just wonders. Mike had told me to find a special quiet place, and to go there…
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Added by srfranci on June 11, 2009 at 10:04pm —
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When I was growing up, the term "addict" was almost equivalent to the term "fiend" as in "dope-fiend." There was a sense of demons and craziness about it, and no one wanted to be called an addict. I have learned a lot about addiction and the addictive process since then from my dad who was an alcoholic. One of the things I learned is that addictions are extraordinarily common, one might even…
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Added by srfranci on June 2, 2009 at 11:00pm —
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This is to my best friend who is always there for me and would do anything for me. She has taught me so much about myself and the life I choose to live. ~
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, they serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson or help figure out who you are and who you want to become. You never know who these people may be: they c…
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Added by srfranci on May 27, 2009 at 10:30pm —
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The joy associated with success is a wonderful aspect of recovery. Some of the success points for us that others may not understand include:
- Waking up in the morning remembering what you did the night before
- The first thought of the day being about other things than alcohol and drugs
- Getting to work on time...and straight
- Not always looking over your shoulder
- Having c…
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Added by srfranci on May 24, 2009 at 9:55pm —
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Depression: "A condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason."
A large part of experiencing depression is how much time we spend with our own thoughts, pondering on events and outcomes that may or may not have happened.
When in the process of doing this, we tend to…
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Added by srfranci on May 20, 2009 at 10:41pm —
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After speaking to a friend, we talked about our past and asked ourselves what if? My conclusion is:
Life is all about taking chances. That leap of faith into the unknown. It terrifies us all, but where will we ever go in life if we don’t take a chance. The hardest part is finding a balance, knowing when to take the chance and when to take a step back. Knowing when to k…
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Added by srfranci on February 11, 2009 at 8:54am —
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To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you h…
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Added by srfranci on December 17, 2008 at 11:00pm —
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Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves.
When someone hurts us, we typically respond with negative feelings an…
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Added by srfranci on December 8, 2008 at 10:30pm —
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The potential for suicide exists in all of us - rich or poor, young and old, male or female, urban or rural, popular or not.
There is a myth that people who talk about suicide are not likely to attempt suicide. In fact, many people who attempt or complete suicide, often tell someone, either directly or indirectly. Most people do give some warning of potential suicide. You need to be alert to su…
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Added by srfranci on November 11, 2008 at 11:25pm —
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Often, insecure people have been raised in an unpredictable or volatile environment that gave them little reason to feel secure. This early life experience leaves them with a poorly developed self-concept and low self-esteem. It also often means that they have an exaggerated for acceptance and approval. Overcoming insecurity in relationships of every kind is vitally important to thes…
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Added by srfranci on November 3, 2008 at 10:30pm —
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Life after drug addiction recovery is something that can be sweeter than life before drug addiction. Through your drug rehab treatment, you have learned lots of things about yourself, and lots of things about your drug or alcohol addiction. You should be able to really take full inventory of the things that you have learned and apply them to your life…
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Added by srfranci on October 21, 2008 at 9:47pm —
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Stress is a normal part of life. Modern life is very stressful and avoiding it is just not possible. You can minimize unnecessary stress but the most important thing that should concern you is your reaction to stress. If you suffer from depression, did you realize that it is a stress related disorder?
If you suffer from depression with a clear cause then you are lucky because you can, with help, overcome the problem and the pain of your depression. The cause in this case is nearly always stress…
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Added by srfranci on October 14, 2008 at 9:00am —
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I am not me! I wear a mask. And its not the same mask I wear all the time. The mask changes depending on the role I have to play. Its relative to time, place and people.
I try to hide my real self. I try to be somebody else. I try to make an 'impression'. I try to live an image which I am not.
I don't remember how long I have been wearing the 'masks'. But I guess it must have been…
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Added by srfranci on October 10, 2008 at 11:00am —
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“The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake - you can't learn anything from being perfect.” ~Adam Osborne Continue
Added by srfranci on October 8, 2008 at 2:30pm —
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I feel that everyone has to be realistic and work hard towards their goals in life. Realistic in the sense that they should not set lofty goals in which they end up disappointing themselves when they are not reached. Of course almost anything is possible with hard work, sacrifice and determination. What is of overall importance is knowing the difference between the them, that is…
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Added by srfranci on September 24, 2008 at 11:30am —
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When the expressions “loving yourself” or “self-love” are first heard, there may be confusion about what is meant. This is because we think in terms of the love we are familiar with, dependent love. If we try to love ourselves, we may take an approach similar to that used in dependent love, using ourselves as the object of our love. We may try to escape into ourselves, as we escaped into others. We may become self-absorbed and self-indulgent, putting our own needs first. The motive is still t…
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Added by srfranci on September 20, 2008 at 10:16pm —
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A dear counselor of mine who passed away a year ago expressed the importance of inner peace. I remember thinking that that was the least of my problems trying to find inner peace. He then made the point that if I could find that inner peace within myself, I could find the strength to move on in my life. I remember going home and googling Inner Peace. This is the first thing that came up:
"Inner peace (or peace of mind) refers to a state of being mentally or spiritually at peace, with enough…
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Added by srfranci on September 15, 2008 at 9:15pm —
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