Show Up!

“I’ve found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck,  take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.”  Brian Tracy Showing up is half the battle.  Being present, actually taking an active role in my life is essential.  That may sound ridiculous but as an active alcoholic I could be present … Read more

Strive for Excellence

“Work is about a search for daily meaning as well as daily bread, for recognition as well as cash, for astonishment rather than torpor; in short, for a sort of life, rather than a Monday-to-Friday sort of dying.”   Studs Terkel Strive for excellence in all you do.  I was discussing the Real Life Recovery Program … Read more

M is for Carrying the Message

For me today carrying the message that recovery is life and life is good is what drives me.  It is amazing to me to see folks come from the pits of addiction into a brand new way of living filled with joy and hope.  It brings me back to my early days and the feeling … Read more

K is for Kindness

Kindness trumps greed: it asks for sharing. Kindness trumps fear: it calls forth gratefulness and love. Kindness trumps even stupidity, for with sharing and love, one learns.  Marc Estrin I have learned over the years that when someone is not kind to me it matters not!  If I allow myself to get upset I am … Read more

I is for Inward Satisfaction

There is not a more pleasing exercise of the mind than gratitude.  It is accompanied with such an inward satisfaction that the duty is sufficiently rewarded by the performance.  ~Joseph Addison As I thought about my ABC’s of gratitude the letter “I” posed a challenge because true gratitude is not about “I” it is about … Read more

When Work is Fun!

“I believe in hard work. It keeps the wrinkles out of the mind and spirit.” Helena Rubinstein Often when we think of the term “Work”, visions of difficulty or displeasure emerge.  When it comes to joy and happiness I am not sure that work is the term to use.  Sure in the beginning of the … Read more

Self Help or Self Improvement?

Is there a difference? There certainly is and it is big. I was in a Network Marketing Company and I heard a speaker at a conference say “This is a self-improvement program with a high compensation outcome!” It was my first exposure to this way of thinking. Honestly, I was immediately attracted to the approach … Read more

The Needle and the Damage Done…

Neil Young song a song in the 70’s “Needle and the Damaga Done”. But what if the damage has nothing to do with substance abuse? What if my impulsive behaviors have created hurt feelings or worse yet, some real damage? The same rules apply, use your tools, start with step 10 recognize, admit, amend and … Read more