Recovery is a Journey

"I'm Movin' On"

A few years ago the country group Rascal Flats came out with a song called "I’m Movin’ On." The story very much relates to the journey many of us are on and the decision some of us have made to keep on matriculating in our lives. Below are the verses and one chorus:

I've dealt with my ghosts and faced all my demons
Finally content with a past I regret
Ive found you find strength in your moments of weakness
For once Im at peace with myself
Ive been burdened with blame, trapped in the past for too long
Im movin on
Ive lived in this place and I know all the faces
Each one is different but theyre always the same
They mean no harm but its time that I face it
Theyll never allow me to change
But I never dreamed home would end up where I dont belong
Im movin on

I sold what I could and packed what I couldnt
Stopped to fill up on my way out of town
Ive loved like I should but lived like
I shouldnt
I had to lose everything to find out
Maybe forgiveness will find me somewhere down this road
Im movin on
(Chorus)
Im movin on
At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me
And I know theres no guarantees, but Im not alone
There comes a time in everyones life,
When all you can see are the years passing by
And I have made up my mind that those days are gone

What changes are you ready to make in your life? Are you ready to move on down the road of recovery and find both peace and forgiveness? Why not make an appointment with your counselor and talk.

Diabetic Decline

If you have diabetes, what would become good reasons for monitoring your blood sugar diligently, taking your medication as prescribed, and adhering to appropriate nutritional habits? How about the following?

EYES:

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among adults.

HEART:

Heart problems and stroke cause 65% of deaths among diabetics.

KIDNEYS:

Diabetes accounts for 44% of new cases of kidney failure.

LIMBS:

More than 60% of lower limb amputations occur in diabetics.

Enhance Your Recovery

Things you can do to enhance your recovery:

1. Immediately stop those activities that influence you to continue using.
2. Replace your addictive behaviors with healthier, pro-active recovery behavior.
3. Take responsibility for your life, actions, and consequences. Stop both the blame game and the "poor pitiful me" game.
4. Acknowledge that you have problems, seek assistance from someone who will give you recovery-based guidance, not "Bubba" the neighborhood guru.
5. Identify new directions and set realistic goals. Then, get to work!
6. Spend time learning about yourself. Discover who you are without substance abuse being a part of your image.
7. Go to NA, AA, or other recovery-based support group meetings. And, get involved. Be an active member of the group.
8. Accept that change comes over time. Don't make excuses, and at the same time, be patient with yourself.
9. Get a sponsor and use that sponsor to help you work the 12 Steps. The sponsors job is not to be your conscience or your therapist. Their calling is to help you with your step work.
10. Do at least one good thing for yourself everyday.
11. Set and hold healthy boundaries with yourself and others.
12. Get some exercise and eat right. Slow down the sugar and the caffeine, not to mention the nicotine.
13. Pay attention to your spiritual life. Pray, read inspirational material, do something good for someone without seeking a reward or letting them know that you were the giver.

Alcohol and Tobacco

Alcohol and tobacco are among the top causes of preventable deaths in the United States. Most often used together, people who drink are much more likely to drink, and people who drink, much more likely to smoke. People who are dependent on alcohol are three times more likely than those in the general population to be smokers, and people who are dependent on tobacco are four times more likely than the general population to also be dependent on alcohol.

Alcoholics who smoke place themselves at much higher risk for tobacco related complications effecting numerous health concerns. In fact, alcoholics are more likely to die from tobacco related illnesses than from alcohol related illness.