All posts tagged: Recovery

The Jubilant Journey

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This Alphabet Game is great because it prompts me to explore words. Words link to other words and—as I follow the trail—ideas literally spell themselves out. I thought it would be fun to share my journey through the letter “J” today. While exploring Joy—the first “J” word that came to mind—I found that one of its synonyms is rejoicing. Rejoicing is defined as: Great joy; jubilation. There’s a word you don’t see every day—Jubilation: a feeling of great happiness and triumph. Aha! That really caught my eye. I love the word triumph. Triumph: a complete victory or success achieved especially after great difficulties, making the result particularly satisfying. Maybe I’m filled with so much happiness and joy because of jubilation; I’m forever celebrating the victory that I’m living in. After great difficulties, the result is particularly satisfying—to say the least. But… it’s not just the joy of past victories; it’s also the hope of those to come. New trials bring opportunities to experience new triumphs, and failures pave the way to success. It all circles …

My 3 Keys to Happiness

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Happiness. What a great word. I perused the web to see what people had to say about the “Keys to Happiness.” It was an interesting experiment, because everyone had different opinions. People have their own ideas about what makes them happy, or what happiness even means. That being said, I decided it would be fun to use my “H” words to express my keys to happiness (in less than 500 words). The disclaimer here is that these are ‘my own’ ideas, and I’m limiting it to words that begin with the letter “H.” 1. Honesty Honesty is huge. In recovery, for example, you need to make a searching and fearless moral inventory of yourself. To take that one step further, you need to admit to God, yourself, and another human being, the exact nature of your wrongs. It’s not always easy, but it opens the door to honest self-reflection. Personally, these steps were life changing. They opened my eyes to the fact that not only am I incredibly flawed, but that—and here is an honest …

Contentment

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“Now and then it’s good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.” Guillaume Apollinaire I’m on the letter “C” today and this quote is perfect. I’m starting with a word that I’m not necessarily a fan of, but I won’t make a habit of that. Contradiction: a combination of statements, ideas, or features of a situation that are opposed to one another. Sometimes a professor will say something that totally contradicts what another professor said. That’s confusing, and sometimes annoying, but that’s not why I brought it up.

The Excursion

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This morning I drove into Pasadena. It wasn’t a major excursion, but it was in the opposite direction of where I normally travel and everything was unfamiliar. I wish I had taken my camera. It’s the perfect place for street photography, but it was just TOO hot! I wanted to get in—and get out. I went there to pick up the kit for my drawing class. I’m already enjoying the course. It’s not so much that I’ve learned anything yet (it’s only been two days), or that I even see the possibility of getting really good at it. It’s the fact that I’m putting aside my fear, putting the pencil to the pad, and making an effort.

A Haiku of Faith

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The path is twisted, But there’s a cross, in the light, Guiding my footsteps. And an update for the road— My summer break is coming to an end. School starts Monday, and my bag is already packed. It’s been an interesting season, and I’m glad I took the time to refresh and recharge.

On the Edge

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I think the definition of artist is a bit enigmatic. I’ve never called myself an artist. I’ve said things like “this is some art I created,” or “I love to create art,” but that’s as far as it goes. I think the first explanation that pops into my head is the fact that I don’t use pencils, pens, or even brushes (although that may change after the new semester).

Living the Dream

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Chaotic workday— a scuffle with friends, Five o’clock traffic— the stress never ends, Pressure to do well— fearing failure, too, Stuck in a pattern— afraid of what’s new, Plan for retirement— look forward to rest, Where children once played— is now empty nest, Dating disasters— a marriage from hell, Lack of investments— there’s nothing to sell, No regrets linger— My head’s not for rent, All of these moments— are evanescent, March forward, full steam— toward what is unseen, Faith is eternal— I’m living the dream.

Clear Vision

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Something eye opening happened recently. I had been holding off on writing a life-journal update because it seemed there was nothing exciting to share. Eventually I did—in my No News is Good News post—but by the time I sat down to write I was tired. What I failed to mention is that I had one of those aha moments just prior to writing.

No News is Good News

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The Journey Continues… It’s been awhile since I’ve updated my journal. On the one hand, it means that nothing exciting (or newsworthy) has been going on. On the other hand—and more importantly—the old idiom rings true: No news is good news. Today marks 1,229 days of sobriety… so that’s good news!