I used to depend more on the liquid in my glass than on the people who love me. Alcohol felt like the only reliable source of comfort to relieve me from looking too closely at my pain. It was predictable until it made me unpredictable. I couldn’t recover without acceptance, willingness, and action.

Willingness is the key that unlocks the door, but I don’t get access to the key without accepting that I’m sick. I had to admit to another human being that I needed help and trust something other than my limited understanding of myself. I don’t have to fully understand faith to depend on it. I now depend on a higher power of my understanding and the collective strength of those who have walked this path before me. And trust me, my higher power doesn’t look like anyone else’s; it's just right for me.

Instead of turning to something that was slowly killing me, I can turn to a fellowship that reminds me how beautiful life is. Are your dependencies healthy or unhealthy?

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#RecoveryJourney #SobrietyRocks #FaithOverFear #HealingTogether #WillingnessIsKey #OneDayAtATime #HigherPower #FellowshipFirst #AcceptanceAndAction #ChooseHealing

Thursday mornings my sobriety meeting includes a 10-minute meditation. Every week we get to hear various meditation music. Todays was healing Gregorian chants by the Angelic Choir. The sounds immediately transported me back into a European vacation I took with my daughter. Of the many places we visited there was a beautiful church with stained glass as far as the eye could see. I could almost feel Bailey beside me admiring the church during the meditation today.

When my eyes opened, I had a choice. I could either be sad that the experience with her was over, or I could smile that the experience happened. I have a tendency to choose the first, and I'm practicing choosing the latter. I recognize that my choices today affect tomorrow's version of me. It takes work to recognize the beauty in missing something. It’s proof that it mattered enough to leave a lasting imprint on our hearts.

What is something you've been sad about losing? There must be something because I know I'm not unique in this. We get to choose what we want to carry forward from our past experiences. We can weave those into our gratitude and inner peace.

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Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

Visit me at ⁠⁠⁠recoverydailypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com⁠.

#MindfulLiving, #GratitudePractice, #CherishTheMoment, #FindingPeace, #EmbraceTheJourney, #HealingThroughReflection, #LettingGoWithLove, #MemoriesMatter, #InnerPeace, #SerenityNow

Letting go of old ideas is a process of unlearning habitual thinking. Yesterday, we took our dogs to the vet where a young woman at the counter casually mentioned she wished her water bottle was full of alcohol. That used to be my mindset. I constantly wanted to escape, never grateful for the present moment. Unlearning took more than removing alcohol; I got to change the way I think. Instead of chasing temporary relief, looking away, I walk into the fear, sometimes trembling even.

I joined a vestibular support group yesterday that was exactly what I needed. Hearing from others with the same disability helped to ease some of my despair. One woman battled this disorder for 20 years before finally getting a diagnosis last month. Her resilience was inspiring because I only had to live 3 years in the dark. Another person, newly learning that this disability is permanent, was desperately trying to hold on to her old life, resisting acceptance. I get it. How do you accept something that doctors struggle to diagnose. Just like alcoholism, recovery only begins with acceptance.

My old way of thinking was like trying to keep a hot air balloon afloat. Alcohol was the fuel I depended on to lift me up, but over time, no amount of it could keep me from sinking. There was a hole in the balloon. Now, I have new ways to rise through connection, support, and a shift in my thinking. I got to patch the holes in the balloon and learn to steady it without burning so much fuel. I’m actually navigating my way through life and no longer drifting aimlessly.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Visit my Etsy shop, Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

Visit me at ⁠⁠⁠recoverydailypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com⁠.

#LettingGo #MindsetShift #HealingJourney #SelfDiscovery #Resilience #RecoveryWins #SupportMatters #GratitudePractice #EmbracingChange #InnerStrength