When runners prepare their stance for the start of the race with feet planted, fingers on the track, and heart pounding, they’re getting entirely ready to go all in. In the same way, Step 6 is the action of becoming ready and willing to open yourself up to self-reflection and release from character defects. You know those things you do and say that stand in the way of your relationships and growth, and that you later regretfully wish you didn’t do or say? Those are character defects. And mine stick to me like gum on a shoe.

Step 6 teaches me to be moldable, like clay, instead of hardened by fear, ego, or habit. I became willing to let go of the parts of me that no longer serve me, even the ones I’ve used to survive and protect myself from being hurt. These instincts, when distorted, separate me from others. So, I had to become willing to examine them with honesty and cooperate with my higher power to let them go. I consider my higher power to be everything outside of myself including my concept of God. That means I need to cooperate with the others around me, not figure it all out in my own echo chamber.

It took me a couple years to understand Step 6. I can’t release my defects of character that I’m still justifying or hiding. If my obsession with alcohol was lifted, why not ego and selfishness too. The 12 steps are all about remaining open to change. I heard in early sobriety that the only thing I had to change was everything. So, every day I show up to the starting line with willingness again and again.

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To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#Step6Recovery #TwelveSteps #CharacterDefects #EmotionalSobriety #SpiritualGrowth #RecoveryJourney #SobrietySupport #LetGoAndLetGod #WillingnessToChange #MoldableMindset

This morning, I woke up feeling spiritually flat, like I had no direction. That feeling’s been lingering for a while. It feels kind of like restlessness that I haven’t been able to snap out of. But today I made some headway without planning for it. I just got up and went through my usual morning routine. Someone shared something that resonated with me in my meeting. What I heard was, “How can I be bored when there’s such a beautiful and fascinating world around me?” I realized that life can make extraordinary things ordinary when struggles shift our perspective. I can still be amazed when I look at the world through grateful lens’.

As the day unfolded, instead of forcing myself into a half-inspired activity, I let connection lead. After my meetings, I talked to my psychiatrist, had a long heart-to-heart with my mom, and checked in with my sponsor. Connection was the antidote to my spiritual malady today. Faith, for me, is reaching outside myself, trusting in the people and the world around me. Those real conversations helped my day fill itself in. I ended the day with an hour of yoga and whipping up a delightful Balti dish (Fried cilantro and almond cod, dahl, and rice). I didn’t have to plan it all out (though, let’s be honest, I nailed that dinner). Life showed up for me because I showed up for it.

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Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779

Visit my Etsy shop, and join my creative journey at Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#MentalHealth #SpiritualAwakening #HealingJourney #RecoveryIsPossible #GratitudePractice #SelfCare #EmotionalHealth #FaithOverFear #ConnectionMatters #Mindfulness #YogaLife #DailyInspiration #SoberLife #TherapyWorks #HealthyMindset

I went to the movie theater yesterday with my niece, but the accessibility headphones didn’t work. I had to sit through the film relying only on the dialogue. At first, I felt like crying. But instead of spiraling into self-pity, I shifted into gratitude for being with my niece, for a kick-ass burger, fries, and a vanilla shake, and simply for getting out of the house. When our expectations fall apart, there’s still joy to be found if we’re willing to pivot and stay grateful.

That mindset carried into my stroke and vestibular support groups. We talked about the grief of losing a highly functional life overnight and the invisible struggles of cognitive fatigue and sensory overload. In today’s episode, I shared how recognizing my early warning signs helps prevent crashing through a threshold that's hard to bounce back from. My subtle clues before a full flare-up look like this:
• Visual fogginess
• Zoning out
• Muscle tension in my neck and back to limit head movement
• Cognitive slowness and word-finding issues
• Fatigue that feels like my thoughts are wading through sand

If I stay tuned in to my body, I can make choices that protect my peace and well-being instead of push past my limits.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Rather listen on Apple Podcasts? https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/recovery-daily-podcast/id1693924779

Visit my Etsy shop, and join my creative journey at Recovery Upcycling. https://www.etsy.com/shop/RecoveryUpcycling

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#StrokeRecovery #VestibularDisorder #ChronicIllnessAwareness #SensoryOverload #CognitiveFatigue #GratitudeInRecovery #ListenToYourBody #EmotionalSobriety #RecoveryJourney #AccessibleLiving

Sometimes sobriety and support meetings can feel like a chore. They can feel repetitive and purposeless when our lives start to normalize. I can lose gratitude when life gets fuller, more joyful, and busier. I can feel torn between enjoying life and honoring the practices that got me here. This shift is a red flag, even though it’s also a sign of growth. Revisiting the notion of emotional sobriety every week invites me to look deeper. Am I still living with intention? Am I still living in honesty and humility?

When the spark of inspiration fades, service can carry the torch for our recovery. Even when I don’t feel like I need a meeting today, I know someone else might need me.

This is where practicing the principles becomes a lifestyle of getting out of self and seeing my role in the world around me. It’s in how I interact with my kids, friends, and family. My recovery fellowship doesn’t revolve around me. It revolves around us. It’s a “we program”, and if I can’t show up for me, I can show up for you. Showing up becomes less about receiving and more about being a steady presence for someone else, just like others were for us in the beginning.

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

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#EmotionalSobriety #RecoveryJourney #12StepRecovery #SoberLife #LivingThePrinciples #ShowUpAnyway #WeProgram #SobrietySupport #ServiceInRecovery #GratitudeInAction

You know that restless, irritable, discontent feeling that makes everything feel like “too much and not enough” all at once? Today I went rucking, did yoga, handled some recovery paperwork, and even relaxed poolside, and yet I felt all day like I was trying to outrun my restlessness. It can be frustrating and even shameful when I’m doing all the right things but still feel hollow inside. My internal critic gives me a guilt trip that I should feel lucky to be alive and grateful always.

It’s okay to feel discontent, and it doesn’t mean I’m broken or backsliding. I know this discomfort is a signal or spiritual nudge. And after talking through it on my podcast today, I determined that boredom is masking a deeper need for connection.

When life feels flat despite our efforts, it’s okay to pause and ask yourself what you’re hungry for right now? Emotional sobriety helps us notice the off-ness and staying curious. Maybe the answer isn’t doing more but reconnecting with why we’re doing it. These moments of discontent can be teachers, gently pointing us toward a new fulfilling direction.

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

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#RestlessAndIrritable #EmotionalSobriety #RecoveryJourney #SpiritualAwareness #MentalHealthInRecovery #WhenBoredomStrikes #DoingTheWork #RecoveryReflection #SoberLiving #MindfulRecovery

I carried a victim mentality for most of my life, thinking everything was happening TO me, and I had no choices. I blamed everyone else for my suffering, and when I ran out of other people to blame, I blamed my anxiety and depression. I didn’t believe that I could make a difference in my own life. The cards were dealt, and I had to play the game until I lost. Working the steps of my sobriety program changed that view and still does today in stroke recovery. This morning, I had lots of memory bubbles, that reminded me of all my “not-yets” that are waiting for me if I pick up a drink again.

Today I know I have choices, and I don’t need extraordinary strength to persevere. I just need to do the next right thing in front of me. When my ego wants to point fingers, I can pause, remove unhealthy people from my life, surrender to what I can’t control, or simply rest. Each small choice rewrites my story from a powerless victim to a person participating in recovery with grace, gratitude, and many many gifts.

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

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#SobrietyJourney #RecoveryCommunity #StrokeRecovery #MentalHealthMatters #ChooseRecovery #NextRightThing #ProgressNotPerfection #FromVictimToVictor #LetGoLetGod #EmpoweredLiving

This Independence Day, I didn’t watch the fireworks. I crawled into bed with my pups and put on meditation music for dogs (link included below.) It actually worked! Boris, who just the night before was shaking the bed with his nerves, calmed down after only a few minutes. I must admit they had some assistance from a little puppy-safe catnip called PuppyJawana. I turned the volume up just enough to blend the booms with the music. So, we didn’t miss out. We tuned in to calm and peaceful gratitude. And for the first time, I didn’t feel jealous that I couldn’t watch the fireworks. There was no place I’d rather be, and I honored my boundaries. That’s something worth celebrating! Sometimes the most freeing thing I can do is say no to what hurts me even if it's something I want.

For so long, I believed I had no willpower to do what was best for me. I thought I was just weak and unable to resist what I wanted in the moment. But through sobriety, stroke recovery, and everyday surrender to chronic pain, I’ve realized I don’t need willpower. I need consistent willingness to do the next right thing in front of me. What looks like strength from the outside isn’t superhuman effort. It’s just one step at a time over and over again. Some days, my “wanter” and the next right thing align, and those days feel like gratitude. But even when they don’t align, I can pause, make healthy choices, and keep my eyes on the horizon without tripping over the pebbles right in front of me. That’s not willpower. That’s freedom of choice not blurred by addiction.

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Relaxing Music for Dogs to Calm Down | GREAT FOR FIREWORKS! @MerlinsRealms https://youtu.be/wsYT7ErnznQ?si=8zY7os_4qqH2iTSh

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

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#IndependenceInRecovery #WillingnessOverWillpower #SobrietyJourney #StrokeRecovery #EmotionalSobriety #NextRightThing #HealingNotHustling #FireworksAndFeelings #HonorYourBoundaries #RecoveryWithGrace

I went rucking today for an entire mile and a half by myself! I’m trying to build strength, and it’s absolutely a “no pain, no gain” situation. Afterward, before heading home, I sat on a park bench and was surrounded by birds singing. Before I even had a chance to exhale, I started recording my podcast for the day.

My topic today, “Easy Does It,” is easier said than done. Even when I’m walking, I have to remind myself to relax my shoulders, breathe, slow down, you’re not in a race. I’m repeatedly reminded in life to let go of my tension. Yoga, dog training, vestibular recovery, doing the dishes (without braking any) have all taught me that, and yet I’m twisted up like a rubber band no matter what I’m doing. I want to do as much as possible in the least amount of time.

Stroke recovery is teaching me to stop between tasks and check in on how I’m feeling. Sometimes, like today, I talk about slowing down, but don’t actually do it. I’m holding myself accountability and sharing it out loud because I know I’m not unique in this. “Easy Does It” echoes the same idea as yesterday about slowing down to the speed of joy. I’m still figuring out where that line is between doing the next right thing and just busying myself to avoid stillness.

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

To learn more about vestibular disorders visit https://vestibular.org

#EasyDoesIt #StrokeRecovery #OneDayAtATime #NoPainNoGain #RecoveryJourney #SlowDownToGrow #MindfulMovement #VestibularRecovery #ProgressNotPerfection #NextRightThing