Thanks to Stephen’s Place and the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities for their inspiring work and helpful information. Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month can bring awareness to the challenges that those with developmental disabilities face when it comes to interacting within their communities. Developmental disabilities such as autism spectrum disorder and developmental delays affect …
Solstice greetings to you and yours! On this – the shortest (and darkest?) day of the year – may we look forward with a deep sense of hope about the brighter days ahead. And as nature marks this point in its cycle of seasons, let us seize the season and claim the brightness ahead as …
A Story of Numbers After my eighth serious quit attempt in three years, it finally took. Support from the QuittersWin group and mindful use of NRT (nicotine replacement therapy) helped me finally sever the chains from my 45-year, pack-per-day addiction. I noticed a difference right away! By the end of day two smoke-free, I was …
October 10 is World Mental Health Day. Early on an October morning (5 years ago today) as I drove to work in the rain, I sat at a red light in the center of my hometown. There are two routes that will get me to work in about the same amount of time. One route …
Maybe Miracles Do Happen? If people can maintain coherence and avoid terrible detox symptoms, they might be able to hold hope long enough for a miracle to occur. I’ve seen the bumper sticker that says “Expect a Miracle.” Some days I might scoff at such unreasonable hope. Some days I might wish that expecting a …
Part One – A Fierce Storm Today Rehab and Detox beds are nowhere to be found. Demand is higher than ever. Resources are more scarce. Staff are harder to hire and keep. Overdose deaths (CDC figures) rose 30% from 2019 to 2020 and another 15% from 2020 to 2021. The system has been broken for …
“It isn’t where you came from, it’s where you’re going that counts.” – Ella Fitzgerald That’s so true in so many aspects of our human journey. Some of our past needs to be processed or better understood in order for us to move on. But there are plenty of things in our past that we …
Even the best of days would be better with a few smiles, smirks, or chuckles! So here’s a small dose of motivation for your day. Laughter is #GoodMedicine! And to add at least a little motivation to this morning’s message, let’s be honest with ourselves and ask if we are REALLY ready to accept help …
NOTE: I wrote this short post in 2017. Since then, I have become aware of some comments made by J K Rowling that are disrespectful to transgender individuals. That’s a big deal to me. I vehemently disagree with her AND (not but) I also love some of her novels and she serves as a great …
Here’s a quote that makes me feel good. “What do we live for if not to make life less difficult for each other?” – George Eliot It makes me feel hopeful. Hope feels good. But I suspect that it also makes me feel good because if I’m thinking about making things less difficult for others, …
Remembering our WHY can help us get back on track or stay on track in pursuit of recovery. Every person’s WHY is as unique as they are, of course. But understanding the different kinds of WHYs may be helpful because not all WHYs are created equal. Yes, there are different kinds of motivators to quit …
My name is George and I am an ex-smoker since July 20, 2020. This is my story. I started smoking at the young age of 12 years old, thinking it was a cool thing to do. Eventually I became a full-time, heavy smoker in my late teens and continued smoking for about 50 years. I …
To be clear, I don’t own this music or the rights to it. It’s just a great song by Earth , Wind & Fire that seems kinda perfect for TODAY! Movin’ and Groovin’ It’s one of those songs that just makes you want to move! The cool September mornings might have you thinking about going …
According to Mark Twain or Agatha Christie (depending upon who you believe actually said it) “the secret to getting ahead is getting started.” And while the authorship of the quote may be contested, there is no question to its truth. The first step is often the hardest and always required for those who will grow …
I hear that fairly often. Typically it’s a health concern that brings a person to a place where they accept that they should quit smoking (vaping, drinking excessively, or using other substances.) But they really don’t want to quit because they “like it!” I’m not sure that anyone actually likes sucking toxic soot into their …
