Whaaaat?!?! BBB on a Wednesday??!!?? I know. Stock the panic room. Things are getting craaaazy! JK JK But I wanted to just fill you in on the Special Announcement I mentioned in my last post. IR…

Recovery isn't just stopping addictive patterns. It's also about finding ways to reconnect to the good things that life still has to offer. Learn ore about finding ways to re-engage in life in healthy and meaningful ways.

Sometimes the best tools for recovery are really simple. Read about 7 small steps that can be helpful.

Principle 1: Realize I'm not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable. Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor. -Matthew 5:3 Step 1: We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. -Romans 7:18 The psychological definition of denial is: a defense mechanism in which the existence of unpleasant internal or external realities is denied and kept out of conscious awareness. By keeping the stressors out of consciousness, they are prevented from causing anxiety. (source) Before recovery can begin, we must first face and admit our denial. Although it seems like a small step, facing and admitting our denial is a huge leap toward recovery. According to a research article by the NY Times, there are several varieties of denial. These include (but are not limited to): inattention, passive acknowledgment, reframing, and willful blindness. Inattention: Sometimes people deny things because they really are not aware of them. This is the basic and most innocent form of denial, and only applies to infrequent or occasional occurrences. That's not what happened./I didn't mean that, what I meant was _________. Passive Acknowledgement: This kind of denial is often utilized by individuals who are co-dependent. They acknowledge the problem, but underplay it by allowing the person an extra dose of grace and oversight, often making excuses for their behaviors. He didn't mean to hurt me when he hit me./It's not her fault, I made her angry, she must be having a bad day./I'm just under a lot of stress, things will get better when my life gets easier. Reframing: A form of justification, reframing acknowledges the behavior but reinterprets it in a favorable way. The individual in denial is constantly altering their thoughts and perceptions about their behaviors or those of the addict. My ___________ habit doesn't hurt anyone, so it's okay./I am doing better than her, so I'm doing fine. Willful Blindness: One of the most severe forms of denial, the person acknowledges their behaviors but refuses to view them as problematic. It is at this point where an addict believes they can stop at any given time, or assumes that their behavior is normal. So what if I like to ________? I can quit anytime I want to./He might __________, but he always apologizes and makes up for it the next day. He doesn't mean it. Do any of these scenarios sound familiar to you? Many of us use these forms of denial throughout our lives for a variety of situations. Take some time to ask God to show you areas in your life where you might be blinded by denial. When He brings something to light, don't run from it! This is how progress is made, and facing our denial is the first step. Hopefully you have a recovery community that you can turn to for support. If you aren't involved in a recovery community, I highly recommend that you find one that fits with your individual circumstances and needs. There are many resources and support groups available for a variety of issues. Why not start by finding a Celebrate Recovery group near you?

Self-pity is a dangerous thing — especially for anyone who uses mood-altering substances or behaviours to manage painful emotions. Self-pity stops emotional growth and healing. It makes us focus on our pain while keeping us from looking at our behaviour. Our brain already has a negative bias, making

Recovery isn't just stopping addictive patterns. It's also about finding ways to reconnect to the good things that life still has to offer. Learn ore about finding ways to re-engage in life in healthy and meaningful ways.

Recovery isn't just stopping addictive patterns. It's also about finding ways to reconnect to the good things that life still has to offer. Learn ore about finding ways to re-engage in life in healthy and meaningful ways.

If you're new to sobriety, you might be wondering how long it takes to rewire your brain and repair the damage from drinking. It depends!

(+FREE Addiction Recovery Resources) How Long Does It Take To Overcome An Addiction? The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) recommends that people spend at least 90 days in an addiction recovery program.

Struggling with addiction can feel isolating, but nobody should be alone. Our carefully curated recovery quotes provide a wellspring of support and wisdom. From motivational speakers to recovering addicts, reflect on their powerful words that offer solace, insight, and encouragement to anyone on the road to recovery.

I’m a big believer in the power of words.Recovery affirmations and positive life quotes can serve as a motivator for those seeking hope.

Recovery from addiction is a journey of transformation, resilience, and hope. It is a path that millions of individuals worldwide embark upon, seeking to

Ask anyone who's been there, and you'll find out that getting sober is just the first step to recovery. So many people hope that giving up their drug of choice will be enough recovery, and they are surprised when sobriety doesn't last or doesn't work.

Principle 6: Evaluate all my relationships. Offer forgiveness to those who have hurt me and make amends for harm I've done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others. Happy are the merciful. -Matthew 5:7 Happy are the peacemakers. -Matthew 5:9 Step 8: We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all. Do to others as you would have them do to you. -Luke 6:31 Up until this point in the recovery process, recovery has focused primarily on the personal side of our lives. This was achieved by admitting our powerlessness, turning our lives and wills over to God's care, doing our moral inventory, sharing our sins or wrongs with another, and admitting our shortcomings and asking God to remove them. In lesson 16, we are refocusing our recovery from our internal recovery to relational recovery, beginning the repair work necessary to improve our interpersonal relationships. Making amends is the beginning of the end of our isolation from God and others. Keep in mind that step 8 only asks us to make a list of those we have harmed and to become willing to make amends. Some of us might need to ask God to give us that willingness to make amends, and that's okay. Begin praying to Him about the process and ask Him for the willingness, strength, courage, and compassion needed to begin the amends process. Additionally, step 8 asks us to make a list of those we need to forgive and become willing to forgive them. Just like with asking amends, some of us might not be ready to forgive those who have hurt us deeply. This step is only asking us to become willing to forgive. For those who don't feel ready to forgive, begin seeking God in prayer and ask Him to soften your heart to begin the process of forgiving others. Are amends necessary? Many individuals question the necessity of making amends. If we have asked God for forgiveness, why should it matter what others think? The short answer to that question is simple- it doesn't. Making amends isn't for the person we have harmed, although it could offer healing for them as well. The purpose of amends is to clean out the guilt, shame, and pain that has caused past relationships harm. Is forgiveness necessary? Sometimes it can become easy for those who have been harmed by others to become comfortable playing the victim. As long as we stay in that role, we feel justified in our feelings of anger, pain, and perhaps even hatred. However, playing the victim is not healthy and it is not what God has called us to do. Celebrate Recovery has reworded this step for victims of sexual/physical abuse: Make a list of all persons who have harmed us and become willing to seek God's help in forgiving our perpetrators, as well as forgiving ourselves. Realize we've also harmed others and become willing to make amends to them. A life characterized by bitterness, resentment, and anger will kill you emotionally and shrivel your soul. They will product what CR calls the "Three Ds": depression, despair, and discouragement. Hanging onto unforgiveness will always cause more harm to yourself than to the person who wronged you. Should amends be made to everyone? The second part of principle 6 says to "...make amends for harm I've done to others, except when to do so would harm them or others." Sometimes making amends would cause more harm than good to individuals we have harmed. If in doubt, consider talking to your sponsor or accountability partner regarding the best course of action. If making amends or offering forgiveness is not practical (if the person is deceased or you have decided it would cause harm to them), there are ways to express yourself without the reciprocity of the other person. The best way to do this is through writing a letter. Even though the letter will never be read by the other person, it is a great way to express your feelings. Once the letter is written, consider sharing it with your sponsor or accountability partner, then burning or destroying it in some way as visual reinforcement that the process has been completed and you no longer need to carry its burden any more. 1. Admit the hurt and the harm It's important to face the hurts, resentments, and wrongs other have caused you, or wrongs that you have caused others. Holding on to resentments will both block your recovery and block God's forgiveness. Do not judge others, and God will not judge you; do not condemn others, and God will not condemn you; forgive others, and God will forgive you. -Luke 6:37 2. Make a list In your inventory, column 1 should have a list of people whom you need to forgive, and column 5 should have a list of people to whom you owe amends. Consider any others that you might need to add. At this point, don't worry about how to make amends or how to forgive- simply ensure that the list is as accurate as possible and prepare your heart to be willing to begin the process. Treat others as you want them to treat you. -Luke 6:31 3. Encourage one another Before beginning the process, be sure to meet with your sponsor or accountability partner. They will be able to offer insight and encouragement, as well as an objective outlook to ensure your motives stay true. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. -Hebrews 10:24 4. Not for them Don't expect anything in return. Focusing only on your part, offer amends or forgiveness with the goal of freedom from your own issues. Just as God is kind and gracious toward us, we need to be kind and gracious toward others. Love your enemies and do good to them, lend and expect nothing back. -Luke 6:35 5. Do it at the right time When it comes to this step, timing is key. Before moving forward, ask God for His guidance, direction, and timing. Not only does the timing need to be right for you, but it is imperative that it be right for the other person. This is a hard process, and it's important not to use timing as an excuse not to proceed. Don't wait until you feel like making amends or offering forgiveness- that feeling may never come! I never feel like going to the dentist to get a cavity filled, but I know that if I don't, I will only have more pain and suffering ahead. We might have to proceed with this step even if we don't feel like it. That's okay, because we are moving forward in obedience to God's Word and trusting that our obedience will result in an improvement in our well-being. In humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others. -Philippians 2:3-4 6. Start living the promises of recovery As we go through the process of making amends and offering forgiveness, we will experience freedom from our past. The peace and serenity that we have been yearning for will begin to seep into our lives, and we will begin to have a brighter outlook on ourselves and our future. Joel 2:25 says, "I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten." If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. -Romans 12:18 Additional Reading: The Layers Within

To inspire you and help renew this sense of hope and commitment to recovery, here are 20 affirmations to keep in your back pocket.

In this blog post, we reveal our 20 best recovery and addiction inspirational quotes of all time. We hope you will be motivated after reading this!

Relapse doesn't just happen when something devastating affects our lives. Often it happens when things are going well. Understanding why people relapse during good times is essential to preventing it.

Psychologists that are specialists in eating disorder therapy. Therapy for emotional eating, binge eating, and more. Free consultations.

A successful recovery requires mindfulness, dedication, determination, consistency, and motivation. Managing addiction recovery is not an easy task, no matter how long you've been in recovery.

The best books about sobriety are the ones that help you feel less alone and empowered to quit alcohol for good.

Principle 3: Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ's care and counsel. Happy are the meek. -Matthew 5:5 Step 3: We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God- this is your true and proper worship. -Romans 12:1 In order to change the direction our life is heading, we must turn our lives in a new direction. Growing up in the foothills of Pennsylvania, I have learned that there is a difference between going "straight" down a road, following the natural bends and curves, and actually turning from the road onto a new one. The scenery and direction might temporarily change, but unless we deliberately change which road we travel, our destination does not change. Similarly, the natural progression of our lives can take us around bends and curves, but we are still on the same road heading to the same destination. If we want to change our destination, we must purposely turn off of the road we are on and onto a different road leading to a different destination. Change doesn't happen unless we deliberately turn from our old ways and begin to head toward a new destination, a new way of life. Turning from what we have always known and toward something new can be intimidating. However, if you've completed principle 2 (We came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.), you already have everything you need to take this next important step- faith. Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. -Hebrews 11:1 To have faith in God, we must trust Him. The definition of trust is a, "firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something." (Source) Hopefully you have already established a personal belief in God from Step 2 and Principle 2. If not, please go back and work on these some more. It is impossible to have full success in this program if you haven't established the basic foundations of your belief system. If you believe that God exists and that He has the power to help you, now you must have faith that He will fulfill His promises to you. If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised Him from death, you will be saved. -Romans 10:9 For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." -Romans 10:13 By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know Him, the One who called us to Himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence. And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share in His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, dn knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. -2 Peter 1:3-11

A quick scroll through Facebook or Instagram will confirm something everyone already knows: People love inspirational quotes. Check out our favorites from 2018 and where you can find the people that wrote them.

Read up on on the quasi recovery stage of an eating disorder recovery journey. Learn what it is and why it's important to be aware of quasi recovery.

Recovery isn't just stopping addictive patterns. It's also about finding ways to reconnect to the good things that life still has to offer. Learn ore about finding ways to re-engage in life in healthy and meaningful ways.

DOWNLOAD Only Download file and print--nothing mailed. 24 Hours Recovery Sobriety Written for those who may need a reminder of why and how this 24 hours is so special. "24 hours in a day. No more. No less. That's all I have to work with. To do my best to keep my thinking in check. To pray often. To trust that God cares about me and wants me to succeed. To hold on and not give up. To do for others what I can. To give God my weaknesses and triggers. To grow humility and a deeper gratitude. To give God all the credit. To have peace at the end of every day." PURCHASE, DOWNLOAD, and PRINT - 1, High-resolution PDF file. File is black type on white background. Select a paper stock to print the message on. Crop marks are in position on the file for trimming. Fits a standard 5 x 7" frame. **Images shown with colored backgrounds are for visual purposes of what a colored stock might look like with the type overprinting. Purchase is for DOWNLOADING and PRINTING 5 x 7" image/typography art for personal use. This is a copyrighted piece and is Not for commercial use or distribution. © CLMurphyCreative TO VISIT OUR ETSY SHOP, just click on the link below: www.etsy.com/shop/CLMurphyCreative

To inspire you and help renew this sense of hope and commitment to recovery, here are 20 affirmations to keep in your back pocket.

This sticker was inspired by my own journey through an eating disorder, and was designed to remind me how important it is to nourish my body if I expect it to flourish and achieve my life goals. Both of the letter "s" have been transformed into the NEDA symbol for eating disorder recovery and awareness.  This sticker measures just under 2.5” wide making it the perfect size for water bottles, hydroflasks, laptops, gifts, or just about anywhere else your heart desires! While my stickers are waterproof, I recommend keeping them out of the dishwasher to achieve their greatest lifespan. They are much happier if hand washed. Please check out my other stickers and inspirational gift items!

SOBRLIFE offers recovery education and lifestyle support. Get Sober. Stay Sober.

Need some motivation to keep working on rebuilding your health and happiness? Take a good look at these 12 recovery quotes.

Encouraging quotes to inspire and help support you on the path to recovery.