Monday, January 12, 2015

 Women for Sobriety, Inc.
You Are FREE TO MOVE FORWARD

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“Negativity spreads faster than any Justin Bieber song.”  -Vanilla Ice

“I think when I look out and I see there’s so much negativity in the world and a lot of people are anxious, it just feels like that’s one view of the world.  But you don’t have to always focus on that view of the world.”  -Chris Hardwick


“If you find yourself plagued by a recurrent worry, train yourself to think of something else.  Your conscious mind can concentrate on only one thought at a time, and driving the negativity away will free you up to move forward again.”  -Harvey Mackay

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Statement #2, “Negative thoughts destroy only myself.”
My first conscious sober act must be to remove negativity from my life.
************************************************************
   
     Recently there have been some intense happenings going on in the world that we as human beings are naturally reacting and responding to.  WFS and our Statements continue to help me understand and move through intense thoughts and emotions.  In the past, I was actually drawn to inflammatory words, actions and events, almost feeling fueled by them.  Then I drank to try to escape all of the negativity that I had just witnessed, experienced or created.  It was a painful time.
     With Statement #2 in hand, I am able to first recognize negativity and then disconnect from it.  It is not easy at times, especially when news organizations repeat the same traumas and obvious speculation or when my thoughts continue to repeat a loop of drama.  Today I know I can shift my perspective and maybe gain some valuable insight.
     Training myself to release negativity is a daily action.  I need practice every day, NO MATTER WHAT.  If I am tired or angry, I may cling to negativity a bit longer but I can make that shift today with greater ease.  By recognizing, realizing and then releasing, I am able to move through negativity or I can bypass it altogether.  For instance, I can turn the news off by quieting the radio, television or Internet.  I don’t have to follow the crowd into drama.  I have control of my own OFF button.  Once engaged, I move away from negativity and reclaim my balance.  My thoughts brighten as I engage in life instead of negativity and compassion swells from within.  It’s like giving myself an inner hug!

Is negativity becoming easier for you to recognize and release today?

Hugzzz, Karen
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Hi 4C Women,
     Many of you know that I was the queen of negativity and, when I first became involved in WFS, I thought that it would be impossible to ever turn my attitude around.  Over the weekend, I sprained a tendon on my middle finger right hand and ended up in the ER.  I could have sworn it was broken as I heard a crunch/crack and the tip of my finger was bent down.  Years past, I would have been frozen in the negativity of why me?  I would have been depressed and angry all at the same time.  I just told myself that I would deal with whatever the outcome would be.  What choice did I have?  WFS taught me that and I was actually happy that it was only a sprain and not broken.  I can still type (not as fast as usual), drive and the pain isn’t that awful.  To top it off, my granddaughter and I were watching a TV show and, even though I don’t recall which show, there was a woman who was responding to a situation and my granddaughter turned to me and said, “Grandmom, that’s you - always seeing things in a positive way.”
     So for those who are struggling with a negative attitude, remember it does take awareness and then practice to see a situation in a different light.  Also, it really helps in learning to make healthier choices in handling difficult challenges.  Rather than thinking why me, consider how empowered you will feel when you respond differently.  It also freaks out those people who expect the same negative response.  Now that can be fun and in the end, life changing and healing for you and your relationships.  And that’s the changing force in becoming a 4C woman!  -Dee
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thank you, Karen and Dee, for your words of encouragement and inspiration to start off our week!
~Becky Fenner, WFS Director

Email:  newlife@nni.com   *   Tel215-536-8026   *   Fax:  215-538-9026
http://www.womenforsobriety.org   *   http://www.wfscatalog.org

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/UPCOMING-HAPPENINGS---EVENTS.html?soid=1110438715738&aid=UwG36NzgfLM

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/UPCOMING-HAPPENINGS---EVENTS.html?soid=1110438715738&aid=UwG36NzgfLM

Sunday, January 11, 2015


Denver Edition


1st Annual
REEL Recovery Film Festival
Denver Edition 2015
With
CeDAR & Writers In Treatment


May 29-31, 2015
Denver Film Society
SIE Film Center
2510 E. Colfax Ave.,
Denver, CO 80206-1411


FOR SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION


Call to Sponsor or bring your clients for free:
818-762-0461
The Fix: Addiction and Recovery, Straight Up
Best of the Week:
January 3–9
COMING UP IN THE FIX// 2014's Celebrity Drug Stories * Ibogaine Shaman *Death Penalty Drugs * Hep C Q & A * Pro Voices * New Blog * Shame * The Last Milligram of Suboxone * Positivity * New Ask an Expert! * New Rehab Reviews! *PLUS: Other incisive articles
HEALTH UNINSURED// Dr. Denial = Death
Psychiatric treatment continues to be denied by insurance companies in unprecedented numbers, and addicts are dying as a result.
By Dawn Roberts
PRO VOICES// Behind The Scenes with a Recovery Coach
Because there is no "how-to" manual for early recovery.
By Melissa Killeen
BEEN THERE// How a Homeless Addicted Prostitute Turned Her Life Around
After 83 arrests and the loss of four babies, Tonier Cain found redemption and purpose.
By Cathy Cassata
FACTOIDS// 5 Things You Need to Know about Alcohol and Your Liver
The risk factors and techniques to prevent cirrhosis.
By Jeanene Swanson
CAUGHT IN THE NETFLIX// Binge-Watching, the New Heroin?
Six hours slip by in the blink of an eye. Are you addicted?
By Zachary Siegel
 
BEST OF THE QUICK FIX
California Bill Proposes Ignition Locks for DUI Offenders
Internet Addicts Make Up 6% of the World's Population
Man Wearing 'Who Needs Drugs?' T-Shirt Busted for Drug Possession
Russell Brand: Criminalizing Addicts Like Robin Williams and Philip Seymour Hoffman is ‘Pointless’
Mexican Drug Cartels Force Aspiring Members to Eat Human Hearts
Legal Marijuana Industry Estimated to Produce 200,000 New Jobs in 2015
COMMENT OF THE WEEK
Treatment Beyond Bars
This week, Cathy Cassata told the story of Tonier Cain, aaddicted homeless prostitute who turned her life around. Readers expressed gratitude to the too-few programs that helped people like Cain:
This is such a strong profile about affecting real change in the lives of the traumatized and addicted who are in prison. The more I learn about early childhood trauma and its connection to both addiction and incarceration, it's clear that programs such as the one Tonier Cain participated in are the answer, not building more prisons.

-Dawn

 Women for Sobriety, Inc.
Sobering Thoughts, November 2014 Edition

Hello WFS Friends,
Please find attached to this email the electronic version on a PDF of the November 2014 Edition of Sobering Thoughts newsletter.  The attachment is located at the bottomof the email.  (My apologies for the lateness...catching up...slowly.)

We would welcome your financial support for our free e-newsletter.  Please visit our catalog site to make a contribution in support of all the great articles that are made available: http://www.wfscatalog.org/Donations_c16.htm

Thank you for all your continued support!

Warm regards,
Becky Fenner, WFS Director

Email:  newlife@nni.com   *   Tel215-536-8026   *   Fax:  215-538-9026
http://www.womenforsobriety.org   *   http://www.wfscatalog.org
omen for Sobriety, Inc.
A New Life Journey:
Empowering Thoughts Inspired by the
Women for Sobriety 13 Statements
Hello WFS Friends,
Reminder...Now Available! VOLUME 2 of Karen Hamm's spiral bound booklet, A New Life Journey!  To update our newest members.... several years ago, I received a call from Karen, mentioning an idea for a new

 booklet.  A member of her WFS group, Susan Perry, enjoyed hearing from Karen about upcoming discussion topics and she asked Karen if she would email a positive note each day.... several hundred emails later... and a new inspirational booklet was created!  Karen leads meetings in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and she is also a member of the WFS Board of Directors.  We are excited to present the next volume of new daily, inspirational passages to our members and friends who wish to read about Karen's thought-provoking personal experiences as she works each of the 13 WFS Statements in her recovery journey.  There are 180 spiral bound pages for only $8.99.  Here is the link to order Volume 2 edition at our catalog site
:
http://www.wfscatalog.org/A-New-Life-Journey-Volume-2-by-Karen-Hamm-BT187.htm


Thank you, Karen, for your generosity in sharing your gift of writing through these daily messages!

PS:  If you missed out on Volume 1... that is still available for purchase at: http://www.wfscatalog.org/A-New-Life-Journey-Volume-1-by-Karen-Hamm-BT186.htm

Kind regards,
Becky Fenner, WFS Director

Email:  newlife@nni.com   *   Tel215-536-8026   *   Fax:  215-538-9026
http://www.womenforsobriety.org   *   http://www.wfscatalog.org