“I had been so focused on what to discard, on attacking the unwanted obstacles around me, that I had forgotten to cherish the things that I loved, the things I wanted to keep.”  ~~Marie Kondo  “Leave who you were.  Love who you are.  Look forward to who you will become.” ~~unknown “By taking the time to stop and appreciate who you are and what you’ve achieved—and perhaps learned through a few mistakes, stumbles and losses—you actually can enhance everything about you.  Self-acknowledgment and appreciation are what give you the insights and awareness to move forward toward higher goals and accomplishments.”  ~~Jack Canfield Statement #9  “The past is gone forever." No longer am I victimized by the past. I am a new woman. The bright, pink juice of the ripe watermelon being sliced was dripping onto the counter and creating a sticky mess.  As the nearby bowl filled up with the sweet tasty pieces of fruit, my mind was flooded with emotions from the past.  Feelings of satisfaction and well-being induced a smile, while my present thoughts dove deeper into the past.  Was this a new aspect of Statement #9 coming to light? Sobriety and Statement #9 in action enable the release of painful emotions and feelings, yet it can also encourage feelings of contentment and appreciation.  Before handing out a slice of watermelon to any child, my mother would fold a paper towel into thirds, wrap them around each wrist and secure them with tape.  It was only then we could enjoy a juicy slice of watermelon.  These “watermelon sleeves” prevented sticky arms, legs and of course, furniture and became a family tradition. Our founder, Jean Kirkpatrick, Ph.D. knew how important it was to release the past and remain present. Statement #9 provides a path for letting go, yet this healing Statement can also be utilized to cherish and not cling to those past moments which have contributed to our being. Feelings of appreciation can enter, encouraging gratitude and contentment. From a simple slice of watermelon to sobriety and New Life, life is sweet! Hugzzz Karen Hi 4C Women, I love all the quotes and how Karen reminded us that there are parts of the past we need to keep. Statement #9 is about healing from the painful past and moving forward, not victimizing ourselves with living in the pain. It reminded me of my 27-year marriage that ended in divorce. I know the negative outweighed the positive, hence the divorce, but that is the key point - there were positives along the way. Not that I don't go back to the pain every now and then, but I don't live in the pain and I don't let it hold me hostage as it did in the past. Resentment grows from holding onto the painful past. It closes off the paths to healing, to forgiveness and to a New Life. Letting go doesn't mean the hurt wasn't real. It means we will not be imprisoned to a past we cannot change. I think it is the purest form of freedom and forgiveness.   In reflecting on the past, are you bound to the residual feelings of "should have", "what if", "why me" and mostly "regret"? Here's a different way to look at the past. Accept that you made mistakes, learn from it so you set healthier boundaries, forgive yourself, practice self-compassion, trust yourself and build trust with others and have a plan that supports your choices to not repeat unhealthy patterns. This will empower you to continue moving forward because you can't do otherwise if you keep looking in the rear view mirror with fear and judgment. You are a new woman!  Bonded in letting go, 4C WFS Member Special Extended Registration Period! Register Today Special extended registration period ends June 3rd, 2018. 10% late registration fee applied automatically at time of registration. Check out Women for Sobriety's Blog Site. If you received this from a friend, we welcome you to JOIN our email list. Copyright © Women for Sobriety, Inc. | All rights reserved | Federal ID # 23-1972763 Email: contact@womenforsobriety.org | Ph: 215.536.8026 | Fax: 215.538.9026 http://womenforsobriety.org | http://www.wfscatalog.org  ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌

Women for Sobriety, Inc. | P.O. Box 618, Quakertown, PA 18951-0618 | About our service provider Sent by contact@womenforsobriety.org

The Charlie Daniels Band - Simple Man (Official Video)

News Top Drug & Alcohol News of the Week   People Who Know Someone Addicted to Opioids Less Likely to Say Economy is Good A new report by the Federal Reserve finds people who know someone who has been addicted to opioids are less likely to give the national or local economy a favorable rating. Read More Postal Service Struggles to Catch Fentanyl Delivered by Mail The U.S. Postal Service is struggling to catch packages of fentanyl delivered from overseas by mail, NPR reports. Read More   Poison Control Centers Getting More Calls About ADHD Medications Calls to poison control centers about children’s and teens’ exposure to medications used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder grew more than 60 percent from 2000 to 2014, according to a new study. Read More Use of Involuntary Commitment for Drug Addiction is Increasing Use of involuntary commitment for drug addiction is on the rise, according to the Associated Press. Read More House Democrats Urge Trump Administration to Lower Price of Naloxone A group of Democrats in the House is urging the Trump Administration to use federal authority to reduce the price of the opioid overdose antidote naloxone. Read More Other Headlines of Interest Drugs fuel rising number of women behind bars (USA Today) What I’d Say to the Drug Dealer Who Gave My Sister a Fatal Dose of Heroin (Time) America’s 150-Year Opioid Epidemic (The New York Times) Treat Addiction Like Cancer (The New York Times) Young People Choosing Marijuana Over Alcohol and Cigarettes as Their First Drug (Newsweek) Dollars Versus Medicine In Addiction Recovery Treatment (WBUR) What You Should Know About Drug Cocktailing (Teen Vogue) John Oliver Walks Us Through the Most Outlandish Methods Used to Treat Addiction in the Rehab Industry (Slate) How Addiction Keeps Pulling Him Back (The New York Times) Incarcerated opioid addicts often have to tough out withdrawal. Some jails say they have a better way. (USA Today) Starbucks Says Drug Use, Sleeping Unacceptable as It Clarifies Guest Policy (The Wall Street Journal) Trump’s opioid strategy ‘missing in action’ as 115 people die every day (The Washington Post) With compassionate outreach, a city cuts its drug overdose rate in half (The Christian Science Monitor) Opioid Crisis Compels New York to Look North for Answers (The New York Times) Opinion: The problem isn’t opioids — it's how we're raising our kids (The Hill) The Addiction Solutions Campaign Releases Opioid Settlement Priorities (Partnership for Drug-Free Kids)   DONATE Parent Toll-Free Helpline: 1-855-DRUGFREE drugfree.org © Partnership for Drug-Free Kids 352 Park Ave South | 9th Floor | New York, NY 10010   privacy policy | manage email preferences

Coming to Terms with My Mother's Mental Illness | The Fix

Coming to Terms with My Mother's Mental Illness | The Fix: Whether my mother was sitting on her couch polishing off a case of Budweiser or lying on a cold, hard table in a morgue, I didn't know or care.

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May 24 , 2018 Twelve Stepping With Spiritual Support From Scripture

Psalm 57:3 - He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me. My God will send forth his unfailing love and faithfulness.

(GODS BIG BOOK)

STEP 11 -Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

This step is a daily one as are the other steps. I also have discovered I would not be where I am today without that help sent from above. Looking back on my recovery journey, the Steps were my stairway to Heaven ! I go up and He comes down just like a set of stairs. His help is real ,all you have to do is believe, persist ,wait, and receive. Gods way is a guaranteed life transforming way of restoration and recovery.

Romans 12 : 2 -Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (GODS BIG BOOK)

By Joseph Dickerson/Recovery Connections Need Help email us recoveryfriends@gmail.comPsalm 103v3 He forgives all my sins and Heals all my diseases!