Welcome to the Recovery Connections Network .We have spent the last ten years collecting resources so you don't have to spend countless precious hours surfing the Web .Based on personal experience we know first hand how finding help and getting those tough questions answered can be. If you cant find what you need here, email us recoveryfriends@gmail.com we will help you. Prayer is also available just reach out to our email !
Every year, August 4 is celebrated as the U.S. Coast Guard Birthday, commemorating the military organization for its valor and discipline. Since 1790, the U.S. Coast Guard has kept the nation's waterways safe, playing a critical role in national security.
Here at Banyan, we want to thank you for your continued service.
Banyan Chicago's Employee Jessica Alvarez was honored with the NAAC's Four Under 40 Achievement Award
On June 24th, 2021, Jessica Alvarez from Banyan Chicago received the Four Under 40 award from the Naperville Chamber of Commerce for her exemplary commitment to business, community, and personal growth.
The Four Under 40 Achievement Awards honors the city’s finest young professionals. This annual event recognizes four young professionals in the Naperville community who demonstrate excellence in the following: Leadership in Community, Leadership in Business, Excellence in Career, and Life Balance.
The Testimonial of Mama June
As a former client of Banyan, Mama June has shown that recovery is possible! After being arrested for drug possession charges, Mama June knew it was time to seek help. Now, Mama June has over a year sober, and is grateful for her new life! We are so proud of you June!
Located in Boca Raton, FL, Banyan Boca offers inpatient care for substance abuse and mental health. Learn more about this facility in this short overview video. A new life awaits you at Banyan Boca Raton.
Clearbrook Massachusetts is located in Baldwinville, MA spanning 17 acres in a private, rural setting. The facility is only 1.5 hours away from Boston and offers adult inpatient treatment for alcohol and substance use disorders.
“Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once.” ~~Lillian Dickson
“Live each second without hesitation.” ~~Elton John
“When we do the best we can, we never know what miracle is wrought in our life or the life of another.” ~~Helen Keller
#6 Life can be ordinary or it can be great.
Greatness is mine by a conscious effort.
It is easy to get caught up in the fast-paced moments of the day, from 24-hour news cycles to binge watching favorite shows, each day can morph into an entire week and a week into a month. Before our eyes, a new year is upon us and we wonder where did all that time go? Sobriety and Statement #6 encourages us to slow down and grow in conscious awareness.
In our WFS Program booklet it states, “Sobriety is a rewarding experience for those who invest in the moments of each day.” What does that mean? How do we invest in each day? This was not hard in early sobriety; it simply felt amazing to be sober! Being able to close my eyes at night knowing I had made it through another day without drinking made every day feel special. Life felt great, yet like an iceberg, I was just touching the surface. Underneath held new discoveries and uncharted waters.
What does it mean to invest in our day? Of course, each day is different for everyone, but we have the ability to devote conscious effort into those 24 hours. I see Statement #6 as a type of Relapse Prevention. By making small conscious efforts each day, we can gain healthy returns in our lives. For instance, I begin the day by journaling one page and close the day by jotting down something I feel grateful for. Another 4C woman sets a chime to go off at the same time every hour so she slows down and takes a conscious breath, while gardening and connecting to nature works for another fabulous 4C friend. The key is to make Statement #6 fit and work for you. Find greatness in each day, even in the ordinary and everyday moments.
What will you discover in your uncharted waters?
Hugzzz
Karen
Hi 4C Women,
I absolutely love how Karen described the beginning of her sobriety journey, feeling how great life was each day and then recognizing she was just touching the surface underneath the iceberg. What a beautiful time to reflect on, to be grateful for, when as she shared, she was just beginning to find new discoveries about life, about herself as a sober woman amid the unchartered waters. I sometimes feel that way when a new situation or challenge enters my life. How will I respond? Will I forget all that I have learned, all the changes I made by a conscious effort or will I invest wisely in my ordinary, yet fulfilling, life I have worked so hard to create? Will I seek input to keep me on track, to remind me how much I have learned? I definitely know that my life is enriched immensely by the positive support of my WFS sisters. They provide me a listening ear, compassion in times of my personal conflict or confusion. It goes back to knowing that we are not alone, that we can seek support without judgment. I use to journal quite a bit in the first years of my recovery. I am glad that I did as each time I read my written word, I can visually see and recall the major changes I made in my thinking, my responses/reactions, my ordinarily great life!
I came across this question: If they wrote a book about your life, what would the title be? The more I thought about this question, the more I realized that the title wasn’t nearly as important to me as the chapter titles. Oh, that would be such a fun and yet frightening roller coaster ride as roller coasters tend to be just that in real life.
Here’s the best thing about those chapters – they are the unchartered waters I traveled, the paths I chose and learned from, the guide to making the ordinary great by living each day clear minded, less fearful, more forgiving (especially of myself) and most of all, loving myself more each sober chapter I lived. While my sobriety was the beginning goal, my emotional and spiritual growth is what kept me going, kept me breaking through the iceberg in bits and pieces, sometimes large chunks.
How would you answer the original question as to the title of your book?
I decided to create my chapters based on my recovery rather than my whole life. I did this to see my personal growth, how WFS changed my life so drastically. If you were to choose the same way of creating your recovery book, what would you title the chapters of your life today? It doesn’t matter if you are at the very beginning of sobriety or years down the road, the gift you give yourself is that you are moving forward. Perhaps that could be the title of Chapter 1.
How do you appreciate the ordinary? (Waking up remembering the night before, being available when needed, pursuing a dream, healing relationships, creating authentic bonds – so much more!) For me, when I feel unsure, distraught, I go back to gratefulness. I like how Karen ends each day with writing in her grateful journal. There is something about seeing it in writing that is a beautiful reminder of how our ordinary life has moments of joy and when times are tough, just having that reminder can provide a sense of balance, that in this unchartered path, we have experienced greatness even in the ordinary.
Bonded is recognizing and appreciating the ordinary and greatness in our lives, Dee
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Thank you for reading this month's newsletter. We hope these testimonies, updates, and prayer requests are beneficial for you. We greatly appreciate your support for the work God is doing here on the Hill.
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Since my father’s death, I have done my best to learn as much as I can about what took him from everyone that loved him. I have found myself advocating for him in a way, since he no longer has a voice of his own. Sharing my dad’s story has also helped me understand and process my grief in ways I don't think I could've otherwise.
Q: Should I stage an intervention for my loved one?
A: Most people are familiar with the Johnson Model intervention, as it's used in reality television shows. It's a fairly confrontational method that centers around a meeting and demands for treatment. But it's not the only form of mediation involving loved ones and their persons at risk for addiction.
If you're in the Sioux Falls area and in recovery from addiction, we want to hear from you! Please complete this brief survey and let us know what physical activities you're most interested in.
