On The Other Side of The Fence

I had the opportunity to spend time with my baby nephew Jonah this past Thanksgiving. As usual, I learned so much from watching him interact with the world around him. Here is one of the lessons I learned from Jonah:

Is there something in your life that is just beyond your grasp? Is there something in your life that is "on the other side of the fence" ...and no matter how you look at it, you can't reach it on your own?

Reach out and ask for help from someone you trust. Be thankful for the obstacles you face and welcome the lessons that come with them.

peace, hope and love,

Lily

On Courage

“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I will try again tomorrow.”

~ Mary Anne Radmacher

Thankful

"So for tonight we pray for
what we know can be,
and on this day we hope for
what we still can't see.
It's up to us, to be the change,
and even though we all can still do more
there's so much to be thankful for..."

Happy Holidays from Broward ANAD!

peace, hope and love,

Lily

Purpose for the Pain. Renee's Story.

One of my favorite non-for profits out there is To Write Love on Her Arms. I always get teary eyed when I read their VISION. It is so amazingly powerful!

TWLOHA was a movement that started in Central Florida. A group of friends got together to help a girl named Renee who could not afford treatment for addiction. Today, TWLOHA is an international movement that helps people struggling with addiction, depression, self-injury, sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts, etc.

Here is a video of Renee today, sharing her story and making a difference in the lives of others.



Renee has also published her journals in a book called Purpose for the Pain by Renee Yohe (warning: book contains mature/graphic content part of Renee's journey from "from addiction to sobriety and pain to hope.")

May Renee's story, my story and the story of others that have recovered from addiction, eating disorders, self-injury and abuse and moved "from addiction to sobriety and from pain to hope" give you peace, strength and confidence that recovery is possible for YOU!

peace, hope and love,

Lily

Tips for Dealing With The Holiday Blues

Here are some tips I found online on how to deal with the holiday blues...I posted these tips last year. I like them so much I am sharing with you all again...

source: adapted from Good Grief! I’m Having a Charlie Brown Xmas: How to Deal with the Holiday Blues by Kirsti A. Dyer, MD, MS, FAAETS and 7 Tips For Beating The Holiday Blues by Lisa Angelettie M.S.W.

* Stay Connected - The worse thing you can do for the holiday blues is to be isolated from your support system. Reach out and reconnect with old friends or make new ones; this can help deal with the loneliness experienced during this season.

* Avoid Addictive Substances / Addictive Behaviors - While you do experience a temporary numbing effect - your feelings of "the blues" will only become magnified once you come down off of your drug of choice.

* Determine priorities, establish realistic goals and expectations for the holiday season - Don't expect that everything will be perfect—food, decorations, parties, family behavior or presents. Keep expectations manageable. Decide what can be comfortably done and what cannot be done.

* Maintain a normal routine - Try and continue with normal daily activities.

* Take time for yourself—for rest and relaxation.

* Do those activities, or be with the people that comfort, sustain, nourish and recharge you.

* Minimize financial stressors by knowing your spending limit, setting a budget and sticking to it - Remember that the best gifts often come from the desire to make someone happy, not the price tag.

* Remember the true reason for the season.

* Feelings of grief, loss or sadness should be acknowledged, not ignored or repressed by those who have experienced a death, romantic break-up, tragedy or significant loss.

* Spend time with caring, supportive, nurturing people.

* Old holiday traditions may no longer be possible as families change. Find new ways to celebrate the season. Create new rituals, traditions or remembrances.

* Tell someone - Did it ever occur to you that it would be much easier to get through the holidays if someone else knows how hard it is for you? People that care about you want to help.

* Remember to take the holidays (and life), one hour at a time...one day at a time.

**********

Hope you have a happy, safe and healthy holiday season.

peace, hope and love,

Lily

Reminder for Today

Freedom is like taking a bath - you have to keep doing it every day!
~ Flo Kennedy

In order to stay on the road to recovery, we need to make healthy choices every day. If we stumble, we just need to get back on our feet and make the next right choice to get back on track.

According to WordReference.com a Habit is "a pattern of behavior acquired through frequent repetition". So just as we have acquired unhealthy eating disordered behaviors, it is also possible to learn healthy habits that can lead us to a happy and healthy life.

Reminder for Today: "I must daily exercise my freedom to make healthy choices in order to learn & maintain healthy behaviors."

peace, hope and love,

Lily

The Balance Wheel

An important part of my recovery has been learning to live a balanced life. I have learned that balance is not something we reach, it is something we do every day. We are all different, have different energy levels, different tolerance levels for stress, different needs for rest and relaxation. It is important to become aware of what our personal needs for balance are and honor them. Also remembering to honor the differences in the needs of those around us.

Here is a balance wheel that I found online and wanted to share with you. What does your balance wheel look like?














Here are two of my favorite quotes when it comes to balanced living:

"I believe taking care of ourselves is an art, and this art involves one fundamental idea that is foreign to many: giving ourselves what we need."
~ Melody Beattie

"...One has to find a balance between what people need from you and what you need for yourself." ~ Jessye Norman

peace, hope and love,

Lily

Lesson from Baby Jonah

I had the opportunity to spend time with my baby nephew Jonah last week for Thanksgiving. As usual, I learned so much from watching him interact with the world around him. Here is one of the lessons I learned from Jonah last week:

New people, places, behaviors, opportunities & change can be scary at first....













but if you overcome your fear, step out and try something different...













you will most likely find out that it was worth it after all...!!!











peace, hope and love,

Lily