Taking for granted...

Well it has been over 4 months since I last wrote and I do apologize. My life has been extremely busy, causing me to forget where I started and that is here with my blogs. If it wasn't for my readers on any of my blogs, I wouldn't be where I am today. So thank you world.....

My recovery and peer support is going National. Starting in July I will be traveling to four different states teaching Peer Support training. If you'd like to know more please visit my training website at www.recoverycanhappen.com. Click on training and eduction and follow the link that is appropriate for your area.

This week I am in the middle of a training class and this class has brought the most tears to my eyes then any other class ever has. First I did a WRAP training and at the time, I didn't know it but I has three homeless guys in my class. Low and behold they showed up at my Peer Support training class and all I could think of was "how in the world are these guys going to do the impossible when they can't even help themselves". Well, they sure have surprised me this week! Not only have they gone above and beyond my expectations, but they have taught me something as well; courage and will. Courage to realize that no matter how bad my life gets, it is up to me to keep pushing forward and remember that someone is always worse off then I am. Will to keep moving forward in order to succeed in everything I set out to do.

These three gentleman are the sweetest men that you could ever meet. They showed up each day, did the required work (never asking anyone for anything), and graduated both classes. They all told me that I inspire them and oh boy what a feeling that is. What was even more amazing, was the way the class rallied around them. One guy picked them up for class and drove them home. Two other students made sure they got lunch each day and one guy even made sure one had the ensure that he knew the guy needed. This was truly an amazing class! Thank you all for the lessons learned this week. All I can say is that I truly learned what HOPE is this past eight days.

I will admit that I have been taking my success at what I am accomplishing for granted but after this week, I need to remember that it is my students that make me successful. Without them, I'd be no where. Thank you goes out to my Peer Support class of May 2011.

It's time I start doing my gratitude list again....

1) I am grateful for the people I teach Peer Support to
2) I am grateful for the lessons I learned this week.
3) I am grateful for the terrific support system that I have in place.
4) I am grateful for the opportunities that my mentor Robert has given me.
5) I am grateful for my job as a Peer Support Specialist!

Recovery 101

Your at a crossroad with yourself and you want to be in Recovery, but have no idea how to go about it, yet even start. What do you do? Who do you turn to? Do you go join a group or do you talk to someone about your choices to be in Recovery?

The answer is: you look into yourself to make sure you are ready and you head off on a path that YOU direct. After all, only you know the correct path for You. No one can tell you how to do it, but they can aid you along in your journey.

So now your worried if you start this journey, whether or not you'll relapse. The truth is, you might but then again you might not. You find might the strength with in yourself to stay on your chosen path. However, if you do relapse, don't let it stop you from getting back up and continuing on down your new path. Think of a relapse as a way to move forward and learn from your mistake. Think of relapsing as a teachable moment for yourself. Just find the strength to keep pushing forward.

Some steps to help you while finding your path through recovery. 

• Admit to yourself that there is a problem and seek the help you need. Find someone to talk to, mentor you, join a NA/AA support group, find a peer ran support group, see a therapist or a psychiatrist. You can even talk to a Recovery Coach if you need to and can afford one. Now-a-days there are so many places online even where you can get help. If you go the self-help route though, please remember to stick to it, no matter how much better it feels giving up. 
• Change your thought process. Note that this does take time, so giving up is not the answer here. Instead of always thinking negative, start adding a few positive affirmations on a daily basis. Repeat them to yourself over and over a few times a day and eventually you will notice the negative thoughts slowly going away. Now keep in mind that this doesn't mean you will never have another negative thought, cause we all know thats just not possible in hard times or times of a crisis. So when you get those negative thoughts, work them out and if you can try repeating positive things to yourself. What you want to do is get into the habit of repetitive thinking, positive not negative.
• Find new friends if you need to. You have your friends who will be supportive of you no matter what your dealing with, then you'll have your other friends. The ones that get pissed off at you because your no longer using, drinking, or wanting to be around negative people. These type of people are not your true friends no matter how much you think they are. The people that stick with you, encourage you to do well in your recovery are your true friends. They will stick by you through thick and thin. You relapse, they will help you recover. Sure the hardest thing you might have to do is tell some of your friends to back off so that you can get through this, but if they are a true friend, they will understand. If you need to, go make new friends. Easier said then done, right. However if you join a peer ran support group or join online communities that can pertain to what it is your going through, you'll be surprised at just how many friends you'll make that you can talk to who might just have similar issues to what your going through. I have 2 of the greatest friends (that I met online) in the world now thanks to others reaching out and me grabbing for it. 

Encouragement and Hope

Your alone and depressed. You don't have an idea what to do with yourself and your afraid you might do something stupid (or you assume what you want to do is stupid). But in reality your not alone. There are millions of people out there who have felt or are feeling the same exact way that you are right now. The difference? Is how you deal with it.

For many people they get over issues fast, but do they really? Could it be that they are just better at hiding things from everyone? No matter how much you think they are over something, the truth is they aren't. They have yet to deal with the issues that are bothering them and eventually they will be in the same position again.


Find things to do that will aid you in over coming your issues....

1. Talk to someone who understands you but isn't going to validate everything you say or do. When you find someone who will validate everything that is going on in your life, they are just enabling you to sit and fester as you think about it. 
2. Join a Support Group. There are basically support groups for everything under the sun out there now, from drugs to shopping to bullying to eating. We all need a support system in place and what better way to find one then from those who are going through the same thing that you are.
3. Learn to let go. People with a mental illness have a harder time processing and letting go of information. But you have to learn to let go of what is hurting you so that you can move forward. You don't need all that excess baggage tearing you a part. That is what truly holds you back, your ability to not let go and push forward.
4. Forcing yourself. Sometimes you need to force yourself to move forward. Once you have done this a few times a week, you'll find your self doing it more and more often. I don't want to get out of bed most mornings, but I find that when I force myself to, I feel so much better about myself then I would if I had stayed in bed and not done my school work or not gone to this or that appointment.
5. Find a new challenge. Looking for a new and exciting challenge can help put you in a different frame of mind. Look for something outside of your normal interest range. Look at things that you would never even think of doing, then go for it. You might just find that you love doing this new challenge.