Today I’m happy to report that I’ve also partnered with Tamera Anderson-Hanna in putting together a workshop for the month of September here in Florida. September is Recovery Month and we will be celebrating it in South Florida by hosting a workshop called Mindful Thinking for Recovery.
Read MoreI don’t feel quite recovered from a full weekend with women in recovery yet, but I’m writing anyway. Last weekend 500 women descended on New York City for one common cause: to unite in love and recovery. I had been waiting in anticipation for this event for a year and I even got to celebrate my 4 year sober anniversary while I was there. I’m happy to report and proud to say that it went above and beyond my expectations.
Read MoreI hope this day in the history of my life is just as important to me 20 years from now, as it is today. It can be a painful memory to recall. No one likes to admit that their life is a mess, that they lost control, or that they cannot moderate their drinking no matter how hard they try. Before May 7, 2013 I worked incredibly hard at making it seem like I had it all together. I had a job, I could pay my rent, I had a boyfriend, I was living in one of the most fabulous cities in the world. Everyone thought I was living the dream, when deep down inside I had a hole in my soul.
Read MoreIt’s already mid-April, seriously where does the time go? And that means we’re officially three weeks out from She Recovers NYC! If you haven’t heard of this amazing 3-day event yet which takes place in New York City from May 5th through the 7th, you’re already missing out. But I’m going to tell you exactly why you need to be there.
Read MoreHave I told you lately how much I love the internet? Well, I do. The power of the internet is so great that people can get sober using the internet, find support groups for anything they’re going through, and find lifelong friends, all on the internet. Through my blog and other sober people’s blogs and websites, I’ve found a ton of amazing people who I am lucky enough to call my friends.
Read MoreSince I began my blog in 2014 and my very first post about sobriety went viral, I am always asked this one question: how did you do it? At first, I couldn’t even answer this question. I truly didn’t know how I did it. But as time went on and more people asked, I knew I had to share my personal experience. Today, I have a recovery program that works for me, but it all goes back to those first days of my sobriety, my moment of clarity and taking that very first step.
Read MoreAs you might have noticed from my posts lately I’ve ventured into the yoga world a bit more. I have done yoga on and off since high school, but back then I thought yoga was a type of exercise. And yoga does get your heart rate up and your juices flowing, depending on what type of yoga you do. However, yoga wasn’t historically meant for exercise.
Read MoreI barely slept on the night before my wedding. The plan was to get a full 8 hours, maybe 9. But of course, I didn’t have all the decorations in time and I didn’t end up having time to put the favors together before my wedding eve. So, following the rehearsal dinner, I went to my room alone and put 150 wedding favors together.
Read MoreI traveled to Philadelphia over New Year’s Eve for a friend’s wedding and while I was there I got to visit my old house. This is the house I grew up in, located in Royersford, Pennsylvania just outside of Philly. My parents put their house on the market last year after making the decision to move to Florida full time to be closer to my sister and me.
Read MoreToday I celebrate one year of sobriety from soda! I’m calling it sobriety because it was a hard habit to break and I think I was definitely psychologically addicted, possibly even physically addicted to the sugar. I have always been a soda drinker. I would say I would drink at least 1 can a day, sometimes two. My favorite sodas were Sunkist and Sprite. Obviously, it’s common knowledge that soda isn’t the healthiest drink choice out there.
Read MoreOk, I've already heard all I need to about the year 2016. Everyone is coming out with their yearly reflections, New Year's resolutions, and hate-filled posts about how shitty this past year was. I won't lie to you, 2016 was the pits. Personally, I don't think it was a horrible year in comparison to other years I've lived through in my life. But for the world, for the U.S. government, and for ideas and morals like love and tolerance, we've been knocked down once again. I could sit here and list all the shitty things that happened in 2016.
Read MoreWow, this year was a whirlwind, but I won't go into all that right now. I'll save that talk for next week when I'm reflecting on a new year coming up. This week I wanted to talk about the holidays. I've already offered practical advice for staying sober during the holidays, how Christmas is much different for me now that I'm sober, and why you should be grateful in recovery. I have to stop and think about how when I drank I always wanted it to be some other day of the year. I was always waiting, for the next party, the next happy hour, the next bag of cocaine, the next birthday, the next celebration, or the next holiday. It was a waiting game.
Read MoreThe holiday season is in full swing and you're probably being bombarded by holiday party invitations, ads that include Christmas cocktails and wine bingeing, and if you're really lucky, a secret Santa gift that includes some sort of drinking paraphernalia. Ah, it ain't easy being sober folks. But that's why I'm here to give you some seasonal drink ideas to cure your "Am I the only one who doesn't drink?" feeling.
Read MoreI just realized I've been so behind on posting this month. This month has been a doozie. The last post I published was in the aftermath of the election and let me tell you, that wound is still open. It's been hard to function, to go about everyday life, and find hope to carry on. This was especially hard for my bachelorette party which had been planned for months to occur on the weekend after the election. In my ideal mind, we would be celebrating my upcoming nuptials as well as the election of the first woman present. It was like I had been holding my breath for three months and I was hoping I'd finally be able to feel some relief and de-stress with my best friends.
Read MoreFor the first time in a very long time, I want to drink today. Let me clarify, I am not drinking, but I have thought about it. I have wished that I could. I wish that I could quiet my anxiety, my fears, and my grief with mind-numbing ease. It used to be so simple. Let me give you a fair warning that this post will include many of my political views so if you do not agree, you don't have to read the rest of this post. Oh I am angry. I am hurting. I woke up with chest pains because I knew. When I went to bed last night the unspeakable was happening.
Read MoreWhen I got sober I wanted to blend in. I wanted to still be at all the parties and nightclubs and still socialize like I was so used to doing. But when you're used to having alcohol in your hand at all times, how do you make that switch? At first, I had water, sparkling water, or soda in hand at all times. Over the last 3.5 years, I've evolved and I don't go out as much, but the feeling of being included at a bar, restaurant, event, or any other place where alcohol is being served is still a desire. I think this is one of the main fears and hurdles of getting sober.
Read MoreAsking for help is something no one ever wants to do. Especially when it comes to addiction. For me, it has always been hard to ask for help. My ego has always been in the way. Growing up I was scared I would look stupid in school if I asked questions everyone already knew the answer to. It was one of my biggest fears and it led to me getting behind in some subjects because I wouldn't speak up when I didn't understand. I was terrified of looking and feeling stupid because then I would believe that I really was stupid.
Read MoreI've been feeling a bit disconnected lately, from my writing and my recovery. I am overwhelmed with work, wedding planning, this election, and life in general. Today I decided to concentrate on what's in front of me and that is the man that I love's birthday.
Read MoreThis week I had the pleasure of attending the Moments of Change conference that comes to Palm Beach, Florida each year via the Foundations Recovery Network. I arrived at the beautiful Breakers Resort on Sunday and stayed until Tuesday. I've attended in past years and always look forward to listening, learning, and networking with people in in the treatment and recovery industry.
Read MoreI have exciting news! You may already be aware of this news if you follow my Facebook page, but I wanted to write a more informative post about what's going to be happening in May 2017. She Recovers is hosting a 3-day conference in New York City and I will be in attendance! Not only will I be in attendance, but I will be part of the official sober blogger team and panel along with 11 other inspiring recovery bloggers. I hope many of you will be able to join me! Here are the details.
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