Holiday Tips for Twelve Steppers November 17, 2009

Staying Sober and Sane Through The Holidays

 The holidays have a way of affecting us all. It can be subtle or very direct. The pace increases in our lives and the events become plentiful. Being able to enjoy the holidays is a goal I strive for every year. So what have I learned with 18 sober holidays under my belt?

 

1. Don’t let meetings take a back seat. If an event is in conflict make sure you have an alternative meeting to pick up.

2. This is a great time of year to practice NOT people pleasing. Do what you can and feel comfortable with. No explanations needed.

3. Come late leave early. This is a favorite of mine and cuts out much of the emotional baggage that can accumulate at a function.

4. Keep literature in the car with reinforcing pages marked. If your not ready to leave take five and read something that will help you stay connected.

5. Remind yourself of the true meaning of the holidays. Whatever you celebrate ~ key into the spiritual and try to flush the commercial.

6. Allow a few moments extra to slow down before holiday tasks such as shopping, cleaning, entertaining, decorating etc. Key in on that spiritual aspect again.

7. Don’t forget to HALT (Hungry Angry Lonely Tired.)  Basic needs can get skipped in all the hub bub. Again slow down for a few minutes to make sure your needs are met ~ including meetings.

8. Get out that gratitude list ~ remember how it use to be ~ share your ESH if you are having trouble remembering.

9. Attend a sober activity instead of a function that may be too much too soon.

10. If the best you can do is not use ~ that is HUGE and should not be dismissed ~ that can be the BIGGEST gratitude you will ever have. Let all other aspects of the Holidays take the back seat.

11. Stay close to meetings, sponsors, support and counselors ~ pick up a commitment ~ you may not be aware of the effects the Holidays could be having on you.

12. Finally don’t forget the many alkathons that are held during this time of year. Find out where they are and put the information in your wallet.

written by Gwen R.

Recovery Universe November 8, 2009

Recovery Universe is going on it’s 5 year of serving online recovery to suffering alcoholics and addicts worldwide.

The idea for Recovery Universe was born in a treatment facility in Atlanta, Georgia. I spent 110 days there and got really close with a few people there that I wanted to keep in touch with after treatment. I was a application developer and did not know too much web programming at the time but I made the commitment to setting up a video chat room that my friends and I could use to keep in touch after we all got home. Ironically this never ended up happening but something even more exciting transpired. In February of 2004 Recovery Universe launched still with the intention of only being for a few friends. By the late summer of 2004 RU had over 500 members and the forums and chat rooms were growing fast.

In 2005 RU underwent its 1st real transformation since the inception. This is the version that adapted the popular logo that has been used since. The colors of the site have always reamained the same (blue and tan) but the site has undergone 4 major overhauls. 

By 2006 the site was running strong and I was getting emails daily thanking me for providing a safe and clean place for people to share their experience, strength, and hope online. This reinforced in me the reasons I started the site to begin with and made me more active than ever in the site itself. 

By 2008 things had been up and down. Good times and bad times and I had all but stepped out of using it as a tool for myself and more just hid behind the scenes and worked on improving the site. 2008 was a rough year for me and I had stepped away completely as I got a new job and supported my wife while she began going to alanon. I needed the time to work on myself and get things right in my life. The computer was just simply taking too much of my time. 

2009 is now here and my life has seemed to settle somewhat. I am getting a good balance going in my life and have returned to RU with newly aquired web programming skills and a strong desire to use Recovery Universe as an outlet for my programming hobby. What you see now is a compilation of 5 years of hard work and dedication to Recovery Universe. It is a safe clean enviroment for people to share. The people I have met and memories I have from this website are priceless. I hope to be alot more involved in the site in the future and will do my best to make sure that the doors of Recovery Universe stay open for the newcomer.

So please enjoy yourself and come share your experience, strength, and hope with us…

Yours in Recovery,

 J.J.D.

VISIT and JOIN Recovery Universe