Featured Posts
Recovery52 – Week 50 – One Year Sober
“Recovery is not simple abstinence. It’s about healing the brain, remembering how to feel, learning how to make good decisions, becoming the kind of person who can engage in healthy relationships, cultivating the willingness to accept help from others, daring to be honest, and opening up to doing.”
— Debra Jay
It is now just over one year into my current recovery effort. New Year’s Day 2024 has passed, and I moved through the holiday season with clear awareness and no hangovers, no memory loss, and no shame—the consequences that once defined my past drinking years. I recognized the familiar people, places, and situations that once triggered escape or celebration, and this year I stayed grounded in sobriety. Crowded spaces, heavy traffic, holiday consumption, noisy media, and polarized voices swirled around me, yet I remained centered.
Recovery52 – Week 44 – Happy Thanksgiving!
“Fear is a question. What are you afraid of and why? Our fears are a treasure house of self-knowledge if we explore them.”
— Marilyn French
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
— John F. Kennedy
This week’s post opens with two quotes that feel especially relevant to where I am in my recovery. Last week, I committed to beginning deeper work on the fears rooted in my early childhood. That commitment still stands. But with Thanksgiving arriving, it also feels important to pause and acknowledge gratitude—something woven into this holiday from childhood onward.
Recovery52 – Week 36 – Recipe for Recovery
“A joyful life is an individual creation that cannot be copied from a recipe.”
— Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
This has been a good week, with no internal challenges to my sobriety. I’ve been consistent with healthy routines—daily planning and journaling, meditation, and regular workouts at the gym for both mental and physical well-being. I’ve enjoyed beginning each morning with coffee and time spent creatively editing photographs.
Today, I improvised a chicken–vegetable–rice soup, enjoying the quiet of the kitchen and the anticipation of a warm, comforting meal.
Recovery52 – Week 34 – Gratitude for Today
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
— John F. Kennedy
Last week, I wrote that I must guard against the two thieves of my present moment: past regrets and future worries. Today became a living reminder of that truth.
Recovery52 – Week 33 – Two Thieves
“Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves — regret for the past and fear of the future.”
— Fulton Oursler
With more than eight months in sobriety and thirty-three weeks into this photography project, I continue to find peace and clarity in daily life—peace and clarity I did not have when I was drinking, especially during periods of heavy use. After stumbling out of my last hard binge, carrying the painful memories of prior lapses, the knowledge of how I hurt others, and the growing realization that my life had lost meaning, I resolved to end that way of living.
Recovery52 – Week 32 – Governing the Kingdom
“A little kingdom I possess, where thoughts and feelings dwell; And very hard the task I find of governing it well.”
— Louisa May Alcott
As I enter another week of recovery, I’m reminded how much of this journey is about managing my inner world—my thoughts, feelings, and reactions. This week brought several events that stirred strong emotions and challenged my sense of balance.
Recovery52 – Week 08 – My Healthy Grounding Habits
“Healthy habits harbor happiness.” — Zero Dean
Last week, I wrote about mindfulness and responding to irritations before they gather into something heavier. This week, I’m turning back to the habits that keep me grounded — my recovery “toolbox.” These aren’t abstract ideas. They’re day-to-day, tangible practices that shape my stability.
Recovery52 – Week 05 – Serious Recovery ... This Time!
“My recovery must come first so that everything I love in life doesn’t have to come last.” — Anonymous
At the end of last week, I thought I might write about the routines that keep me grounded, but as this week unfolded, my reflections returned to something deeper: the seriousness of my commitment to recovery and why it matters.