In my book I did mention God several times.  I didn't want my book "I Quit!" to be religious, but I wanted it to rather be a spiritual book in a way.  I know from my own personal experience that if I didn't give up my addiction by letting each one go, I wouldn't have been as successful as I am.

Oh, I may have been able to quit each addiction, but it wouldn't have been as easy as it is now.  I'm not saying I'm special at all, it's just that I took the path of believing God would help me---and He did.

I think I'm going to take a turn with my work and my writing, bringing God more into it, since that's really what helped me to quit my 3 addictions.  It's the truth, period.

And it's beautiful to me too....that I didn't do it all on my own......

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I'm going out to breakfast with my family so I didn't have time to wait for the gym to open today.  But I wanted to get in a mile walk in so that I still could exercise today.

As I was walking I was thinking about Easter and what it means.  For Christians it's a sacred day, signifying the day Jesus rose from the dead.  What is the analogy here regarding addictions?

I think it's that we always have another chance to win.  If you fail day after day trying to quit your addiction, you always have tomorrow, and tomorrow could be the day that you quit and your life will forever be changed.

Just my thought on my walk this morning........

Happy Easter...

I'm going out to breakfast with my family so I didn't have time to wait for the gym to open today.  But I wanted to get in a mile walk in so that I still could exercise today.

As I was walking I was thinking about Easter and what it means.  For Christians it's a sacred day, signifying the day Jesus rose from the dead.  What is the analogy here regarding addictions?

I think it's that we always have another chance to win.  If you fail day after day trying to quit your addiction, you always have tomorrow, and tomorrow could be the day that you quit and your life will forever be changed.

Just my thought on my walk this morning........

Happy Easter...

I was watching a religious program the other morning and the minister was talking about how one must be relentless to have a relationship with God.

I then thought that in order for us to accomplish anything worthwhile in this life, most times we must become relentless.  Think about the big things in life---getting a college degree, learning to drive a car, getting your body into the shape you would like it---these things all take being dedicated and relentless.

Addictions are the same way I believe. When you decide to quit your addiction, you may be surprised to find that it's relatively easy.....for a period of time.  Then the doubts may come in.  Will I be able to quit my entire life?  Will I get cravings, and if I do, how will I respond?  Will I go back to my addiction?

You must become relentless at this point.  It may start by having to talk yourself out of taking that cigarette or drink.  Every time you seemingly almost give in, then don't give in you become stronger.  Then the times you think of starting your addiction again become less and less.

But until you get to that point, learn to become relentless.  In becoming relentless you never have to be addicted again.

I was watching a religious program the other morning and the minister was talking about how one must be relentless to have a relationship with God.

I then thought that in order for us to accomplish anything worthwhile in this life, most times we must become relentless.  Think about the big things in life---getting a college degree, learning to drive a car, getting your body into the shape you would like it---these things all take being dedicated and relentless.

Addictions are the same way I believe. When you decide to quit your addiction, you may be surprised to find that it's relatively easy.....for a period of time.  Then the doubts may come in.  Will I be able to quit my entire life?  Will I get cravings, and if I do, how will I respond?  Will I go back to my addiction?

You must become relentless at this point.  It may start by having to talk yourself out of taking that cigarette or drink.  Every time you seemingly almost give in, then don't give in you become stronger.  Then the times you think of starting your addiction again become less and less.

But until you get to that point, learn to become relentless.  In becoming relentless you never have to be addicted again.

I was driving back from the gym today after having done a few errands afterwards.  I got to thinking how "un-fun" working out and doing errands really is.  I'd rather putter around at home where it's warm, than be out in the cold (although the weather was in the 50's).

But.....I almost always work out on Sunday mornings.  And I usually do some errands after I work out.  It's a habit, so I don't have to think about it anymore.  If I started wondering.......hmm....do I really need to work out today?  Or if I think that I have so much to do that I don't have time to work out......I could get used to not working out.

So I don't ask myself what I feel like.  Who cares about what I "feel" like.  I know that I always feel better after I work out, my clothes fit better, I'm healthier. 

And the good thing about habits---think about this---once you establish a habit, you don't have to do the back and forth thinking about it.  The decision has been made!  It makes life easier for you.  You don't have all that mental anguish thinking of all of the reasons why you should put off quitting your addiction, working out---whatever.

Habits are great!

I was driving back from the gym today after having done a few errands afterwards.  I got to thinking how "un-fun" working out and doing errands really is.  I'd rather putter around at home where it's warm, than be out in the cold (although the weather was in the 50's).

But.....I almost always work out on Sunday mornings.  And I usually do some errands after I work out.  It's a habit, so I don't have to think about it anymore.  If I started wondering.......hmm....do I really need to work out today?  Or if I think that I have so much to do that I don't have time to work out......I could get used to not working out.

So I don't ask myself what I feel like.  Who cares about what I "feel" like.  I know that I always feel better after I work out, my clothes fit better, I'm healthier. 

And the good thing about habits---think about this---once you establish a habit, you don't have to do the back and forth thinking about it.  The decision has been made!  It makes life easier for you.  You don't have all that mental anguish thinking of all of the reasons why you should put off quitting your addiction, working out---whatever.

Habits are great!

t

this is only a test

I haven't been able to post for awhile......this is a test.......

The thing about being addicted to drugs, alcohol or binge eating is that it’s not very romantic to anyone else who has any sense in their head. Addicts don’t get many Valentine’s Day cards. If you’re trying to quit, or already have quit, don’t wallow in lost love or all those stupid things that have been done and can’t be undone, even though they make you feel alone this time of year. This year, be your own Valentine.

Plan something that will make you happy on Valentine’s Day. Go see a movie, visit a good friend or sympathetic relative. Splurge a little on a gift or a special meal.
Spend the exact amount of money you would have spent on a drink, a pack of cigarettes or a super-size box of Oreo cookies. Put a red bow on your little splurge. Write a note in red ink that says, Happy Valentine’s Day to Me, sign it, seal it up in an envelope and open it on Valentine’s Day. (I know it may sound corny, but it won't if you do it!)

Studies show that people stress over holidays because of the money involved or because it puts them in situations they can’t control -- like being forced to spend time with negative people. Don’t do it. Don’t spend money if you don’t have it. Don’t make any plans involving people who are negative, or who will indulge in those same addictions you don’t want to be anywhere around. Don’t get stressed.

Happy Valentine's Day....

The thing about being addicted to drugs, alcohol or binge eating is that it’s not very romantic to anyone else who has any sense in their head. Addicts don’t get many Valentine’s Day cards. If you’re trying to quit, or already have quit, don’t wallow in lost love or all those stupid things that have been done and can’t be undone, even though they make you feel alone this time of year. This year, be your own Valentine.

Plan something that will make you happy on Valentine’s Day. Go see a movie, visit a good friend or sympathetic relative. Splurge a little on a gift or a special meal.
Spend the exact amount of money you would have spent on a drink, a pack of cigarettes or a super-size box of Oreo cookies. Put a red bow on your little splurge. Write a note in red ink that says, Happy Valentine’s Day to Me, sign it, seal it up in an envelope and open it on Valentine’s Day. (I know it may sound corny, but it won't if you do it!)

Studies show that people stress over holidays because of the money involved or because it puts them in situations they can’t control -- like being forced to spend time with negative people. Don’t do it. Don’t spend money if you don’t have it. Don’t make any plans involving people who are negative, or who will indulge in those same addictions you don’t want to be anywhere around. Don’t get stressed.

Happy Valentine's Day....

For years when I was drinking I thought that the only way I could ever quit was to figure out why I was drinking. I read books, watched tv talk shows like Phil Donahue (he had psychologists and the like on a lot) and read magazine articles trying to figure it out. I never really found out, and I haven't had a drink in almost 22 years.

On the day that I quit drinking it hit me like a ton of bricks---I didn't need to know why I drank, just so that I was done with drinking. I may figure it out down the road, and I may not. I saw clearly on that day that the most important thing I could do was to quit drinking. Then it didn't really matter in the long run why I drank because drinking wasn't going to be an issue for me anymore anyway.

I think that most people think like I did initially---that you have to find out why you are addicted, then when you do it will magically fall away on its own. It doesn't work that way.

But the good news is, you don't need to know why you're addicted. You just need to quit.

For years when I was drinking I thought that the only way I could ever quit was to figure out why I was drinking. I read books, watched tv talk shows like Phil Donahue (he had psychologists and the like on a lot) and read magazine articles trying to figure it out. I never really found out, and I haven't had a drink in almost 22 years.

On the day that I quit drinking it hit me like a ton of bricks---I didn't need to know why I drank, just so that I was done with drinking. I may figure it out down the road, and I may not. I saw clearly on that day that the most important thing I could do was to quit drinking. Then it didn't really matter in the long run why I drank because drinking wasn't going to be an issue for me anymore anyway.

I think that most people think like I did initially---that you have to find out why you are addicted, then when you do it will magically fall away on its own. It doesn't work that way.

But the good news is, you don't need to know why you're addicted. You just need to quit.

I have a friend whose husband was in the Vietman war. He lost friends in the war and has survivor's guilt. So he drinks because of his guilt for having survived.

A few months ago this man called me up (because he knew that I'd quit drinking) and said he was really ready to quit drinking. He said he was tired of drinking and being hungover, but more than that, he was afraid of losing his wife of about 28 years because she'd been telling him that she couldn't take his drinking anymore.

He asked if I'd stay in touch with him because it would help him. He went to an outpatient facility in town. He seemed to be doing well for awhile, then his wife cought him in lies about drinking. Then she found out that yes, he had been drinking.

I told my friend that even though he's drinking again, there's always tomorrow and that one of these days could be the day that sobriety sticks.

Everyone who has quit an addiction has "their day." So until that day comes, my friend's husband has to just get up every day and try again.

I have a friend whose husband was in the Vietman war. He lost friends in the war and has survivor's guilt. So he drinks because of his guilt for having survived.

A few months ago this man called me up (because he knew that I'd quit drinking) and said he was really ready to quit drinking. He said he was tired of drinking and being hungover, but more than that, he was afraid of losing his wife of about 28 years because she'd been telling him that she couldn't take his drinking anymore.

He asked if I'd stay in touch with him because it would help him. He went to an outpatient facility in town. He seemed to be doing well for awhile, then his wife cought him in lies about drinking. Then she found out that yes, he had been drinking.

I told my friend that even though he's drinking again, there's always tomorrow and that one of these days could be the day that sobriety sticks.

Everyone who has quit an addiction has "their day." So until that day comes, my friend's husband has to just get up every day and try again.

I have a friend whose husband has been an alcoholic for years. He was in the Vietnam war---many of his friends died in the war and he was lucky enough to have survived. He has survivor's guilt.....and he drinks a lot.

A few months ago he called me to tell me that he was going to quit drinking. He said he was tired of it and he especially didn't want to lose his wife, which he thought he would if he didn't quit. He knew my story of how I quit and he asked me to keep in touch with him. I was more than glad to.

I talked to him several times and gave him a little inspiration and truth. I told him that if he were to quit drinking he would have to change his routines. In the morning instead of waking up with a hangover (he said he had many hangovers), he might choose to go get a cup of coffee and go to the beach and watch the sunrise. He seemed to like the idea and said he would do that.

He went into an outpatient treatment center for a few weeks.

I found out recently that he's gone back to drinking. I keep in touch with his wife and said that there's always tomorrow to have that possibility for her husband to quit for good. I've seen that happen all the time.

So there's always hope, isn't there? So if you fall you just have to get up and do it again.

I have a friend whose husband has been an alcoholic for years. He was in the Vietnam war---many of his friends died in the war and he was lucky enough to have survived. He has survivor's guilt.....and he drinks a lot.

A few months ago he called me to tell me that he was going to quit drinking. He said he was tired of it and he especially didn't want to lose his wife, which he thought he would if he didn't quit. He knew my story of how I quit and he asked me to keep in touch with him. I was more than glad to.

I talked to him several times and gave him a little inspiration and truth. I told him that if he were to quit drinking he would have to change his routines. In the morning instead of waking up with a hangover (he said he had many hangovers), he might choose to go get a cup of coffee and go to the beach and watch the sunrise. He seemed to like the idea and said he would do that.

He went into an outpatient treatment center for a few weeks.

I found out recently that he's gone back to drinking. I keep in touch with his wife and said that there's always tomorrow to have that possibility for her husband to quit for good. I've seen that happen all the time.

So there's always hope, isn't there? So if you fall you just have to get up and do it again.

If I'd heard someone say that to me years ago I would have argued. No, it's difficult. You have to have a desire to quit, you have to go to self-help groups and pour your heart out.....THEN you have to go to these groups all the time. Then you end up thinking about your addiction every day and talking to people about it. You find yourself reading articles about people just like yourself who are addicted. These people are just like you and you feel an affinity with them.

But then after a few months it starts getting old---going to the meetings, seeing the same people sharing the same stories---you think about your addiction again. The newness is gone. You think about going back to your addiction out of boredom.

What if it were possible to just say, "ENOUGH! I don't want to be addicted anymore!" And what if it took? It happens all the time.

Isn't this LESS difficult than the previous? Not that meetings are bad---they're not, but they're not for everybody. Personally, meetings wouldn't have helped me. But think about the possibility.....of just quitting to get on with your life......putting down forever whatever your addiction is and walking away. Done, never to have that addictions again.

It happens to people all the time, just remember this..

If I'd heard someone say that to me years ago I would have argued. No, it's difficult. You have to have a desire to quit, you have to go to self-help groups and pour your heart out.....THEN you have to go to these groups all the time. Then you end up thinking about your addiction every day and talking to people about it. You find yourself reading articles about people just like yourself who are addicted. These people are just like you and you feel an affinity with them.

But then after a few months it starts getting old---going to the meetings, seeing the same people sharing the same stories---you think about your addiction again. The newness is gone. You think about going back to your addiction out of boredom.

What if it were possible to just say, "ENOUGH! I don't want to be addicted anymore!" And what if it took? It happens all the time.

Isn't this LESS difficult than the previous? Not that meetings are bad---they're not, but they're not for everybody. Personally, meetings wouldn't have helped me. But think about the possibility.....of just quitting to get on with your life......putting down forever whatever your addiction is and walking away. Done, never to have that addictions again.

It happens to people all the time, just remember this..

I heard it said once that, on the average, people put on 7 pounds during the holiday season. Well, the season's over now and there's something about turning that calendar over to a new month AND new year that let's us believe that we have another chance. I still feel that regarding certain aspects of my life.

There's nothing that a diet will do, AA can do for you or "trying to quit smoking" if YOU don't do the work to overcome the addiction. But that's ok, because the good news is that you CAN do it if you really, really want to. Think about it. Isn't that true? Can't you do just about anything you can think of?

Of course you can. Meditate on this concept. See the reality of it. Then do it...

I heard it said once that, on the average, people put on 7 pounds during the holiday season. Well, the season's over now and there's something about turning that calendar over to a new month AND new year that let's us believe that we have another chance. I still feel that regarding certain aspects of my life.

There's nothing that a diet will do, AA can do for you or "trying to quit smoking" if YOU don't do the work to overcome the addiction. But that's ok, because the good news is that you CAN do it if you really, really want to. Think about it. Isn't that true? Can't you do just about anything you can think of?

Of course you can. Meditate on this concept. See the reality of it. Then do it...

Here's an article I wrote a year ago, and since it's Christmas time, I thought I'd publish it again today on my blog. Merry Christmas everyone.....

Holiday temptations to over-eat or drink too much can trigger a return to past addictions. For those who have stuck to their diets, or quit drinking or smoking, avoiding temptations can be especially tough with the extra stress created by this year's battered economy.

Right now, before the holidays are in full swing, is when you can call on the same inner resolve that led you to quit your past addictions in the first place. You can vow right now to be pro-active, and you'll be better prepared to resist holiday temptations and stress. On top of traditional temptations of holidays and social obligations, this year's holidays might prove even more stressful because of the dire state of the economy. A new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll reports that 75 percent of people surveyed said they are suffering high stress because of the economy. Here are five common sense tips to avoid letting the holidays or a bad economy undermine your addiction-free lifestyle:


Avoid friends and acquaintances who are not supportive of your resolve to stay free of past addictions. Even when you can't avoid holiday occasions involving non-supportive family members, minimize your time spent with them or insist on bringing along a supportive friend or relative.
Avoid environments that might tempt you to return to your past bad habits. If you have stopped drinking, don't go to holiday parties at bars or even homes where alcohol will be a major focus. Politely decline. Your health and lifestyle are more important than social obligations.
Take a stress-busting walk. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. Every time you feel internal worries building up, take an energizing walk through the woods, at the beach, or even around the block outside your office. If you can't outside to take a walk, practice deep breathing exercises to calm you.
Start a new hobby. Instead of worrying about past bad habits, begin a new good habit. Find a hobby that interests you, and one that is fun, too.

Join a group. When you were addicted, life was all about you. Getting involved with other people who are doing something positive will stop you from focusing too much on yourself. Join a social group, enroll in a class or become a volunteer in your community. Volunteers are critically needed in a struggling economy, and especially before and during the holiday season

.

Here's an article I wrote a year ago, and since it's Christmas time, I thought I'd publish it again today on my blog. Merry Christmas everyone.....

Holiday temptations to over-eat or drink too much can trigger a return to past addictions. For those who have stuck to their diets, or quit drinking or smoking, avoiding temptations can be especially tough with the extra stress created by this year's battered economy.

Right now, before the holidays are in full swing, is when you can call on the same inner resolve that led you to quit your past addictions in the first place. You can vow right now to be pro-active, and you'll be better prepared to resist holiday temptations and stress. On top of traditional temptations of holidays and social obligations, this year's holidays might prove even more stressful because of the dire state of the economy. A new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll reports that 75 percent of people surveyed said they are suffering high stress because of the economy. Here are five common sense tips to avoid letting the holidays or a bad economy undermine your addiction-free lifestyle:


Avoid friends and acquaintances who are not supportive of your resolve to stay free of past addictions. Even when you can't avoid holiday occasions involving non-supportive family members, minimize your time spent with them or insist on bringing along a supportive friend or relative.
Avoid environments that might tempt you to return to your past bad habits. If you have stopped drinking, don't go to holiday parties at bars or even homes where alcohol will be a major focus. Politely decline. Your health and lifestyle are more important than social obligations.
Take a stress-busting walk. Exercise is a great way to reduce stress. Every time you feel internal worries building up, take an energizing walk through the woods, at the beach, or even around the block outside your office. If you can't outside to take a walk, practice deep breathing exercises to calm you.
Start a new hobby. Instead of worrying about past bad habits, begin a new good habit. Find a hobby that interests you, and one that is fun, too.

Join a group. When you were addicted, life was all about you. Getting involved with other people who are doing something positive will stop you from focusing too much on yourself. Join a social group, enroll in a class or become a volunteer in your community. Volunteers are critically needed in a struggling economy, and especially before and during the holiday season

.