“It’s up to us to break generational curses. When they say, ‘It runs in the family.’ You tell them, ‘This is where it runs out.’”
Unknown
“Dream it. Wish it. Do it.”
Unknown
“Don’t be afraid to start over. This time you’re not starting from scratch, you’re starting from experience.”
Unknown
#1 I have a life-threatening problem that once had me.
I now take charge of my life and my well-being.
I accept the responsibility.
As the last remaining days of 2022 come to an end it is an excellent opportunity to review this past year without judgment, but with purpose. This is also a time to reinvest in sobriety and recovery; the WFS New Life Program beginning Statement leads the way.
There is no doubt this past year was filled with uncertainty and isolation as we moved a little further away from a global pandemic and more toward balance and connection. Yet there is also no doubt that this year was filled with joy, growth, and with hope. Sobriety and recovery make life come alive again with a new vision and new tools to manage our lives.
If you are new here or just exploring sobriety, welcome! You have found an empowering community that supports you. Change can feel scary and it can be easy to slip back into unhealthy routines that feel comfortable. Yet the Women for Sobriety New Life Program with its 13 Statements can change your life when practiced daily. Take time to look around and read the WFS Online Forum or find a face-to-face group near you. You will find a community of compassionate women who understand how you feel. You are not alone. You are needed, and you are loved, even if you cannot feel it right now. Embrace Statement #1. You are worth investing in!
Hugzzz
Karen
Hi 4C Women,
Karen gave wonderful guidance in asking us to review the past year without judgment but with a purpose. Years ago, when I reflected on the year that passed, I focused on the promises I made and didn’t keep. I promised I would handle challenges differently, put myself on the list of self-care, be authentic, and be confident in my choices.
Sadly, I usually ended up berating myself for breaking any promise I made when that year passed. No reflection geared toward understanding, forgiveness, or lessons learned, just pure judgment sprinkled with guilt, shame, regret, and all sorts of negative self-talk. Just the word “purpose” puts an entirely different spin and attitude on how I plan to look at this past year. A purpose is so different from a promise. A purpose moves us in a direction of growth. A promise can sometimes be unrealistic or even impossible to achieve and can unnecessarily cause more pain than the promise itself.
Last Monday I talked about giving a gift to ourselves for acknowledging the positive changes we made, blessings we received, and a self-care plan for 2023. The self-care part of the gift seems to be in line with creating a purpose – a way of working towards healing your well-being and putting you on the list of yes! You may do some of it or even add different plans as the year proceeds.
This year has been difficult and I’ve been feeling a bit sad this holiday season. I think of the years when my mom was still here and how we celebrated her Dec. 27 birthday. The whole family gathered and we laughed, hugged, and shared stories. My mom’s 85th birthday was the last one we celebrated all together. I miss that and my son who lives in CA whom I haven’t seen in over 3 years, my canceled plan to visit PA and NJ this past October. I accept these sad feelings and am grateful to WFS for learning that it’s okay to be sad. It’s better to be authentic as there is a message in those feelings. I no longer have to pretend and hide those feelings in drinking. Now, because of Karen’s wonderful guidance, I have a purpose for 2023. I will make new plans to visit family, hopefully, see my son and take care of my health in a more specific manner. I feel hope among the sadness of this holiday and that is what I am holding onto – HOPE and a PURPOSE!
Think about your purpose. Take time to write it down as a guide and know that even a purpose can change as you change and grow in your recovery.
Bonded in accepting responsibility for your willingness to change and discovering a purpose as you move forward, Dee
