Monday Thoughts 9.30.24

“The most difficult times for many of us are the ones we give ourselves.” –Pema Chödrön

“It’s only a thought and a thought can be changed.” –Louise Hay

“You know what’s just as powerful as a cup of coffee in the morning?  Starting your day with some good, loving thoughts.  It can change how your whole day unfolds.” —Karen Salmansohn

#2 Negative thoughts destroy only myself.

My first conscious sober act is to reduce negativity in my life.

Karen’s Thoughts

Our founder, Jean Kirkpatrick, PhD explains how to use the WFS Statements on page three of our WFS Program booklet.   It states “Use the Acceptance Statements daily.  Read them each morning, then choose one and practice it all day for a week.  After that, select another and use it for a week.  In time, the actions resulting from the use of these Statements will become automatic and your life will change for the better.”  Jean understood it all begins with our thoughts and Statement #2 in action leads the way.

Paying attention to thoughts initially felt overwhelming. It felt like a busy 50-lane freeway with thoughts zipping through haphazardly at lightning speed.  Occasionally, a balanced thought toddled around and as my brain began to heal, thought patterns became recognizable.  Writing in a journal helped immensely which gave uncomfortable thoughts an outlet.  I was also learning to manage and understand thinking as a coping tool instead of trying to escape.

It was unrealistic to believe that negative thoughts could be fully eliminated but with action into Statement #2 I can certainly reduce them.  In fact, positive changes began happening almost immediately when practicing Statement #2.  It takes daily effort and action, and while there is still a busy freeway it has fewer lanes and traffic flows more evenly.  A zigzagging speeder may fly through randomly still but chaos has been replaced with stability.  Other helpful tools to manage thinking are reframing thoughts,  acknowledging without attaching to them, ceremoniously letting them go and challenging yourself to come up with helpful thoughts.  What other options are helpful to you?

 Here are four pathways to further explore:
1.  What recurring thoughts are you aware of right now?
2.  What thoughts would you most like to change?
3.  What small action can you take to reduce or counter that thought process?
4.  Notice and appreciate what you have accomplished so far, consider keeping notes in a journal that you can refer to when negativity arises.

Hugzzz
Karen, with heartfelt thoughts for co-author Dee as she continues her recovery from orthopedic surgery!

As we wrap up September and Recovery Month, it is important to reflect back on the personal growth we’ve managed during this time. For some women, this is their first Recovery Month experience or even their first month in recovery. For others, it may be yet another circle around the sun. All recoveries are important and all women in recovery are important – regardless of length of commitment or strength of will, we are here to help you take another step toward recovery.

Our MVP this month was SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), which provided a framework for healing and growth. Their four pillars – health, home, purpose, and community – guided our thoughts and actions as we considered them as part of our recovery. Well-rounded sobriety has all of these things and we hope you have been able to find some here at WFS. 

We cannot begin to talk about gratitude without mentioning our fantastic supporters for the Creative Crew Pop-Up Market sale. Thanks to your generosity, Women for Sobriety reached 170% of our goal! Our appreciation for your continued support of our creative artists cannot be overstated. The ability to bring something into existence where before there was nothing is truly a gift, and we are the lucky recipients of these gifts of talent.

While this month was not without its challenges, pitfalls, and disappointments, Dr. Jean Kirkpatrick knew best: recovery is acknowledging when you fall, picking yourself up, and carrying on to the best of your ability. While we may stumble, we also are witness to the ability to soar, as did our Executive Director Dr. Michelle Shaivitz in her webinar about substance use disorder in women. This recording is still available to watch. Her knowledge and dedication will have any woman proud to be fighting the good fight against the demons she knows she can beat.

The wheel has turned. The solstice has passed. As fall settles in for the majority of us, we look at the changing of our surroundings and think of how we have changed as well. With the holiday season on the horizon, it is more important than ever to take these lessons to heart and move forward. Difficult times may be ahead, but Women for Sobriety has the lantern to help guide your way. Recovery Month may be over, but you remain a competent woman who has much to give life – and we can’t wait to see you shine.

If you’re looking forward to more events like Recovery Month, please consider making a monthly donation to WFS. Just $13, one dollar for each of the 13 Statements, allows us to build further, create more, and serve you top-notch programming.