I was talking to a friend today about life changing hard stuff he’s dealing with, and he responded, “at least I have the program.” Wow! It immediately pulled me back to when I experienced the same hard stuff in my life as an active alcoholic. Back then it felt like there were no seasons, and my life was just one long cold, dark winter.

How fortunate I am to no longer be chasing that euphoric feeling only to find myself more isolated and fearful of the hard stuff in life. Today I experience the seasons, both externally and internally, trusting that there is a reason for the season. The lessons from my experiences bloom like flowers when the season changes.

How fortunate I am to have the spirit of joy that always glows inside me, like the sun, even on cold, rainy days. That sun doesn’t get effected by what’s happening around me. My joy is a state of being, always burning stable and bright if I put in the work: go to meetings, practice the principles of my program in all my affairs, and recover out loud, giving away what was so freely given to me.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Visit me at ⁠⁠⁠recoverydailypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com⁠.

#SobrietyJourney #SeasonsOfSobriety #RecoveryIsPossible #GratitudeInRecovery #SoberLiving #MentalHealthMatters #AlcoholFreeLife #RecoveryCommunity #LifeLessons #OneDayAtATime

Listening to someone when you think they’re wrong takes an incredible amount of self-control. But here’s the fascinating part—when I shut up, don’t interrupt, and actually listen, sometimes they’re right.

I’ve always struggled to let people finish their sentences, especially when I feel like I can save them the effort by ‘course-correcting’ mid-sentence. I used to excuse myself with a laugh, saying, “Oh, sorry, I’m an interrupter,” while flashing my charming smile.

But the truth is, its rude. I’ve learned to quietly let others be ‘wrong’ long enough to finish their point. My first big lesson in this came when I had to listen to my boss being wrong. I couldn’t interrupt him because, well, he was my boss. As I sat there thinking about how much more I knew than he did, I stayed quiet—long enough for him to deliver an award-winning point that proved he was right all along. He didn’t say a word, just gave me a look that said, “Yeah, I know I’m right. This is why you pause and listen.”

Since then, I’ve been practicing this in every conversation. Sometimes I nail it, and other times I fail epically. But I’ve learned it’s not my job to course-correct others. The least I can do is respectfully let them finish and truly listen, because often what I thought was wrong turns out to be right.

This practice is letting things be as they are, “live and let live”, and acknowledging that I can’t control people, places, or things. What I can control is my reaction: staying quiet, listening, and adopting an attitude of tolerance and acceptance.

So, instead of offering the “right” answers or solutions, try asking questions. You might be surprised what you learn when you let people finish their story.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Visit me at ⁠⁠⁠recoverydailypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com⁠.

#ActiveListening #LiveAndLetLive #CommunicationSkills #PracticingPatience #ListeningToLearn #ToleranceAndAcceptance #PersonalGrowth #SelfAwareness #LetThemFinish #LifeLessons

Today I was thinking about constructive imagination and its role in my recovery. Early on, my sober friends told me that if I didn’t have an understanding a Higher Power, I could ‘act as if.’ So, I dug deep into the pockets of my imagination and created my very own understanding. Over the past 8.5 years, that understanding has evolved into what others might call Faith. This Faith, born from willingness and imagination, keeps me sober—it saved me.

In stroke recovery, where I can’t drive or venture very far, I rely on my imagination a lot. Sipping jasmine green tea in the afternoon with three Chips Ahoy cookies, I imagine I’m in the drawing room at Buckingham Palace. On Friday nights, when I listen in to the iBlind Users Group for an audio movie on the phone with fresh popcorn and some candy, I imagine the scenes in more fantastic detail than a movie could ever create.

Imagination brings me the most comfort in grief. I imagine those I’ve lost as adjoining snowflakes to that unique understanding of my higher power that, as they bind with this grand vision, they become an ever-lasting presence in my life.

When I was drinking, I lived one-dimensionally. Now in this colorful, high-definition reality, my imagination is everything. It is the bridge to possibility, connection, and healing

Listen wherever you get your podcasts and YouTube.

Visit me at ⁠⁠⁠recoverydailypodcast.com⁠⁠⁠ or email me at ⁠rachel@recoverydailypodcast.com⁠.

#ImaginationIsEverything #SobrietyJourney #FaithInRecovery #StrokeRecovery #HealingThroughImagination #MentalHealthMatters #RecoveryTools #GriefAndHealing #LivingInColor #NeverAlone