Acceptance of our emotions does not mean that we don’t challenge our emotions. We are much more capable of challenging our emotions when we don’t judge them as good or bad. Feelings just ARE. Feelings are messengers alerting us that something has happened to us. Remaining neutral by observing our emotions and getting curious about them is a better approach than judging them.

Addiction lies to you in a voice that sounds like your own. It can sound logical because you are used to listening to it. It doesn’t strike you as a lie, or as odd, because you haven’t gotten the awareness you need to discern that it’s not you talking. All these comments above are addiction speaking.

I get this question from so many friends and family members of someone who has a drinking or other drug problem. “Why do I have to quit when they are the ones with the problem?” “I shouldn’t have to let go of alcohol; I am not the one that loses control.” And they very well may not have a drinking or other drug problem, but that doesn’t change my answer to them. My answer is yes, you do need to quit drinking or using drugs too. Here is why.

Who (or what) do you run to during these bottoms? Is this person/substance/process helpful? Is this person/substance/process saving you? The condition of your life will be reflective of what or who your savior is. Is your tree of life bearing fruit? Or is it desolate? Better question yet, how well is your soul?

It all begins with NOW