Mentors Are Irreplaceable!

Mentors are irreplaceable when it comes to living a full life. I need people to look up to, to call me out when they see me stepping backwards, who will love me, unconditionally, when I make mistakes. Recovery has opened multiple doors, giving me the opportunity to learn from an army of mentors such as I've described. What a blessing!

Mentor: someone who teaches and is experienced; often giving advice or help to a less experienced and often younger person.

My mother and all of her friends, sponsors and the old-timers in my twelve step recovery program...ah so many of these wonderful people aided me in building a solid foundation for my life. They were, and still are, my mentors. For them, I am exceptionally grateful!

They all spent an excessive amount of hours listening to me, watching me cry in my soup...then gracefully (or bluntly, depending upon how dramatic my own pity-party was at the time), they'd share their pearls of wisdom with me. These mentors helped me to look within and grow up, all while loving me. Even years later, they are still quick on the draw to give me a swift blast of their intellect, and I love it! My curiosity keeps me open. There is so much I do not know-that I am certain about because every day I learn something new!

For years I mostly listened to women, thus male mentors were rare. Then, in my sixth year of sobriety, I realized how much wisdom men possess when I actually began listening to them. One man in particular, I feel, raised my recovery capacity up to a new level. He taught me about intentions, motivations, reactions/actions, honesty, discipline, self-righteousness, perception and that not one of us is perfect. My mind was a buzz of wonder! I was like a sponge, soaking up whatever I could. He also taught me this invaluable lesson: at my worst, I am a walking contradiction and that being this does not make me a bad person...just human. I was absolutely amazed by how he could know as much as he did. There were a multitude of growing pains in my mind, spirit and heart from all the lessons; magnificent varieties which propelled me to start writing again, with passion!

I am thankful and determined to pay it forward!

I'm curious...how have mentors helped you in shaping your life? Have you struggled to stay open to the lessons? I'd be delighted to hear your stories!

Video Blogs ~ More Yet To Come
Can't Keep A Sober Girl Down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1t9m2R8cJk

Testimonial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbU4Nxk2GIE

Can't Keep A Codependent Girl Down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xrR55OpssI

Always enjoy hearing your thoughts and stories. Just click on the ButterFlySober link below to view my profile and/or send a personal email.

Thanks and have a fabulous day!

Always enjoy hearing your thoughts and stories. Just click on the ButterFlySober link below to view my profile and/or send a personal email.

Thanks and have a fabulous day!

Tuesday: A Great Day To Shine!

I just wanted to wish you all a legendary Tuesday! Today is a great day to SHINE, for we are alive and sober!

My apologies on not having blogs posted the past couple of days. I have received a few emails I will be addressing later today on the blog. I've been working on videos the past couple of days so that has been taking up a large portion of my creative time.

If you would like to view the latest video to the Can't Keep A Sober Girl Down library, please click on the link below. As you will see, I am a bit goofy...like I have clearly stated in past blogs! Hope you enjoy!

Sober Girl Story: Can't Keep A Sober Girl Down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1t9m2R8cJk

Always enjoy hearing your thoughts and stories. Just click on the ButterFlySober link below to view my profile and/or send a personal email.

Thanks and have a fabulous day!

Video On YouTube!

Can't Keep A Sober Girl Down 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH -Sober Life Is Not A Boring Life

To all who made this video possible, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I can only hope that this video will reach many more women across the world who may be in that beginning stage of recovery and feeling a bit lost...and also the women who remember how it was at the beginning.

Always enjoy hearing your thoughts and stories. Just click on the ButterFlySober link below to view my profile and/or send a personal email.

Thanks and have a fabulous day!

A Woman's Elegance

Today, I find that putting on a pair of heels, draping a cross around my neck and wearing a ring of peace lifts my spirits as a woman. Fashion creates an uplifted sense of beauty, integrity and elegance. I pull out and put on decorative pieces of my soul.

When I sobered up, I frequently wore comfy pajamas pants, my favorite Nike sweatshirt with holes where the thumbs protruded through the cuffs, and a smoking robe. If I wasn't by my sponsor's side or at a meeting, you could have found me sitting in front of the television for hours on end, talking on the phone and puffing on cigarettes in the garage, buried in a sea of books in bed or scrolling through Myspace. Remember that site? Makes me chuckle! I was lost and in a period of survival mode for a solid eight months, at least. As I was just learning how to feel my feelings and deal with life, I rarely cared about how I showed up in the world. Inside I was struggling to just show up!

I remember going into store after store with my then husband and him being quite embarrassed. "Do you always have to wear sweatpants?", he'd ask. I would defend my frumpy clothing any chance I got and I was not practicing any kind of love, patience or understanding then. Poor guy!

Then one day my sponsor said something like, "Why don't you try putting on a pair of heels and notice how you feel?". She had never steered me wrong, so I slipped on a pair of heels with my pajama pants one afternoon. Well, I definitely felt more confident trotting around the house, regardless of the pajama pants/heels clothing ensemble! Instantly I remembered how years prior I had worn heels only on special occasions and how I had a bit more pep in my step. Hmm...wheels started turning in my 24 year old brain.

Slowly, I started to wear heels more often and especially when my weight would yo-yo further down. Then, when my faith in God grew exponentially, I began to drape large crosses around my neck. To some these necklaces may look like ornaments, though honestly for me they established a deeper sense of security...maybe even protection. A couple years after, I found a peace ring. Peace has always been a part of who I am. As a young child, it's what I always strived for between myself and others. As a teenager, I decorated my bedroom with peace emblems, dangled peace signs around my neck and always desired to own a Mercedes Benz-mostly because its hood ornament resembled peace! So, the peace sign on my finger reminds me to try and strive for peace.

Now, do I still love comfort? Of course! However, as a direct result of rehabilitating my mind and body, I don't feel as lost anymore. I believe that fashion helps boost my aliveness! I've also noticed it encourages other women to embrace their own inner beauty and elegance...something they may have lost for awhile. A woman's elegance can be altogether alluring, inside and out.

Always enjoy hearing your thoughts and stories. Just click on the ButterFlySober link below to view my profile and/or send a personal email.

Thanks and have a fabulous day!

Do You Have A Few Minutes?

Do you like the show Duck Dynasty? Well, I promise that watching this video will spark emotion...absolutely!

/www.iamsecond.com/seconds/the-robertsons/

Quote of The Day

“No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it.”-Albert Einstein 

 

Lacking Self-Discipline In The Workplace

I've always had a job though I've not always had self-discipline. When I realized this, I was stunned. I decided to change for the better. My new mission was to be able to be grateful for having a job and therefore grasp self-discipline to keep the job I have. Stability.

I've heard it been said that alcoholics and addicts lack self-discipline. We want what we want, how and when we want it! Instant gratification. I am no different, for it has taken me years to truly be grateful for the job I currently have. Grateful enough to show up on time, do the work that is required of me, be humble inside of management and see the gratitude out the next day to start again. This, to me, is self-discipline.

Now, can I hope for better inside of that gratitude and appreciation for what I already have? Yes, of course. Though that does not mean that I must give up what I currently have and kick up a blaze of rock and dust in order to score something better. For me, this was my old behavior and there was a strong lack of gratitude and self-discipline in this sort of action/reaction. The real challenge was facing my discontentment from within and then trusting myself-still is, honestly.

A wonderful teacher of my past taught me that I can still hold a job while trying to do better, embrace self-discipline and, therefore, keep my dignity intact. I see now there is much more honor in that. For this lesson, I am forever grateful.

Always enjoy hearing your thoughts and stories. Just click on the ButterFlySober link below to view my profile and/or send a personal email.

Thanks and have a fabulous day!