Yes, it’s been one of those weeks….

My friend and colleague, Petar Sardelich, used to say, “It’s one of those bottle of Bourbon and 2 packs of Chesterfields kind of days.”

With new computers to learn and glitches by our Newsletter subscriber service,  there were a couple of those kinds of days.

Yes, Petar and I agreed the description was accurate though he and I had both long since given up both whiskey and cigarettes.

The point?

You don’t need to be afraid to accurately describe conditions as being the ones you used to drink/smoke/eat/etc. your way through.

That act alone, putting a “name” to a condition, frequently helps to reduce anxiety so you can come up with a new solution.

For me, the difficulties with the subscription service were the most aggravating but, shortly after reaching my frustration point, and silently agreeing with Petar once again, the solution occurred to Mary Ellen and I both – simultaneously and independently.

The answer? Ask our invaluable webmaster and office consultant, Tanya Beaudoin’s Office on Demand to resolve the problem of disappearing templates and unresponsive providers.

Within an hour she had created this new look for the Newsletter and offered to take on the logistical work for me, freeing me to concentrate on writing the copy.

The result? An improved look that preserves what we liked about the old one, much less frustration for me, and an improved system for getting out the weekly thoughts.

Funny how often a new solution arises when you don’t follow the old patterns. Had I in fact headed off to the alcohol and nicotine of 30 years ago, nothing would have been solved and there wouldn’t be any Newsletter going out, and that would have been a good reason to drink away Monday and…….

So! Please! Let us help you find new ways to fix old problems, not just medicate them while they mushroom.

As always, we’re only a phone call away.

How do you talk to yourself and about yourself?

It’s surprising how much our “self-talk” influences our actions.

Henry Ford summed it up pretty well, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right!”

It follows too, that if you want to be a “powerless alcoholic” then AA is the place for you. And if you also want to keep an alcohol focused life, then being forever “in recovery” will also serve your purpose.

There are other benefits to the 12 Step life as well – you avoid taking responsibility for your drinking since you’re “powerless over your disease” and you can blackmail others by accusing them of interfering with you “working your program.”

But of course you’ll never build a normal life, never leave alcohol abuse behind, never enjoy actual intimate relationships with friends, spouses, and others. And you’ll need to continue to label yourself as a “my name is —-, and I’m an alcoholic” loser.

How much better to just put the drinking behind you, as smokers do the cigarettes, and say, “Yes, I decided alcohol wasn’t adding anything to my life anymore so I left it behind.”

An immature conformist “in recovery,” or a fully capable adult who’s “been there, done that?”

Once again – it’s your choice.