By Rev. Stephen J. Murray, NICD Director and also a recovering person

 Are you, or perhaps someone you know of, having a tough time trying to battle the demons of alcoholism and/or drug addiction, and ever experienced the awful symptoms of a relapse, racing thoughts, fear, anxiety, confusion, guilt, shame, the wreckage of the past, sleeplessness, felt hopeless, helpless, alone, lonely, depressed, or just can't stay busy enough to shut off the voices in your head that tell you to give up on recovery?

 There are many good people out there who struggle with these, and many more problems that creep into their minds and bones/bodies, and consist of the enemy within that makes you want to give up on being clean and sober. Perhaps you have tried a hundred times to get and stay clean, only to have the above mentioned horrors come back each time and force you to relapse? I have too; however, I have found a tool to use in recovery to tackle each and every obstacle to success. 

  Everybody who is staying clean and sober does what I am urging you to do, or perhaps you can provide this tool to someone you know and love- you know them, love them, and want them so badly to stay clean. Every part of the recovery program, that has helped so many to recover, involves one common thread that brings it all together, resulting in a clean and sober, and most of all, a happy person. The common thread is writing. Bear with me on this, as you will get to see with your own eyes, what a quick and effective tool I have found. This is one element, or idea, that all 12-Step Programs must have to work. 

  Everybody who is sober today has had to write out their answers to the questions involved in each and every step, but it is so often presented to us in a way that makes the task more unbearable than it would be to going back to drinking and/or drugging. That can end right here and right now. This is not an easier softer way, or a method of doing the very minimum with each Step in a recovery program- it's not a shortcut, but it is a way, as the recovery program says, a way to "Keep It Simple". Don't you wish you had a way to tackle the tough problem of staying sober. You know what I'm talking about. Those times when your feelings get hurt, or someone does you wrong, having justified anger, when your soul mate hurts you, when you get angry and cop a resentment- which we all know is one of the major reasons people don't make it in recovery- unresolved anger is a killer. 

  If you had this tool, you could spend about 5 minutes using it, and you would have clarity of thought, and a way to sort out your mixed up/mixed feelings. Remember, the alcohol and the drugs are just the symptoms of the underlying problem- the inability to cope with life is the real problem. But you can have freedom from all of this, if you use this simple tool. If you were angry, and many who try to stay sober get angry to the point of saying, screw it, recovery is just too hard. But let's say you had a way to calm yourself down, and record what you are feeling and why in under 2-3 sentences. Wouldn't that be a whole lot easier than sitting at home still angry, and letting it mess with your head, and then you relapse. Let's not forget about calling your sponsor and being able to tell them, "This is what's bothering me today," as this tool will help you and your sponsor deal with the problem more effectively, via getting to the real problem in a fast and very specific way!!! You can't get to the solution until you understand the problem.

  This tool works because it is there to pick up and use- it is built to be there when you need it. You know how alcoholics and addicts are. You are not going to pick up a pen and paper and write out what you feel. Besides, even if you did, you would have tons of pieces of paper to hold on to, so you could reflect on your growth. Even worse, imagine sifting through hundreds of pieces of paper to find that one sheet that helped you tackle a tough problem- that alone will probably get you angry enough just trying to find it. This tool is going to be there for you to pick up and utilize, to refer back to issues in the past that will help you realize your growth in black and white. Even better, is a record of how you handled a certain situation, not to mention how valuable this tool will be in helping you to sponsor others. Imagine the belly laugh you'll get when you go back 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, and realize where you were at then as opposed to where you are at today. You will be able to see and feel how much you have grown, and how differently you are dealing with things that happen to you today versus yesterday. I myself get a kick out of reading yesterdays thoughts and feelings about certain situations, and realizing that, "This Too Shall Pass." It did!!! 

  No, we are not talking about replacing The Big Book, NA or CDA Text. We are using this tool to do what our basic texts tells us to do- write it out. But this tool gets you to do it in short, to the point way, that you will be shocked by how simple, quick, and easy it is, and by how much you will grow emotionally all along your path of sobriety. I use mine, (I am on my 2nd book), to do my daily inventory on, which is part of the 10th Step Inventory we are required to do, as it makes my job allot easier, and I know where it is at all times. 

 Finally, let me go back to all those nasty items I mentioned at the top of this article, as this tool lets me sift through each and every problem as they come up that would normally get me all charged up inside, or worse- make me relapse, again and again. This tool helps me to make sense of it all- what a freedom- to not be a slave to my thoughts and feelings. After all, isn't it our thoughts and feelings that cause us to relapse- you bettcha. 

  So here's the deal. You purchase the book, and you'll have 5 years worth of Step Work and record keeping to help you stay sober, grow from, reflect back on, and learn and teach others from. This tool enables you to record your thoughts, feelings, problems and solutions, in less than 5 minutes a day, and will hold these in black and white, for 5 years. When you are done with the first 5 years, get another like I did- as I am half way through my second book. 

 Here's the best part, at least I think it's at the top of my gratitude list for, and that is, that, by getting this tool you actually get to help another person. Every purchase has a determined amount of money that goes directly to NICD and its mission of care, connectedness, and support for those who need it so badly. 

  This is the arrangement that the author has made to NICD. You get a great tool to help you, or another, stay sober with, and you help NICD to help another person- someone, or a family to get help and support because of you teaming up with NICD. I could go on and on about how this tool is going to make your recovery program strong, but go and check out the book using the link provided. You will be proud to have this tool in your home and in your life. 

  If you order from the link below, the sale will be recorded as a sale that part of the proceeds go towards helping another human being through NICD- all because of your caring. NICD is not funded, receives no grants or other methods of funding- that's another reason why you are so important to us and other people. 

  Thanks for taking this step and for helping us to help others. It is an amazing WIN-WIN-WIN situation- as we help you, you help us, and we help another! We become a team, and we would be very grateful and proud of you for that. Also, pat yourself on the back for taking a vital step towards a strong sobriety and true happiness. And don't forget the good feelings you'll have in knowing you are helping another human being... Perhaps that will be the first entry in your journal- "I helped someone today!!!" How many are fortunate and get to say that?

Sincerely,

Rev. Stephen J. Murray, NICD Director

Here is the link, so you can view the images of this vital tool, see sample entries, purchase it, and even sign up for the authors free newsletter:

http://tinyurl.com/9hc3p

 

The following is written by, Author of The Five Year Journal Doreene Clement and NICD Director Rev. Stephen J. Murray 

Here is more info on this great tool for recovery, or in fact for 

anybody, and they also make great gifts too...

During any addiction recovery process and even

afterward, support is essential. A simple, easy and

proven effective way, that anyone can use to support

themselves, is keeping an addiction recovery journal

or diary. An excellent tool for recovery, as well as a

great way of doing our, Daily 10th Step Inventory,

journaling provides a record of gratitude's, goals,

intentions, and the ups and the downs of life.

Journaling is a record of our actions and growth,

our dreams and desires.

Journaling is all about expression. Writing down,

recording our feelings, recognizing them, and leaving

them on the page, is an excellent way to understand

and figure out what is really important to us and for us.

We can realize what we are really experiencing. We

see what we are really thinking. It is right there on the

page in black and white. Where is the fear? Where is

the joy? Within the journaling pages and with time,

clarity is easier to obtain and focus upon. Then, after

this processing, we can make clear, focused choices

of what works and serves us. And what does not.

An excellent, supportive tool to use to start an addiction

recovery journal is The 5 Year Journal.

The 5 Year Journal can be started on any day, in any

year. Already formatted into three lines a day, the

day and date are at the top of the page, but you write

in the year. This format is especially conducive for

journaling daily the 12 Step Recovery Program.

Use 5YJ to record a relative reflection of the daily

steps taken. After the each year journaled, we can

look back at the previous years to see where we were

last year, then two years ago, three years, and so on.

Order your copy of The 5 Year Journal

and NICD, The National Institute on Chemical Dependency,

will receive 25 percent of each sale

Click here to order http://tinyurl.com/9hc3p   

5 Journaling Tips

1. Start journaling on any day of the year.

2. Set your journal where you see it every day:

On the kitchen table, your desk or in your briefcase.

This will help remind you to journal daily.

3. Keep a pen or pencil with your journal.

4. Skipping days is a part of journaling.

5. You can use the same color of pen or use different

colors. You can also designate colors of pens for certain

feelings, i.e., green for growth, blue for sadness, orange

for joy, red for anger, you get the idea. If you are

using the different colored pens, write in the front of

your journal what you decided each color signifies.

By journaling every day, we make time for ourselves,

and in so many ways our journal becomes a treasured

keepsake. Keeping an addiction recovery journal can

reduce stress, help focus and organize us, and becomes

a good reminder, helping us to set and track goals.

Comparing and exploring the different times of our

lives is easy with a journal.

Feel free to pass this along to your friends.

Doreene Clement, a cancer victor, author of

The 5 Year Journal, and a journaling expert,

is currently writing a new book, Blessed,

about her life and her cancer experience.

 

For more information http://tinyurl.com/9hc3p

480.423.8095 If you want to see her column,

About Journaling, subscribe at, http://tinyurl.com/9hc3p

 

Rev. Stephen J. Murray, MCRC, the current

Director of NICD,

(National Institute on Chemical Dependency),

is an ordained minister and counselor.

Since 1989 he has been actively involved in the

chemical dependency field, and is currently writing

a recovery book based upon the actions taken by

alcoholics in the 1930's, when A.A. had success

rates as high as 93%.

 

P.S. From Rev. Stephen J. Murray, This makes a great

gift to give to someone in recovery, new to recovery,

currently in a treatment program, halfway house, jail,

etc. What better way to show you care!!! NICD is also

interested in bulk orders to donate to treatment centers,

churches, etc. If interested in donating, on your behalf

or anonymously, multiple copies please contact us.

http://www.nicd.us/contactus.html

Additional Articles From Doreene

Keeping A Journal

Talking

Thirty Day Journals

Creating A Gratitude Journal

Journals You Can Keep

The Benefits of Keeping a Journal

JOURNALING TODAY- Author of The Five Year Journal, Doreene Clement, takes us through the process of the how, why, what, where, when, and who of writing for freedom- To be happy, joyous, and free. This is an excellent tool for recovery, as well as a great way of doing a "Daily 10th Step Inventory". It provides a permanent record for our gratitude list, the ups and downs of life, a record of our actions, and best of all, a tracking of our growth- look back 1, 2, 5 years ago and see in black and white how much you have grown.

Read the article at the top of this page:

"How to Keep an Addiction Recovery Journal" Also, you can go to: Click and place your order for The 5 Year Journal- NICD will receive a donation on your behalf from the author.

This makes a  great gift to give to someone in recovery, new to recovery, currently in a treatment program, halfway house, jail, etc. If you read the article below, you will see how this tool will affect those who have it. Give it as a gift- it will be a great and kind human gesture to show how much you care!!! NICD is also interested in bulk orders to donate to treatment centers, churches, etc. If interested in donating, on your behalf or anonymously, multiple copies, please contact us at: http://www.nicd.us/contactus.html