God morning!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  There are so many times where I think I have my life all planned out, and something comes up and totally ruins it!  I think I have it all figured out, everything is perfectly planned and one little thing tweeks it and messes it all up.  Well, that's life.  I can plan all I want, but I can't plan the outcome.  I might as well learn to go with the flow.  Whatever it going to happen is going to happen.  It is frustrating though.  I like to have control over things and when I lose that control, it drives me nuts. But such is life,  God is really in control and there is nothing I can so about it.  So I might as well just give Him the wheel anyway.  That is something I struggle with every day.  I am working on it, but I still stuggle with it.  I might as well learn to deal with what comes my way.  It's all in God's plan anyway.  Just take a deep breath and go on with life.  What will be, will be.  And it usually ends up being pretty good in the long run.  That's all I have for today.  Have a great day!

Good morning!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  One thing I'm really good at is doing things to the extreme.  I always give 110% at anything I do.  I'm an all in kinda girl.  Balance, I struggle with. I always have too many irons in the fire.  That is one thing I am continually working on.  The other day at a meeting we were talking about living one day at a time and planning ahead.  And that is something I struggle with I like to plan.  But one guy explained it really well for me.  It's hard to own a business and not plan, you have to. I totally get that!  So for that I can plan ahead, have a 401K, make dinner plans for next Saturday, plan a vacation for next March. But when it comes to sobriety, that's where you live one day at a time.  Not saying I will never drink again.  I can't do that.  I just worry about today.  Finding the balance between the two is hard.  When some people hear one day at a time, they really don't even look at tomorrow.  But with my sobriety, I am planning for a tomorrow, so I can do a little planning, jot a dinner date on a calendar, then I don't have to look at it til that day. Baby steps.  Balance is a hard thing to learn and to teach.  That's all for today.  Have a great one!

Good afternoon!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  There have been times in my life where I just wish someone would understand me, or understand where I was coming from.  But then when the tables were turned I didn't want to give someone the time of day or understand their point of view.  That's me being selfish again.  Another of my faults.  I just wish everyone could understand ME, it's all about ME!  But why should I give you the same courtesy?  Doesn't make sense does it.  Us humans think the world revolves around us, and only WE are the only important one, when in fact we are the least important person.  We should be self-less and caring about others.  I need to stop worrying about me so much, and listen to others, try to be more understanding, and caring towards others.  I need to realize and understand that I am here to care and share, not hurt and degrade. That's all I have for today.  Have a great one!  Don't for get to check out my store!

Good afternoon!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  There used to be a few people in my life I didn't think that deserved forgiveness.  He literally tried to kill me, so no he didn't deserve it. But wait. God forgave me, He forgave all of my sins, so yes, I need to forgive everyone.  Even those who I don't think deserve it.  I'm sure there are some pretty scandelous and shadey things I have done, yet God still forgave me.  He wiped them all away.  I am to do the same.  It is hard to to sometimes, and yes sometimes I still remember the things that were done to me, but the other people have been forgiven.  Forgiving yourself for things you have done is also something you need to do.  That was another tough one.  There were things that it was hard for me to forgive myself of when I was drinking and using, but in time I forgave myself.  god will help you be able to do those things. Ask Him for help, that's what He is there for.  That's all i have for today.  Have a great one!

Good morning!  My name is Lauren, and I'm a grateful, recovering alcoholic/addict.  When I was drinking and using I thought it only affected me.  I thought I was the only person I was hurting.  But today I see how many other people my addiction involved.  Not only my blood family suffered, but my work family was disturbed as well.  My disease just kept radiating further and further like a ripple on a pond.  This weekend I am involved in a Walk for Addiction Awareness.  We want to Fight the Fight Against Addiction.  Addiction is a family disease, and people need to know that.  It's also not just cocaine and alcohol anymore either.  It's the Vicodin in your medicine cabinet.  It's the Xanax you take for anxiety.  It's the pills we are getting prescribed everyday.  We just take more and more, but think it's ok because the doctor originally gave us the prescription for it.  But things can get out of control pretty quickly.  We can fight this fight against addiction together.  That's all I have for today!  Have a great one!