How Can I Cope With Temptation in Recovery?

For those of us new to the rooms of recovery, the temptation can be a part of everyday life early on. The good news is, many of us find what the book Alcoholics Anonymous says to be true; “We are not fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. We feel as though we had been […]

People Need People

For those of us familiar with recovery, we are already well aware of the big fact that we simply cannot recover alone. We need each other. People need people in every walk of life, but it is especially true for those of us in recovery from alcoholism and addiction. It is a fact of our […]

Staying the Course

We all know recovery has ups and downs that we must navigate through. Sometimes, recovery makes us feel on top of the world. Other times, recovery can feel exhausting as we try to push our way through triggers and the most challenging days. Sometimes, however, recovery is all about keeping life steady. You don’t feel […]

Hope as a Foundation

Alcoholism and addiction are often accompanied by a multitude of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual issues. Where does hope come in? Hope is a concept, an idea, and a motivating feeling. But it is also a somewhat ambiguous principle, because what gives hope to one may not spark it in another.  Like alcoholism and addiction […]

The Power of Choice in Recovery

Nobody likes to feel powerless. It goes against our nature to readily admit that we have no control. So many of our mental and emotional processes are meant to give us a sense of power and control. These inner workings are quite problematic for many, often leading to stress, pain, and struggle. Therefore, it is […]

“Becoming a Part of” the Recovery Community

Alcoholism and addiction are a lonely disease. Almost without fail, they cause us to isolate ourselves from our loved ones and withdraw from our lives. Slowly but surely, our alcoholism and addiction become the number-one priority in our lives, forcing out everything that isn’t in direct service to our disease. This is a long, lonely […]

Finding Serenity in Calamity

No ocean, no matter how beautiful, is calm all the time. There will inevitably be storms. But when we sailed the ocean of life in our active alcoholism and addiction, we were sailing with a boatload of extra trouble. Now that we have entered recovery at Jaywalker Lodge, our ship is no longer making things […]

How Can I Encourage Someone In Recovery?

Most of us have a loved one who has struggled with alcoholism or addiction at some point in their lives, whether it’s a child, a significant other, a parent, or a friend. Much of our questions and concerns revolve around what to do to help them when they are in their active disease. We have […]

Embracing the Good in Life

Most alcoholics and addicts unwittingly become accustomed to negative circumstances, high-stress feelings, and what we often call “bad luck.” While everyday life does sometimes bring these things, it’s seldom as negative and stressful as our life in active alcoholism or addiction was. Unfortunately, many alcoholics and addicts like us get so used to the worst […]

Is Being Helpful Really So Important in Recovery?

We are each the main character — the hero — in our own life story, and we learn to see the world through this lens of “self.” This is true for everyone, regardless of their history with addiction. However, for alcoholics and addicts, this focus on self can be dangerous, even deadly. The book of […]