Tuesday, July 8, 2014

RESILIENCY

Hello blogger world, Im back again. I just wrote this paper for school and I thought some of you might benefit from reading it. I  discovered the word and concept of resiliency while I was in a treatment facility recovering from addiction. Today I am resilient. I bounce back from adversity very quickly. I have been empowered by embracing this concept and I hope it helps you in some way also. Thank you all for reading and commenting to me about reading my blog. I appreciate it more than you know. You can always private message me on FB or email danielisatruesoldier@aol.com. I would love to hear from you.
                                                 RESILIENCY 
                                                 
I chose to write about chapter 10 “Prevention of substance abuse problems” for many reasons. I am very passionate about helping others overcome addiction and about helping others avoid the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse. As you know I am in recovery myself and I have begun to build my life around helping and inspiring others. I always say I am using the adversity in my life as stepping stones to success.
The chapter talks about “high risk youth” which I am very interested in. I feel like if we can catch the youth before they become severely addicted we can make such a difference in their lives. We can save them from so many unnecessary consequences. I just started a job at a place called “Angel Reach” that helps kids that age out of foster care or that comes out of CPS. This program does so much to help these youth. It is truly amazing. I am so thankful for the opportunity to play a positive role in the lives of others. This program helps prevent substance abuse problems by providing counseling and doing drug test. This program helps these “high risk youth” to stay off the streets by providing housing, food, clothing, transportation and many other services. I believe many factors play a part in helping our youth stay off of drugs and alcohol. I feel like this chapter does a very good job at educating us on this subject. I believe we need more people out sharing their real true life stories of the reality of what drug and alcohol abuse brings. I feel like we could reach these kids on a deeper level by being real and sharing our real life stories. I am doing my part by speaking and sharing my true life recovery story every opportunity I get.
I really enjoyed all the topics in this chapter, but my favorite is on “Resiliency”. I was introduced to this empowering concept of being resilient when I was in treatment myself. To be resilient means so many things, but it generally means to recover quickly, to bounce back quickly. If one is resilient they will not allow a relapse to ruin their whole life. They will bounce back very quickly and recover quickly. In this chapter the author defines resiliency in several different ways that are super healing and therapeutic. I will list and discuss them now. The author says that resiliency is “Mastering your painful memories rather than compulsively rehashing the damage you have suffered”.  What a great concept. If we can master our negative memories they will not drive us to use drugs and alcohol. The author also says that resiliency is “Accepting that your troubled family has left its mark and give up the futile wish that your scars can ever disappear completely”. To me this means to just accept the fact that we all have issues in our family life and learn to press forward in life with hope and faith that things will work out. I firmly believe that hope and faith are very powerful in the recovery process.
The next definition the author gives of resilience is “getting revenge by living well instead of squandering your energy by blaming and fault-finding”. What a powerful message. Many of us play the victim in life. It’s so easy to be a victim, to find fault and blame everything under the son for our mistakes. By learning to take responsibility for our own actions we take control of our own destiny. The author also defines resiliency as “Breaking the cycle of your family’s troubles and putting the past in its place”. Lots of people use drugs and alcohol because of family troubles. We could prevent so much sorrow and suffering by learning to be resilient. As a professional I will teach clients what it means to be resilient. I will be as resilient as possible in my own life. I strive to be a living breathing example that addiction can be overcome. I firmly believe that with the right attitude and effort we can actually turn our weaknesses into our greatest strengths. As I have stated many times. The key is to be humble or teachable and to have a desire to become a better person. With desire and effort great things will happen. I plan to continue to make a real effort to make a big impact in as many people as I can. I hope to be a powerful influence for good in this world for the rest of my life.
As far as prevention of substance abuse problems goes I have learned from first hand experience that physical,mental and spiritual exercises and any good hobby plays a very important role in staying sober. I believe that we need to replace negative habits with positive habits as much as possible. These hobbies could include exercise, fishing, hunting, golfing, reading, writing, fixing cars, working, riding horses, spending time with family and the list goes on and on. I feel like if we learn to appreciate and stay thankful for the small things that sober-life has to offer we will stay at peace and happy. A grateful attitude is so powerful in finding contentment and happiness in life. If we are at peace and happy then we don’t need to turn to alcohol and drugs as a way to feel better. We don’t need to turn to alcohol and drugs as a way to cope. I have discovered that there are so many simple truths that make a huge difference in our lives such as staying thankful for the little things in life like food, air, water, family, shelter, clothing and transportation to name a few.  I highly reccomend to count your many blessings and name them one by one, count your many blessings and see what God has done. You will find a surpluss of happiness as you do.
I will continue to learn and experiment with what works and doesn’t work in helping people turn away from drugs and alcohol. I will continue to work hard at making a positive impact in this world and in the lives of many. I hope to be a powerful instrument in the hands of our creator to help save souls from prison and death. As you and I know that most alcoholics and drug addicts end up in prison or dead. I believe that addiction is a spiritual prison also. It is my mission in life to help as many as I can escape the prison of addiction. This is why I am writing a book called BE A TRUE SOLDIER IN GODS ARMY (TWELVE STEPS TO UNDERSTANDING LIFES SPIRITUAL BATTLE & OVERCOMING ADDICTION). My motto is: BE ALL YOU CAN BE AS A TRUE SOLDIER IN GODS ARMY…STAY STRONG…STAY TRUE…STAY POSITIVE…STAY SOBER…and LOVE LIFE BABY!!!

Thank you again for reading. I hope this post helps someone to heal.  I hope this post inspires you to become more resilient and live a happier more fulfilled life. I hope this post inspires someone to turn away from the poison of drugs and alcohol and I might add pornography to the list. These things will rob you of everything that matters most in life.


BE ALL YOU CAN BE AS A TRUE SOLDIER IN GODS ARMY…STAY STRONG…STAY TRUE…STAY POSITIVE…STAY SOBER…and LOVE LIFE BABY!!!
                                                                                      

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

COME UNTO CHRIST

Hello blogger world. Im back again. I want to start off by saying thank you to everyone that has commented to me about how much you enjoy these writings. The fact that you are enjoying and benefiting from what I write motivates me to keep going. THANK YOU SO MUCH for all your kind comments. I hope this post inspires you in some way also. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO MESSAGE ME ANYTIME AT danielisatruesoldier@aol.com    you can follow me on twitter @beatruesoldier 

Since I wrote last My dear Mom passed away. I feel like I have been prepared for the loss of my Mother but its still very difficult to loose your own Mother. I am so thankful for the strength and comfort that has come through knowing and living he Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Gospel of Jesus Christ contains all of lifes greatest answers. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a true source of peace and comfort in lifes hardest times. I do not know what I would do without my testimony in the reality of Gods ETERNAL plan. I will miss my Mother dearly, but I know she is very much alive in the spirit world with my Dad her eternal companion.

As a recovering drug addict it is so important to be prepared for life's curve balls such as death or the loss of a job or any hardship. As recovering addicts we must have a solid foundation to stand on when life throws a curve ball. We must have coping skills in place to ensure that we dont turn to drugs and alcohol for comfort and peace during lifes difficult times. For me this solid foundation is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact it is Jesus Christ Himself that I turn to for peace. He is very much alive and has real power to grant us in times of need. It is our job to come unto him. It is our job to invite Him into our hearts. We do this throgh sincere prayer, scripture study, and attending spiritual meetings. I work very hard to stay strong physically, mentally, and spiritually. As a result I feel my life is on a sure foundation, a foundation that provides real strength and safety when Satan strives to drag me down. I tell you this not to brag in any sort of way but to be a living breathing testimony to all the world that REAL STRENGTH AND COMFORT comes from living the principles of the Gospel. Our Savior Jesus Christ is readily available to grant us the strength we need as we turn to Him. We must do our part. One of my favorite scriptures comes from the Book of Mormon in the book of Helaman chapter 5: 12. It says                 "And now my sons, remember remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer who is Christ the son of God that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you, to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."  My friends please hear me when I tell you that drigs and alcohol are not the answer to lifes problems. Infact they make lifes problems much worse. They will drag you down to the gulf of misery. I beg of you to come unto Christ and find true peace and comfort.

 I testify to you that this foundation is real. I am experiencing the strength and comfort in my life now as I mourn the loss of my Mom. I am a true testimony that Jesus Christ is real, His power is unlimited. I invite you to learn of Him and tap into His peace that only He can offer. It is a peace that the world cannot offer. It is a peace that will never come by partaking of drugs and alcohol. Infact drugs and alcohol as well as pornography will drive that peace away. Please fight to win the battle for your soul by coming unto Christ and turning away from drugs and alcohol. They will take you prisoner and make you a slave. Jesus Christ is the answer. He will restore you to complete spiritual health. He will bring you a high that is far sweeter than any controlled substance will ever offer. COME UNTO CHRIST!!!

   
  Thank you again for reading. I hope that this post is received in the spirit it was written in. BE ALL YOU CAN BE AS A TRUE SOLDIER IN GOD'S ARMY...STAY STRONG...STAY TRUE...STAY POSITIVE...STAY SOBER...LOVE LIFE BABY!!!