I’m Afraid I’m Engaging in Addictive Behaviors. What Should I Do?

For those of us with alcoholism or addiction, it may be helpful for us to understand that this disease does not limit its symptoms and manifestations to only alcohol and chemical substances. The disease of alcoholism and addiction can take many varied forms. In fact, we may be engaging in alcoholic or addictive behaviors without […]

Have Patience With Yourself

It’s a safe bet that you have a lot going on right now. We all have busy lives that are always changing, especially in recovery. There is always some 12 Step work to do, a meeting to attend, or somebody we can help! Particularly for those who are new to recovery, it may seem like […]

We Believe #12: The Goal of Sobriety Is To Live a Life of Joy, Abundance, and Meaning

At Jaywalker Lodge, we are guided by our hearts in everything we do. In fact, the whole Jaywalker operation is guided by heart, and the heart of Jaywalker is summed up in our 12 “We Believe” statements. These are the reasons, motivations, and guiding lights for every single action and for every single person here. […]

I shall take the heart…

“I shall take the heart,” returned the Tin Woodsman; “for brains do not make one happy, and happiness is the best thing in the world.” ― L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz   Growing up in a theatrical and artistic household once a year that we would all sit down and watch the […]

Dealing With Frustration

Recovery is obviously a true blessing in our lives. For alcoholics and addicts, recovery is among the greatest gifts we could ever receive. Working the Twelve Steps changes nearly every part of our lives, and it often changes us in ways that make us much happier and more peaceful. However, life is still life, even […]

Personal Touches in Recovery Treatment

Recovery treatment has quite a few blanket elements that are applied to everyone, mainly because they work for almost everyone. Alcoholics and addicts are always served by abstinence and sobriety. Also, both individual and group therapy tend to be remarkably helpful in recovery treatment. Eating right and being physically active never did anyone any harm. […]

Men’s Issues: I Don’t Want To Lose My Friends

It may or may not be surprising to hear that one of the most common concerns for those of us who are new to recovery is the potential loss of friends. We may fear that our friends will abandon us once we adopt the recovery lifestyle or, on the flip side, that we will have […]

I Miss Live Meetings. What Can I Do?

Wherever we are in our recovery journey, meetings are incredibly important. This still holds true, even in strange times like these. Live and in-person meetings may not be available in our area, or we may not be comfortable attending the ones that are ongoing for a number of reasons. As alcoholics and addicts in recovery, […]

The Importance of Giving Back in Recovery Treatment

From a purely medical standpoint, altruism does not seem like an appropriate treatment for alcoholism and addiction. However, nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the 12-Step program has an intense focus on altruism and just so happens to be among the most effective, successful, and versatile treatment methods for alcoholism and addiction […]

Why “Meeting Makers Make It”

Those of us who are new to recovery have surely heard a lot about the importance of 12 Step meetings. The recovery community talks about them all the time. Some of us go to a meeting every single day — maybe even more than one! Some will only hit a meeting whenever they feel like […]