“Hope Heals Heartache”.

What does that mean?

This world is filled with a lot of hate, fear, depression, and despair; it is very easy to fall prey to any one of these emotions if we aren’t careful.

People across the world end their lives because they struggle to see the purpose in their pain or the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Hope is often times the only thing that keeps people going through storms, trials, and tribulations.

We need more hope in our lives.

In a world filled with heartache, we need to practice hope more than ever before.

If you still have breath in your lungs, there is still a chance that better days are ahead. If you’re still breathing there is still hope for you and your dreams.

Don’t give up; don’t let despair win.

Yes, things may be tough and it may seem like darkness is all around you, but hope will keep you moving forward in search of the light.

Grief always gives way to joy. 

Hope is the key to a better life, today. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Done dealing with drama”.

What does that mean?

Drama has become a large part of our lives these days, but we all agree that it isn’t healthy. 

No one likes being talked about behind their back; however, we are just as quick to do the same to others.

We have allowed drama to consume our lives; we would rather talk about why someone hasn’t been around lately rather than actually check on them.

It is time to we finally say we have had enough of drama.

It is time to be done with drama.

The power of life and death lies with the tongue; use your words to encourage instead of tearing people down.

We may not be able to stop other people from trying to start drama, but we do not have to be party to it. We definitely do not have to start it ourselves.

People have enough going on as it is. There is no need for us to waste our time worrying about other people or talking about their weakest moments on repeat. 

Take time today to cut out the drama and start speaking life and encouragement to other people instead.  

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Successful people do consistently what other people do occasionally”. – Craig Groeschel

What does that mean?

Most people fail because they are impatient. They do not put in the time, effort, and grit necessary to see success.

We are so conditioned to focus on the short-term; we put in effort until we do not see the results we want quickly. Then we give up.

What separates great, successful people from everyone else? 

Consistency.

Succcesful people realize that they must be consistent and persistent, even if they don’t see success right away.

You may not see success right away; honestly, it is VERY rare for someone to start something and see immediate success. 

To see success, you must be consistent. You must put in the time, effort, and grit required to see a successful outcome. 

Don’t give up because it’s taking too long.

Don’t stop trying because it isn’t convenient. 

Successful people consistently push past convenience to see the success they long for. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“You will find in the world what you bring to the world…Change the world within you, and that will change the world around you”. – Erwin Raphael McManus from his book, “Mindshift”

What does that mean?

We are vey quick to blame everything on those and the world around us.

What if it wasn’t the world affecting us, but in fact it was our internal outlook affecting how we perceive the world and other people?  

If you are filled with anger, hate, frustration, sadness, and fear, you will project that onto others and blame them for your negativity.

If you want to start seeing better things in the world, take a look at the current state of your own heart. 

Find joy within yourself and you will more easily find joy in other things and people.

Becoming more positive (and less cynical) allows you to see the world from a whole new perspective! 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Love yourself well; you can’t properly love someone else until you learn to properly love yourself. “.

What does that mean?

Today is Valentine’s Day and the word “love” is being thrown around all over the place. 

We love our significant other, our favorite food/restaurant, our favorite car, etc.; however, do we love ourselves? 

I am not talking about being narcissistic or self-obsessed, I am talking about valuing who you are and what you are capable of. 

If you do not learn how to properly love yourself, you will never successfully love others or be accepting of love from others.

Taking care of yourself and your own mental/physical health and wellbeing is very important. 

We were all created for a purpose and we all have skills and talents that other people do not have. 

We can be proud of what we have accomplished and achieved without being prideful and arrogant. 

Take some time today to show yourself some love. You deserve it. 

Once you begin to better love yourself, you will find it is much easier to be loved by others and take compliments as well.

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Everyone has experienced trauma, but it is up to us to turn that trauma into a testimony that can be used to help other people”.

What does that mean?

If you are a living, breathing human being, you have experienced some sort of trauma. 

Whether you have personally lived through and experienced trauma first-hand, or if someone you know experienced a traumatic event and you are a witness to it second-hand. 

The point is, trauma is a part of our everyday lives, but we do not use that trauma in the ay we should. We often times allow that trauma to control us instead of using that trauma for the good of ourselves and others. 

The trials, tribulations, and traumatic experiences we have survived in our lives were meant to be used as a testimony to help others through the same situations.

Our traumatic experiences are often times unique, but they share similar themes with the traumatic experiences other people have to endure. 

If you made it through to the other side and allowed that trauma to teach you something, it is your duty to be vulnerable and share your testimony with someone else who is struggling with something similar. 

Share the tools, knowledge, and wisdom that helped get you through your most difficult fights. 

One of the worst things about trauma is that it causes you to feel alone, isolated, scared, and confused. You can tear all of that down by being there for other people during their difficult life journeys. 

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Is your goal motivational? Completing one goal leads to the completion of more goals“.

What does that mean?

According to the University of Scranton, 92% of New Year’s Resolutions fail, and that means only 8% of people who set a New Year’s Resolution actually see it through to completion. 

February 1st is considered “Quitters Day” because the majority of people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions on that day.

Over the next few weeks, we are going to be discussing 6 ways we can set goals for ourselves that are easier for us to accomplish so that we don’t fall into that 92%.  

For week 6, I want to ask the question, are your goals motivational? 

Goals can be daunting by nature. It is a lot easier to sit back and do nothing than to take initiative and work on bettering yourself. 

This is why it is important to make sure your goals are motivational. 

Motivational goals encourage us to keep going and continue working towards accomplishing more goals.

In a previous blog post, we discussed Jon Acuff’s idea of Micro-Milestones. These are essentially mini-goals that you can “check off” along the way to completing a larger, main goal. 

These mini-goals are motivational tools to help push you to keep going.

If your goal is to be one year sober, set mini-goals along the way at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months. 

Once you hit and accomplish those milestones, it will encourage you to keep going to become one full-year sober! 

“If I made it to 3 months, I can make it to 6 months, no problem!” 

When we are chasing down a difficult goal, we need all the extra encouragement and motivation we can get, and that is why setting motivational goals are so important.

This concludes our series on goals! Go out there and knock your goals for the year out of the park!

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Is your goal personal? YOU have to want it!“

What does that mean?

According to the University of Scranton, 92% of New Year’s Resolutions fail, and that means only 8% of people who set a New Year’s Resolution actually see it through to completion. 

February 1st is considered “Quitters Day” because the majority of people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions on that day.

Over the next few weeks, we are going to be discussing 6 ways we can set goals for ourselves that are easier for us to accomplish so that we don’t fall into that 92%.  

For week 5, I want to ask the question, are your goals personal? 

Often times we set goals for ourselves because we are trying to please other people. Goals like that aren’t going to drive us to complete them, our heart isn’t in them.

When you set goals for yourself, you need to make sure they are goals that YOU want to complete.  

Don’t set a goal to get sober becuase your boyfriend/girlfriend wants you to; set a goal to get sober because you want to.

Even when we were kids, we were setting goals that were based around what our friends or family members wanted for us, not what we wanted. 

We set a goal to join the basketball team just because our friend wanted us to.

We set out on a certain career path in college because we wanted to please our parents. 

We can’t set goals for ourselves and expect to accomplish them and be happy and successful.

Take time to evaluate your goals and make sure they are things YOU want to accomplish, not someone else. 

Next week we are going to discuss the importance of setting “motivational” goals!  

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Is your goal fun? Passion = possible!“

What does that mean?

According to the University of Scranton, 92% of New Year’s Resolutions fail, and that means only 8% of people who set a New Year’s Resolution actually see it through to completion. 

February 1st is considered “Quitters Day” because the majority of people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions on that day.

Over the next few weeks, we are going to be discussing 6 ways we can set goals for ourselves that are easier for us to accomplish so that we don’t fall into that 92%.  

For week 4, I want to ask the question, are your goals fun? 

Why would you try hard to achieve a goal you hate and aren’t excited about? 

Why have we made “fun” a dirty word when talking about goals? 

Having fun goals will help motivate and encourage you to complete them.  

Set goals you are passionate about; you’ll find they are much more possible (and enjoyable) to complete than not-so-fun goals.

Want to get better at that new video game? Want to catch up on some of your favorite shows? Want to try new recipes? 

Who says you can’t set fun goals for yourself.

You can also pour some fun into your more serious goals as well to provide a boost of motivation.

Want to get better about folding laundry? Set a goal to fold your laundry during an episode of your favorite sitcom.

Want to exercise more? Do 10 push-ups and 10 sit-ups in between commercial breaks or video game cutscenes. 

Want to read more books? Find books that cover topics and characters you really enjoy, or read a book based on one of your favorite shows or movies. 

There are so many ways to make your goals more enjoyable while also giving your results a needed boost as well.

Next week we are going to discuss the importance of setting “personal” goals!  

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees. 

“Is your goal realistic? It has to be possible!“

What does that mean?

According to the University of Scranton, 92% of New Year’s Resolutions fail, and that means only 8% of people who set a New Year’s Resolution actually see it through to completion. 

February 1st is considered “Quitters Day” because the majority of people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions on that day.

Over the next few weeks, we are going to be discussing 6 ways we can set goals for ourselves that are easier for us to accomplish so that we don’t fall into that 92%.  

For week 3, I want to ask the question, are your goals realistic? 

It is easy to dream big and make big, swing-for-the-fences goals; however, when we set goals that aren’t really realistic, we run the risk of getting overwhelmed and giving up.

We may feel tempted to eat the whole cake instead of cutting off pieces. 

Turn, “I want to run a marathon” into, “I will run 3 miles a week”. 

If you haven’t ran since high school, you’re 37, and get winded walking up stairs, you may want to change your goal from running a marathon to simply running a few miles a week. Use those miles to build up confidence and endurance to tackle a marathon once you’re ready. 

If your goal is to read 52 books in a year; however, you haven’t read a single book in 12 years, you may want to set a more realistic goal.

Plus, we all have different schedules; don’t set a goal of going to the gym every single day if you literally do not have the time to go. 

While you’re setting your goals this year, be sure to make sure they are possible for your current life situation. 

Next week we are going to discuss the importance of setting “fun” goals!  

If you or someone you know needs help receiving substance abuse treatment, please call (270) 900-0373 any time, any day, 24/7 for a screening with one of our employees.