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my personal plan to wellness

In one compartment of my life I work with adolescents suffering from addiction. It’s not a career path I chose outright, rather it was just one I found myself on. The work can be frustrating; it beats me up, breaks my heart, and wears me out. Recovery is a long and painful process; why and when it works is a mystery to me. The supply of addicts seems endless. Most of those I work with come to treatment less than willing. More often than not they have a choice  between jail or rehab. Some see treatment as the easier way out…a way of killing time until just enough expectation is met that some amount of freedom is earned. Few enter treatment with a goal of sobriety. There are some; but they are rare.  I do not judge the others. I really don’t . I have listened to their stories; if I had walked in the shoes of some my charges I certainly wouldn’t have fared any  better.

This past month I’ve decided I need to devote serious effort to creating my own healthier lifestyle.  As much as I feel young in spirit, my body reminds me over and over again that it has limits. The last six months for me have been physically the most painful and frustrating in my life. A shoulder injury late last year has yet to heal and I have come to conclusion that “it will take time” literally means “it will take time.” Time of an undetermined length.I have written about self care before and I’ve been attempting to settle into a routine. But new habits are hard to create. Work has reminded me of that. Part of recovery is letting go of old behaviors and creating new ways of being. I too have been killing time, believing that if I just wait long enough, my shoulder will go back to its normal healthy self. I have learned that it won’t.

Just like those I work with, I need to create healthy ways of living if I am to get to heal. My personal list of commitments to myself:

1.yoga ..every day

2. meditation, at least 3 times a week

3. more water (this is so hard for me..)

4. more laughter

5. exercise with my husband

6. daily (D.A.I.L.Y.!!) regiment of vitamins and minerals

7. prayer

8. 8 HOURS OF SLEEP EACH NIGHT

9. limit non work computer time to less than 1 hour a day total.

10. eat well

11. remind daily myself that I am healing

12. CREATE BEAUTY

i will add to this if I need to..my body wants to heal, I will get better, I will heal.

Community Garden

It’s been a little over a year since we moved into the city. While I love urban living, there a few things I miss about country living. Having a garden is one of them. I remedied that loss this year by getting a little plot in a community garden a few miles from our condo. I walked there today in the bright and warm sun.

Below are images from my new garden away from home..

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I’m lucky because  someone covered my plot with burlap coffee bags…this really cut down on the weeding.20130425-224749.jpg

My freshly handed tilled little square of land.20130425-224802.jpg

Images from around the garden…20130425-224816.jpg

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It was really nice getting my hands in the ground. I had forgotten how peaceful it is to work the land…even if it’s just a tiny piece. I dug up some potatoes leftover from last year. Potatoes are the one thing my husband keeps asking me to plant; so it’s kind of funny to to see that they’ve already been planted. Here’s to a good year of gardening!!

peace

if you want peace..bring peace

I’ve met two people this week, who don’t listen, watch, or read the news. Really. “it’s too stressful,” they both said independently. I can’t believe ignorance is bliss…ignorance is ignorance.  I know this week’s news is distressing, and I don’t advocate gluing yourself to the TV 24/7 to keep abreast of every new event. But I do think one needs to be informed. in fact, I think being informed is an obligation of responsible adults. 

thoughts and prayers are with those in Boston, Massachusetts and West, Texas

 

 

diamonds and rust

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image from an abandoned warehouse on the waterfront  Portland, Oregon