This week USA Today reported new research that "represents an important step in understanding how the brain changes when it moves from a normal to an alcohol-dependent state," lead researcher Marisa Roberto, an associate professor at the Scripps Research Institute, said in a Scripps news release. "Our study explored what we call in the field 'the dark side' of alcohol addiction," Roberto said. "That's the compulsion to drink, not because it is pleasurable — which has been the focus of much previous research — but because it relieves the anxiety generated by abstinence and the stressful effects of withdrawal."
In America, many of us have lived with someone who has struggled with alcohol--addiction or abuse. Some of us, like me, have been the addict and seen the dark side.
I am the child and grandchild of alcoholics. My progression through the stages of alcoholism--experimentation to regular use, blackouts to passing out, abuse to addiction--took only one year. I began drinking at 15, graduated a year early from high school, and became a binge drinking college freshman. In fact, I was one of those college students who, as a 2009 NASPA survey involving more than 30,000 first-year students on 76 campuses who took an online alcohol education course last fall suggests "nearly half of college freshmen who drink alcohol spend more time drinking each week than they do studying."
By 21 though, I had dropped out of college, hit "bottom," and became suicidal after I awoke next to a man I barely knew. When I thought I might be pregnant, I tried to quit drinking. Within days, I became suicidal. Fortunately, I am one of a small percentage of alcoholics who have a "white lightening" experience and with God's help, I ended the family legacy and stopped drinking.
This week I celebrated my 32nd year of sobriety--yes, 32 years.
One of the best things about sobriety is that you never have to live on the "dark side" any longer. Oh, you still have problems; you still even hurt others. And you still have fun. You just do it all without alcohol.
So if you live with someone--or you are the someone--who struggles with alcohol abuse or addiction, please get help or offer to get help. Almost every community, church or hospital has a Recovery, 12 Step or AA program to help.
Be encouraged,
Becky
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
21 Things...
This week, Rick Newman’s article in US News and World Report listed 21 Things that financially struggling Americans have learned to live without. Stating that sometimes their sacrifices have been painful, he believes many Americans have also found them beneficial.
Based on Newman’s findings, the first three “things” Americans have become willing to give up or get rid of include (1) monthly payments (they can afford but cannot sustain), (2) window shopping (which leads to impulsive spending), and (3) bells and whistles (“extras” added to automobile, technology, or appliance purchases).
In my opinion, giving up the fourth item on his list took the least amount of effort and had the most immediate potential for creating valuable benefits such as extra income, more space, and a simpler life.
What is it?
Over the past decade, most Americans have over-purchased every kind of product, collecting unused or unnecessary items, and stashing and storing them until they are dusty and forgotten. Clutter! We simply have too much clutter in our closets, car trunks, office desks, extra bedrooms, or storage units.
By taking as little as 15 minutes a day (with a garbage bag in hand) or ½ day each month (that includes a trip to a resale shop), you can compile reusable items such as apparel, small appliances or books and GIVE them to GoodWill or The Salvation Army. Eliminating clutter will create extra space and cleaner counters/closets in your home while providing help to others. Or you can save on monthly fees by unloading your storage unit and having a garage sale, keeping or giving away the proceeds. And if you're really entrepreneurial, you can post and sell almost new or never used “big ticket items” items on the Internet for a small profit (or at least make your money back).
Since removing clutter from your life requires such little change and produces such a big results, why not just do it?
For more of Newman's 21 Things, click here.
Be encouraged,
Becky
Based on Newman’s findings, the first three “things” Americans have become willing to give up or get rid of include (1) monthly payments (they can afford but cannot sustain), (2) window shopping (which leads to impulsive spending), and (3) bells and whistles (“extras” added to automobile, technology, or appliance purchases).
In my opinion, giving up the fourth item on his list took the least amount of effort and had the most immediate potential for creating valuable benefits such as extra income, more space, and a simpler life.
What is it?
Over the past decade, most Americans have over-purchased every kind of product, collecting unused or unnecessary items, and stashing and storing them until they are dusty and forgotten. Clutter! We simply have too much clutter in our closets, car trunks, office desks, extra bedrooms, or storage units.
By taking as little as 15 minutes a day (with a garbage bag in hand) or ½ day each month (that includes a trip to a resale shop), you can compile reusable items such as apparel, small appliances or books and GIVE them to GoodWill or The Salvation Army. Eliminating clutter will create extra space and cleaner counters/closets in your home while providing help to others. Or you can save on monthly fees by unloading your storage unit and having a garage sale, keeping or giving away the proceeds. And if you're really entrepreneurial, you can post and sell almost new or never used “big ticket items” items on the Internet for a small profit (or at least make your money back).
Since removing clutter from your life requires such little change and produces such a big results, why not just do it?
For more of Newman's 21 Things, click here.
Be encouraged,
Becky
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Give a Little Bit...
By now, you’ve probably heard that 1 million people texted 90999 to Haiti. Each text message they initiated sent a $10 donation to the American Red Cross to financially help in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in Port Au Prince.
And what has been the result of one million individuals giving just a little bit –-just $10--to date? $10 million and climbing.
Though most people are deeply touched in a crisis and want to help others, they don’t give because they…
1. don’t trust that the money will get to the center of the need.
2. think that their little bit of giving won’t even make a dent in the crisis.
3. don’t know anyone directly impacted by or involved in helping in a crisis.
4. procrastinate until the crisis is over and until the need is no long pressing.
If you don’t trust that your gift will get to the center of the need, then do personal research. Google your options or visit websites that take donations with whom you are more familiar. Or, as in my case, give to friend who works in Haiti, like Danita Estrella who founded Danita’s Children over ten years ago and runs an orphanage in Haiti. Take the time and make the effort to connect with an organization in whom you trust. Then give.
If you don’t think that a little gift can have a big result, this recent (and relatively new fundraising technique) of texting a $10 gift in a very convenient, quick way is a powerful example of how one person’s small gift can combine with a million other people to make a massive difference.
If you don’t know of anyone who is helping out the Haitians during this crisis, just call your local church. They are most likely sending financial help or even sending a team of people. Maybe you should join them? Surely they need your support.
Finally, if you’ve procrastinated giving a small or larger gift, just do it. In fact, do it right now. Visit a website, make a call, send the text, or write a check and mail it today.
Giving just a little bit will have a big result in the lives of one family, one orphaned child, or one orphanage.
Be encouraged,
Becky
And what has been the result of one million individuals giving just a little bit –-just $10--to date? $10 million and climbing.
Though most people are deeply touched in a crisis and want to help others, they don’t give because they…
1. don’t trust that the money will get to the center of the need.
2. think that their little bit of giving won’t even make a dent in the crisis.
3. don’t know anyone directly impacted by or involved in helping in a crisis.
4. procrastinate until the crisis is over and until the need is no long pressing.
If you don’t trust that your gift will get to the center of the need, then do personal research. Google your options or visit websites that take donations with whom you are more familiar. Or, as in my case, give to friend who works in Haiti, like Danita Estrella who founded Danita’s Children over ten years ago and runs an orphanage in Haiti. Take the time and make the effort to connect with an organization in whom you trust. Then give.
If you don’t think that a little gift can have a big result, this recent (and relatively new fundraising technique) of texting a $10 gift in a very convenient, quick way is a powerful example of how one person’s small gift can combine with a million other people to make a massive difference.
If you don’t know of anyone who is helping out the Haitians during this crisis, just call your local church. They are most likely sending financial help or even sending a team of people. Maybe you should join them? Surely they need your support.
Finally, if you’ve procrastinated giving a small or larger gift, just do it. In fact, do it right now. Visit a website, make a call, send the text, or write a check and mail it today.
Giving just a little bit will have a big result in the lives of one family, one orphaned child, or one orphanage.
Be encouraged,
Becky
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Calling for a 2010 "White Out!"
The facts are in. White flours and white sugars WILL increase your blood pressure, add calories of no nutritional value, widen your waistline that leads to belly fat, and put extra weight on your frame.
Good Morning America is just one of the many news programs that regularly discusses ways to improve your health. In a recent segment, “How Much Sugar Should You Eat?”, Dr. Tim Johnson exposed the negative impact of white sugar (aka dextrose, corn syrup, cane sugar, etc.) in our diets. For example, did you know that the average person consumes 21 teaspoons of sugar a day? Or that one can of soda includes the equivalent of 14 teaspoons of sugar?
Dr. Oz, a frequent guest on GMA and the host of his own show, also begs Americans to eliminate white foods—anything that doesn’t come out of the ground white—from our diet because, among other things, it contributes to aging!
Unfortunately, this information leaves those whose current food intake includes a lot of white sugar and flour in serious need of change!
So I'm calling for a "white out" by encouraging you to implement one or all of the folowing ideas:
1. Reduce and eventually stop drinking soda – replace soda with ice water jazzed up with seltzer or a squirt of fresh fruit.
2. Use stevia (a natural, non-caloric organic sweetner) rather than sugar to sweeten your coffee or tea drinks.
3. Ask for whole grain or rye breads for sandwiches, dinner rolls, or toast at restaurants. Never accept white breads.
4. Snack on nuts and seeds and berries rather candy bars, muffins, or cookies.
Little changes in the types and amounts of white foods that you eat, will absolutely give you big results in your overall health such as weight loss, lowered blood pressure, thinner waistline, and less belly fat. Not so bad, eh?
Be encouraged,
Becky
Good Morning America is just one of the many news programs that regularly discusses ways to improve your health. In a recent segment, “How Much Sugar Should You Eat?”, Dr. Tim Johnson exposed the negative impact of white sugar (aka dextrose, corn syrup, cane sugar, etc.) in our diets. For example, did you know that the average person consumes 21 teaspoons of sugar a day? Or that one can of soda includes the equivalent of 14 teaspoons of sugar?
Dr. Oz, a frequent guest on GMA and the host of his own show, also begs Americans to eliminate white foods—anything that doesn’t come out of the ground white—from our diet because, among other things, it contributes to aging!
Unfortunately, this information leaves those whose current food intake includes a lot of white sugar and flour in serious need of change!
So I'm calling for a "white out" by encouraging you to implement one or all of the folowing ideas:
1. Reduce and eventually stop drinking soda – replace soda with ice water jazzed up with seltzer or a squirt of fresh fruit.
2. Use stevia (a natural, non-caloric organic sweetner) rather than sugar to sweeten your coffee or tea drinks.
3. Ask for whole grain or rye breads for sandwiches, dinner rolls, or toast at restaurants. Never accept white breads.
4. Snack on nuts and seeds and berries rather candy bars, muffins, or cookies.
Little changes in the types and amounts of white foods that you eat, will absolutely give you big results in your overall health such as weight loss, lowered blood pressure, thinner waistline, and less belly fat. Not so bad, eh?
Be encouraged,
Becky
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Chips, Cookies, Candy, Cursing and Cocktails...
In a quick survey of my regular ezine readers last week, I asked what they preferred to give up rather than what new habits or resolutions they hoped to start in 2010. They chose to say "Never again in 2010" to the 5 C's!
Though my survey was unofficial, the majority of those who responded said they were ready to give up overeating the 3 "C's"--chips, cookies, and candy. These three culprits can often be traced to food binges, procrastinating, irritability, high cholesterol, and poor self-esteem. I agree. Why not give up chips, cookies, and candy for a few weeks or months and see what results? My guess is that you'll experience weight loss, lowered cholesterol, self-control in other areas of your life (as well as food management), and emotional peace. These aren't such bad traits to develop, are they?
The fourth "C" that folks on my survey wanted to "quit" in 2010 was cursing. Again, I consider this a noble goal, especially if you have children or are around them (that's most of us). Of course, if you you choose to quit dropping verbal bombs, then you'll have to replace those phrases with something more "G" rated. Perhaps this is the year to come up with a humorous statement that expresses your angst, but makes someone laugh rather than cringe?
Finally, the fifth "C" that many said, "Never again in 2010," was to cocktails. Alcohol, of course, is something that some of us (myself included) must say "bye-bye" to because we're addicts (or the children and grandchildren of addicts). Others, like my husband, realize that giving up alcohol is "good" for the whole family. So, as in my case, my husband actually became my sponsor and sobriety partner on our honeymoon...thus 32 years of marriage and sobriety this month! Maybe this is your year to give up something like cocktails or cigarettes for yourself or someone else?
Chips, cookies, candy, cursing, and cocktails certainly make for an easy-to-remember list, but more significantly, does making such a specific resolution have any chance of succeeding? A recent survey suggests the following:
40 to 45% of American adults make one or more resolutions each year.
The following shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:
- past the first week: 75%
- past 2 weeks: 71%
- after one month: 64%
- after 6 months: 46%
People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions.
So why not resolve to stop something old and tired and futile (maybe even harmful) this year rather than start something new? Please let me know what makes your list of "Never Again in 2010!"
Be encouraged,
Becky
Though my survey was unofficial, the majority of those who responded said they were ready to give up overeating the 3 "C's"--chips, cookies, and candy. These three culprits can often be traced to food binges, procrastinating, irritability, high cholesterol, and poor self-esteem. I agree. Why not give up chips, cookies, and candy for a few weeks or months and see what results? My guess is that you'll experience weight loss, lowered cholesterol, self-control in other areas of your life (as well as food management), and emotional peace. These aren't such bad traits to develop, are they?
The fourth "C" that folks on my survey wanted to "quit" in 2010 was cursing. Again, I consider this a noble goal, especially if you have children or are around them (that's most of us). Of course, if you you choose to quit dropping verbal bombs, then you'll have to replace those phrases with something more "G" rated. Perhaps this is the year to come up with a humorous statement that expresses your angst, but makes someone laugh rather than cringe?
Finally, the fifth "C" that many said, "Never again in 2010," was to cocktails. Alcohol, of course, is something that some of us (myself included) must say "bye-bye" to because we're addicts (or the children and grandchildren of addicts). Others, like my husband, realize that giving up alcohol is "good" for the whole family. So, as in my case, my husband actually became my sponsor and sobriety partner on our honeymoon...thus 32 years of marriage and sobriety this month! Maybe this is your year to give up something like cocktails or cigarettes for yourself or someone else?
Chips, cookies, candy, cursing, and cocktails certainly make for an easy-to-remember list, but more significantly, does making such a specific resolution have any chance of succeeding? A recent survey suggests the following:
40 to 45% of American adults make one or more resolutions each year.
The following shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:
- past the first week: 75%
- past 2 weeks: 71%
- after one month: 64%
- after 6 months: 46%
People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions.
So why not resolve to stop something old and tired and futile (maybe even harmful) this year rather than start something new? Please let me know what makes your list of "Never Again in 2010!"
Be encouraged,
Becky
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