More Holiday Tips to Enhance YOUR Holiday Season!

You may read one a day or pick out a few that you find meaningful! If you find some you disagree with or that don’t resonate with you, skip those! Since only YOU can make yourself happy, find some tips to help you do so and GO for it!

~Take advantage of this break to go deeply into the BALM® recordings and blog posts. Choose a topic of interest or need and find the recordings that will help you better handle the challenge you are facing. Keep a journal on what you are learning and make this two week period one of going deeply into your own meditation and inner work. Record your insights, growth and challenges.

~(If you are not a member of the Daily BALM® yet, you can google Be A Loving Mirror, Family Recovery, http://www.familyrecoverycoach.org/ , http://www.familyrecoverycoach.org/ and find lots of blogs and some archived recordings. You can also fill out the form on the website for two free BALM® calls!)

~Get to as many meetings as you can! Alanon, Naranon, CODA (contact info all on the blog) are wonderful places to go during the holidays to fill yourself up and connect with others in recovery.

~Get phone numbers of other recovery travellers and grow together.

~If someone in your family appears to struggle with sex or love addiction, check out http://www.s-anon.org . You’ll find meetings on the phone and in person

~If you and/or your spouse are in recovery from any addiction, or considering getting into recovery, check out http://www.recovering-couples.org/ . This is an amazing program for couples looking to recover together! They have both in person and phone meetings.

~Find someone to help at a meeting!!! If you ‘get’ BALM® and recovery to some extent, find someone who understands it all less than you and help them grow. This is truly one of the most powerful ways to come out of the doldrums and feel better about yourself and life!!! Recovery is really more yours the more you give it away!!!

~Many of the 12 step groups (AA and NA) often have marathon meetings through Christmas Eve and Christmas day. That means there may be live meetings you can go to at any time during these holidays where you can hear people speaking who are working a recovery program. Often there is food, too!!!

~Alanon has marathon phone meetings on the holiday, and other support groups may, too. You can find out about these at their websites (alanonphonemeetings.org is one I am aware of.

~Live in EACH moment! No projecting, no fear of the future. Simply LIVE each moment. Feel the wind on your face, see the sun shining through the clouds. Enjoy the snow or the beach or the mountains. Wherever you are, BE there. This moment is all we have. Live it! Or as we say LIVE and let live!!! When thoughts interfere, breathe in peace, and let the non-in the moment thoughts leave on the out breath! As we stay in step one of the BALM®: “Be the peace you wish to see!”

~Hug your dog!!!

~Enjoy the season. Allow good memories in and invite sad or difficult ones to leave. No need to push the ‘bad’ ones out. When they come in, thank them for coming and show them the door by simply turning your attention to the moment, to nature, to God, to whatever brings YOU back to the light and love that you really are.

~Get a massage!

~Take a long walk with a friend.

~Each moment is our teacher and our friend. Allow each experience its moment and then move into the next moment.

~In your mind’s eye, see your loved one being lovingly held in the arms of his or her Higher Power. Know they are not alone, even if you don’t know where they are at this point. Picture them and see them surrounded and filled with the love and light of Spirit. Breathe in that same love and light and breathe out the fear of the unknown. Experience peace in the moment.

~Make a gratitude list of 5 things you are grateful for each morning and carry it around on a card all day. When you feel glum, take the card out and add another thing you are grateful for! Then add five more before going to bed at night and five more the next morning! Keep the list growing and in the process, keep your spirits up!

~Find someone who could use a smile, a hug, or a gift that you have to give and give it!

~Go to a funny movie or watch one on TV!

~Give an anonymous gift each day and enjoy the feeling THAT brings!

~If you are the mom of an addict, go to http://addictsmom.com/ to find an additional community of sharing and loving to be a part of!

~With a new year coming, pick up a copy of The Four Spiritual Laws of Prosperity: A Simple Guide to Unlimited Abundance by Edwene Gaines. Lots of wonderful tips for a peaceful, prosperous year in that one!

~Check out the list of suggested books in the Daily BALM® course for books on family recovery! If you are not a student of the Daily BALM®, send us an email request to info@familyrecoveryresources.com , subject line “Book List” with your name and email address. We will put you on our mailing list and send you a copy of the list in the new year!

~If you feel like you could use a different perspective on the challenges facing you, send us an email with your questions and Bev or another FRR coach will get back to you in the new year if not sooner. We will also share your note (anonymously with any identifying details changed) with our answer on an upcoming blog where it can help the many people who come to our blog and newsletter for support, guidance, and growth!

~Remember: YOU are NOT alone! We are all here for you in a variety of ways. Use us and help us help others by spreading the word about all of the help out there for families!

~Find wisdom in every opportunity and experience you encounter. For instance, when we recommend a book, we are not necessarily endorsing the person who wrote it or their programs, just sharing wisdom wherever we find it! Take what works for you and leave the rest for someone else who it could work for!

Happy Holidays Everyone! Looking forward to hearing from you in the New Year!