Have You Written a Twelve-Step Recovery Post?

The next edition of Steppers' Wisdom is almost here!

There are only a few days left to submit posts to the upcoming carnival. Please consider submitting a recovery post from your blog, or suggest the submission of a helpful twelve-step recovery post or website you've come across.

You can submit a post by using the link on the sidebar (top, right)

A new edition will be posted here September 15th, 2011.

Edition Delayed

I've been worrying about getting the next edition of Steppers' Wisdom out on time. It's not going to happen. I have too much going on in my own life to put it all together - thus I am extending the deadline to submit posts to four weeks from now - to September 13th. I will put up the next edition on September fifteenth.

This edition is still in need of posts - please consider submitting any twelve-step related post you have written - up to five per blogger. If you come across a good post on another blog, mention the Steppers' Wisdom Blog Carnival. There is no advertising in twelve step programs, so this resource can only find its way to those who need it through word of mouth - that's your words.

I anticipate your patience and generosity, and thank you in advance

~Shen

Please Submit Your Posts!

We have another issue of the Steppers' Wisdom Blog Carnival coming up in just a few weeks. Please consider submitting a post to the upcoming carnival (using the link on the sidebar). If you've come across something that you feel would benefit others who are traveling this path, please let them know about the carnival. It is all of you who make this blog worthwhile, and we can't even know the help it could provide to others who are only beginning this path.

Submissions for the Fifth Edition Now Being Accepted

The next edition of Steppers' Wisdom will be posted right here on Monday August 15th, 2011. Submissions will be accepted through August 12th.

Each carnival posted thus far has been better and more informative than the last. That is completely due to the amazing writing out there in blogland and readers who have thought to suggest their inclusion. Some of this is just too good to let it fall into obscurity! Let's share the wealth of knowledge and growth our hard work has brought us.

You can submit an origianl blog post about any aspect of twelve-step recovery by following THIS LINK or you can go directly to the blog carnival home page and find Steppers' Wisdom there. You can also suggest a blog post you've come across by leaving the link in the comments below, and I will then ask the blogger if they would like to be included.

Please do not submit anything you have not written yourself unless you have the explicit consent of the original author.

Thank you!

Steppers' Wisdom Blog Carnival: Fourth Edition

Steppers' Wisdom Blog Carnival #

Welcome to the May 15, 2011 edition of stepper's wisdom. I hope you have time to sample each entry because this is the best collection of recovery related posts we've had, yet.

I'm going to start with a few posts by returning blogger Kathy M. at Grace Was Calling and I Didn't Pick Up.
Kathy is a professional writer and an avid advocate of twelve-step recovery.

What the Grand Canyon Taught Me about Recovery offers true-life wisdom from Kathy's recent experiences on a writing assignment.

In Cunning, Baffling Kathy talks about the far-reaching aspects of Alcoholism.

Apples to Oranges is another great post, which speaks to being who we are and accepting ourselves and others.

The title of that last post leads in nicely to one on my blog, Reunited Selves. My post is entitled Oranges at the Hardware Store? I wrote this based on something I heard at a recent CoDA meeting. The concept brought me to a new understanding of acceptance.

A reader discovered THIS POST which was written by Martha Rosenburg, and shared it with me. In my opinion, this interview with Melodie Beattie is a must-read, so I'm sharing it with you.

How Can Recovery Addiction Work?  is one stepper's summation of the value of recovery. It comes from the Sex-Addiction-Symptoms website.

Relationship issues are the primary focus of Codependents Anonymous. While this post is not strictly a twelve step post, Katie from  Blended Family - An Ex Perspective  gives a perspective which is well worth examining. Please enjoy Blending Ex's... Stick that in your Cuisinart.

Returning blogger Sean Burrows submitted four posts this quarter. In his blog, Upgrade Complete, Sean shares his common-sense approach to many recovery-related issues.

About A Simple Way to Improve Your Day, Sean says, "...a very simple, yet powerful way you can improve your day right from the very moment you wake up."

He says,  "Each and every day presents new opportunities to grow and add positivity to the universe. What happened yesterday, or what may happen tomorrow is completely irrelevant to what you can do TODAY." in
 25 Ways to Empower Yourself on This Day.

Sean also presents 3 Tips to Help Overcome Impatience, saying, "The past couple weeks have been testing my patience in a lot of ways. Especially when it comes to working on the Internet. You want so bad to see the results of your hard work, but those results are taking longer than you want it too."

And finally, he gives us Dealing With Setbacks. "Let’s face it, setbacks suck. You’re happily moving along with your life, when something unexpected happens that completely takes you off track."

The following post really spoke to me. It's from the Inner Bonding Website, which is run by two therapists who deal with a lot of relationship issues. In Trying to Control Makes Us Miserable, Dr. Margaret Paul brings clarifies the crux of codependency, which many people believe to be the underlying issue behind all addictions.

Returning blogger Dawn Saros-Kirk presents her take on Step One posted at Megwetch, Gitchie Manito

And newcomer Debbie Owen presents How to Bring About Sustainable Change posted at Online Doctorate Degree.

Finally, here is another post from my own blog, Reunited Selves. This post covers my feelings about something a friend and mentor of mine, Ilene Wolf, wrote on her website, HEAL (Healing Emotionally Abused Lives). I believe the title of the post, More on Unconditional Love and Boundaries, is pretty self-explanatory.

That's it for this edition! Thank you to all who suggested and submitted posts to this quarter's carnival. This is the fullest and most on target Steppers' Wisdom to date and I couldn't have done it without you.

*****

The next edition of the Steppers' Wisdom Blog Carnival will be August 15th, 2011. I will be excepting submissions, soon. As always, you can submit by going directly to the Blog Carnival Website (search keyword "SteppersWisdom") or you can follow the link on the sidebar to the right of this post.

Submission Request for May Blog Carnival

I have some really awesome submissions for the next Steppers' Wisdom Carnival. Please remember to submit your posts soon so they can be included. Submit one or several - I will post up to four from one blog or website.

You have something important to share - this will give others a better chance to hear it!

Submissions Accepted Now

I just checked on the Steppers' Wisdom Carnival submission page and realized my updates did not go through when I put them in, last month. I have updated again. Everything seems to be working and in order.

The next Steppers' Wisdom Blog Carnival will be posted here May 15, 2011. Submissions are due by May 10th. To submit a post from your blog, CLICK HERE.

I'm sorry if this has caused any confusion or frustration. I hope read more of your wonderful articles here in our Fourth Edition this Spring!

Steppers' Wisdom Vollume Three

Welcome to the third edition of the
 Stepper's Wisdom Blog Carnival

I know you'll find something to stir you're personal growth in the following submitted articles. I'm very excited to have some new bloggers to add to the mix, in this edition, but at the same time I am a little discouraged... I will explain that at the end of this post.

I'm going to start with a blog called what-is-Personal-Growth.com, and a prolific blogger named Sean Burrows. Sean submitted several articles. The first one I want to include is
 "Ten Benefits of Quitting Marijuana" 

This is his personal story of the improvements he's noticed in his life. 

In his article entitled

"How to Overcome All Types of Addictions" 

Sean outlines eight phases to personal growth.

Sean also gives some easy steps to self-soothing in

"How to Stay Calm and Relaxed When Feeling Angry."

Moving on to a blog simply called Carole Gold, you'll find a post entitled

 "Out of Control"

In this post, Carole talks about an issue common to those in twelve step programs.

Just like the words of the Serenity Prayer indicate, we all need to figure out

which things are within our control and which things aren't.

Get ready for an extremely honest account of one woman's struggle with alcoholism.

The blog is called, "Megwetch, Gitchie Manito" and the post is entitled:

 "My Love Affair."

At "Spritual Wisdom for Conscious People" Erin Pavlova writes:

"Fill Your Gas Tank"

a post about a common codependent trait - giving until it hurts.

And, finally, from my blog, Reunited Selves, 

"This Changes Everything"

a post about my process of learning healthy boundaries.   

There you have it - some very worthwhile reads on a variety of topics common to many of us. I hope you found something of value here, just as I did.

And - since we do have such wonderful entries, why would I feel discouraged? The reason is in the twelfth step:

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message and to practice these principles in all our affairs. 

Step twelve is about sharing what we've learned in recovery. While all of these articles deal with issues common to those of us working the steps, very few come from bloggers who directly focus on step work. I've personally read dozens of blogs in which the main focus is twelve step recovery. That kind of experience strength and hope is exactly why I started this carnival in the first place.

Well over half of the people who pop in to read the posts here are "new visiters" (according to the log) and most of those go on to follow the links. Those who have been working their way through the steps have incredible wisdom to share with those who are just beginning their journey through recovery. I long to be able to include YOUR amazing articles, but I can't do that unless you submit.

The next edition of Stepper's Wisdom Blog Carnival will be released May 15th.
Submissions to that carnival are being accepted any time between now and May 10th.

Thank you to all of you who submitted to this carnival!

 I hope to see you again in the Spring.

*****

Next Steppers' Wisdom Blog Carnival Coming Up Fast!

Greetings, followers and friends of Steppers' Wisdom!

The next Blog Carnival for all things related to twelve-step recovery is quickly approaching. There are still a few days to submit or recommend posts for the upcoming edition (the deadline is February tenth). There is a link on the sidebar to the submission page. It's very easy - just fill in the blanks - but if you have a problem or if you want to suggest a post on someone else's blog, leave a comment for me here or contact me by email (using the link found on my profile).

Once again, I have a wide variety of articles on many topics. It's going to be another good resource for those who are seeking answers and another great opportunity to share what you've learned.

See you here soon!

~Shen

Submit a Post to Steppers' Wisdom

The next Steppers' Wisdom Blog Carnival will be posted here on February 15th, 2011. I've received more submissions for this one, already, than I've had for previous carnivals, so I anticipate this being the best carnival yet! 

I am still accepting submissions until February 10th. Please feel free to submit any original blog posts that deal with any aspect of addiction, Twelve Step programs, family dysfunction resolutions, or codependeny. I will post up to five from any author, per carnival. The more articles we have, the more experience, strength and hope we pass on to those who are struggling, growing and working hard to get through their own recoveries.

Follow THIS LINK to submit a blog post.