Focus on Recovery

A new client - recently released from the hospital after being in a month long coma from a drug overdose - was talking about his issues.

He wanted to get back to work. His wardrobe was lost. He was trying get in touch with his family. He needed dental work. He was concerned about depression medication. However, nowhere on his list was there a mention of living clean and sober.

Like many clients, this man was more concerned about dealing with the results of his addiction than with the addiction itself. I explained that if he focuses on the one major problem he has – his disease – the things he's concerned about will no longer be issues.

When I got clean and sober almost 22 years ago my burning desire was to live sober. I did menial day labor jobs. I rode a bicycle or took the bus. I shopped at second-hand stores. And I went to lots of 12-step meetings.  I had a laser focus on sobriety that remains with me today.

And good things happened:

• I re-united with my family.
• I started a non-profit and several related businesses - even though I had no money.
• I acquired several piece of real estate - with little money and no credit.
• Within 12 years I went from a GED to a Master’s Degree.
• At 17 years sober I fell in love with the woman of my dreams, a beautiful psychologist who today is my wife.
• And, earlier this year, using my wife’s inspiration, we started an outpatient clinic under TLC’s corporate umbrella.

But all of these blessings came only after I was firmly grounded in recovery.