*waking up to the sound of a woodpecker doing his thing

I first read Sugar Addicts Total Recovery Program in January 2001 and played around with having protein for breakfast. Of course, in my world that meant a hotdog a couple or three hours after getting up. I did a few journal entries in February.

Flash forward a year when we got cable internet at home and I went online for the first time and typed in radiantrecovery/com. (the website was listed in the book) I found the Forum and started reading every post every day. Reading only. I learned to do breakfast correctly and started having a protein shake everyday.

I think it was around July when I learned how to use email well enough to join the YLD group and started silently attending chats. Continued having shake and making unsuccessful forays into journaling.

And so it went until October 2003. My mood (and life) was much improved though I was still silent online and in my regular life. I knew I was stalled and needed to either move forward with the steps or leave it. Fish or cut bait.

One of the things Kathleen says in the books is you cannot heal addiction in isolation. Late on October 1, 2003 I posted on the forum. The first post of a commitment to post everyday until the end of the year.

Posting changed everything. Coming our of silence. Connecting with people who get me. Learning how to do step 3 and journal. And so on through the steps and staying connected.

So if you are out there listening and have been thinking about maybe writing a post to say hello I encourage you to do so. I look forward to meeting you! We all do.

janice