Every day feels like a war zone. The news is a nightmare, your brain’s a junkyard, and every “self-care” tip sounds like a fairy tale from someone who’s never been to the edge. But here’s the brutal truth: you don’t need a retreat in the mountains or a fancy app to keep your mind from exploding. What you need are tiny acts of defiance—small, savage habits that scream, “I’m still standing.” Ready to arm yourself? 1. The 60-Second Reset Stop. Just stop. Whatever hellstorm you’re in, pause for 60 seconds. Take a deep breath. Scan your body for tension—the clenched jaw, the tight shoulders, the fists you didn’t know you were making. Now shake your hands out like you’re trying to fling off all the bullshit. This isn’t meditation. It’s a middle finger to the chaos trying to own your brain. 2. Emergency Grounding: The 5-4-3-2-1 Hack When your mind is racing or spiraling, try this sensory drill: Name 5 things you see around you, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you hear, 2 things you smell (yes, even if it’s just your coffee), and 1 thing you taste. It snaps your brain back from the abyss. No spiritual mumbo jumbo—just straight-up survival. 3. Savage Self-Talk Rewrites Catch that inner critic mid-attack. When it snarls, “You’re failing,” flip the script: “I’m struggling, and I’m still here.” Write down your worst self-talk. Then destroy it—rip it up, delete it, burn it in your mind. This is war, and your thoughts are the battlefield. 4. Digital Detox Without the Retreat Forget unplugging for a week. That’s a luxury most of us don’t have. Instead, claim little victories: no phone at meals, no social media before bed, or use app blockers during your most vulnerable hours. Control the feed before it controls your mood. 5. Tiny Rituals That Build Armor Start your day with a gritty mantra. Not “I am calm and peaceful,” but “I’m going to survive and maybe even kick ass today.” Before bed, jot down one thing you survived or did well—no matter how small. These aren’t fluff—they’re mental armor.

Hey community! I just dropped a new article that hits home for many of us: why chasing perfection in recovery is a recipe for burnout, especially for neurodivergent brains. Packed with actionable tips, personal stories, and expert insights, it’s a must-read for members, families, and professionals alike. Check it out and share your own progress wins—we’re stronger together. https://progressisprogress.substack.com/p/progress-over-perfection-for-neurodivergent?r=5xcddw

I have the Devil deep inside me And he’s playing a cruel game It’s my life ‘Vs’ his life and he’s Fuelled by all my pain. A deal I made many moons ago, I shook His hand and let him know that Life wasn’t all that it should be I wanted out, I wanted Peace. He raised his head then snarled a grin Opened his arms then pulled me In, loaned his eyes so I could see the Deep Red of Eternity White dust he sprinkled, fire and sparks. My Life seemed meek in dull contrast “I’ll give you life in turn for yours, with One small price to pay of course. I’ll take away each bowt of pain, I’ll Teach you how to smile each day You’ll fool them all, you’ll have good fun, you’ll Laugh and dance under the sun As time goes by you’ll grasp the chance to Reacquaint with confidence Walk hand in hand with me, you’ll see how Easy it be, to exist Carefree” - I knew that life could be much Worse than all he’d painted with His words; I was already giving Up you see. I gave my hand Reluctantly. He grasped it hard then Pulled me tight. He stared so deep Within my eyes that, soon enough I’d Lost all sight and Line-by-Line I’d lost my touch, with Magic dust I’d Found my crutch. The pain subsides, My soul was priced up Gram-by-Gram, the Whirlpools spun me round ‘n’ round And the Devil Cloned me as I drowned A mind once mine was now half- Owned. Shame so vast I could barely breath, False Pretences filled with Greed These days I walk by in two-halves, each Day I fight I can hear him Laugh. “You silly Fool did I not say? “Addiction is the Price you’ll Pay?! For everyday you thought you’d Won. The endless Masks which you’d piled On, to hide the pain to cheat the game Avoid life’s lessons you’d made In vain; with me you chose to spend your Days. I have your hand. You gave Your blood, blind-sighted tears because You Fucked-up. Indulged in Drugs You masked your pain and now I hear MY Name in Vain as you Beg and Pray for me to end the game. Such a Naieve young fool you were back Then to think that ‘I’ would be ‘your’ friend

Joining a new community should feel like stepping into a place where you belong—a space to connect, share, and grow. That’s exactly what I was hoping for when I joined a recovery community on Skool. I was eager to engage, learn from others, and build meaningful connections with people walking similar roads. But instead of feeling welcomed, I found myself banned without much explanation. When I reached out to understand what happened, the response caught me off guard. The admin said my posts came off as if I were claiming to be an expert, but since they were created with the help of AI, they questioned the authenticity. He also criticized me for sharing my blog link multiple times, suggesting it was inappropriate self-promotion. On top of that, he pointed to the experts in his community—one of whom has ties to Gabor Maté—and implied that my view of expertise didn’t measure up. Based on advice from his coach and others, he chose to ban me. Here’s where I want to be crystal clear: Yes, I use AI as a tool to help draft social media posts or organize my thoughts, but the ideas and content come directly from me. I’m a licensed clinical substance use disorder counselor, both state and nationally registered. More than that, I bring lived experience—years of walking the path of recovery myself. My posts are meant to share hope, encouragement, and practical ideas with those who are struggling or sustaining recovery. It’s about showing folks they’re not alone, that others have faced similar challenges, and that recovery isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. This experience shines a spotlight on a problem that’s still very real in recovery communities: stigma and gatekeeping. Too often, certain voices are elevated as the “only” valid experts, while others—especially those who combine professional knowledge with lived experience—are dismissed or sidelined. The world is changing, and so are the ways we create and share knowledge. AI tools are just one example of how technology can help us communicate more effectively, not replace authenticity or expertise.

You know what’s honestly the loudest way to tear down all that old shame and stigma? Liking yourself out loud. Not just quietly in your head, but out here—where the world can see it. 🌟 I’m not talking about ego or pretending you’ve got it all together. I’m talking about those simple, raw moments when you say, “Hey, I’m proud of how far I’ve come,” or “I actually like who I’m becoming.” That’s real courage. That’s progress, loud and clear. 💪✨ The world teaches us to keep our wins quiet, to hide our quirks, to apologize for being ourselves. But when we start liking ourselves out loud—flaws, awkwardness, weirdness and all—we give other people permission to do the same. That’s how we break the cycle. That’s how we build real community. 🤝 So, here’s my challenge for you: Share one thing (big or small) you genuinely like about yourself. No apologies, no caveats, no “but I still need to work on…”—just the good stuff. Let’s fill this space with a little more self-love and a lot less shame. Who knows? You might inspire someone else to see themselves a little differently, too. 💙 I’ll go first in the comments. Now it’s your turn.👇 #ProgressIsProgress #LoudlyYourself #NoMoreShame (P.S. If you want the real, unfiltered stuff, you know where to find me: progress-is-progress.substack.com 😉)