Hey girl! How have you been? Great idea to resurrect the thread!
Im actually really excited for christmas this year. We have a few events to attend for my son⊠all involving santa and presents!
Im sort of feeling down tho about my birthday (Dec 3). I have a feeling that we wont be doing anything for it. Usually happens as its sooo close to christmas and everyone is too broke to do anything. But im really focusing on gratitude this birthday and i am going to treat myself to a starbucks frappuchino as a gift to myself There are MANY things that im grateful for
Either way, im excited for christmas and seeing my sons face when he opens the gifts we (Santa) got him.
Congratulations on ur studies! I love criminal justice. I used to work for a halfway house for men coming out of prison and who were diagnosed with a severe mental health disorder. Criminal justice is very interesting (with what i know about it anyway)
Oh my god 8 more days until your BDAY!!! I understand how not doing anything can be a downer, but that doesnât mean you canât have an amazing day at home! A little self care day, a good tv show & some good food⊠a yummy cake
Tell me about your work in the halfway house! I would love to make my career in victim services / advocacy. ( I hate the word victim, I tend to use the word survivor for everything, but people understand victim more) more so with survivors of SA & DV. Currently, I volunteer as an on call crisis volunteer where I accompany survivors to hospital forensic exams.
YEAH - so lovely to see this thread pop up! Great to see you too Faith! Glad that you are doing well
Not cheesy at all â I feel like gratitude is the foundation for my sobriety. Literally just visited the Gratitude thread just now LOL.
Excited for your next chapter too. Criminal justice? I love this.
We usually have some friends over for Thanksgiving at my brothers home. Will enjoy food, football and movies for the day. We take over meals to my parents who like to enjoy the day relaxing by themselves.
Our friends then have us over for Christmas. and we do a simple one gift with a $50 limit which we play games for and do a White Elephant type thing for.
Growing up we did not celebrate the holidays so its nice to enjoy with our friends. This will be our last year doing so as they are moving away early next year so trying to make sure to make some extra special memories.
oh hun iâm sorry that your birthday may not get the proper attention due to upcoming holiday. do hope you are able to make the day special and do something just for yourself.
Hello ladies would it be okay if I joined this group too?? I am struggling a bit to find connection in my real life which Iâm realizing is probably a deep rooted issue with myself but would love the chance to support and encourage other ladies who have or are wanting to choose the path of sobriety.
Thanks @FaithHandley for the post regarding âValidating yourselfâ and for starting this thread. Itâs a marvelous thread really. Loving the vibes. Also may I ask how you got involved with the crisis hotline? Iâve actually been looking into doing something like this thanks to new found sobriety.
@19801 so so sorry that you had sucha unpleasant experience but try not to let them get to you. You are doing this for you and you alone and you are only on the second class and comparing yourself to others who may have years of experience. Not a fair comparison at all nor is it something you should even have to deal with. Its def a âthemâ probably as the saying goes âmisery loves companyâ. You are so much better than that have you made it back to another class yet?
@Butterflymoonwoman even if you dont get a big celebration for your birthday, it will be special cause its the day you were brought into this world and your presence really does make it that much more beautiful with your kindness and compassion for others and you raising your beautiful boy. We will most definitely be having some celebratory thoughts for you on Dec 3rd
Welcome welcome!!! So happy youâre here this is definitely the space for support & encouragement. Empowered women empower women
I became involved with on call crisis volunteer because I want to dedicate my career to helping survivors and helping put the bad guys away!
I volunteer for a nonprofit called YWCA - an organization that helps survivors or SA & DV or families in need of shelter, counseling service, financial services and so many other wonderful things for other marginalizes groups in the community!!
Their mission statement: eliminating racism, empowering women.
We had a really good time with friends today. Lots of food, fun games, football and laughs. I am exhausted lol⊠Ready for bed. Hope you had a wonderful day as well
That is truly phenomenal work that youâre already doing and with that passion youâll surely cultivate it into a career! Kudos to you friend love the mission statement. I just looked up and I have a YWCA in my neighbourhood too and am looking to see what volunteer opportunites they have. Thanks for sharing!
YES!!! Do it!!! You wonât regret it. I volunteered in three departments:
Public Outreach
Shelter (with the kids mostly)
& On Call Crisis Volunteer (Medical accompaniment)
They have sooo many other fabulous departments so I wish you the best of luck!!! If you have any questions let me know!! I volunteered over 800 hours within 10 months.
Donât do what I did though: I burnt out after so many hours a week/month and thatâs why I stopped.
âHow many Einsteins have spent their lives washing dishes? How many Mozarts bent over stoves instead of pianos because they have the misfortune of being born a woman?â I stumbled upon this quote in the comment section and it really struck a cord too.
What are you ladies planning for the holidays?? They are fast approaching! Canât believe 2025 is just around the corner. Soo glad I will be entering it sober
This year really did go by fast. Not much planned really. Will be having a dinner at a friends place for Christmas. We have been getting together for past few years to eat and play games. Not doing anything at all for New Years which will be a nice change.
I wish we were staying home, but we are traveling to go see family and friends for about 10 days. I am going to have all my tools in place so I donât drink. Everyone back home drinks a lot of course. Sigh. Should be interesting. But I think Iâll be fine!
You will be fine my friend â remember that we are here if you need us. Try if you can to have an escape plan that you can turn to if things get overwhelming⊠maybe go for a drive or a walk or whatever just to get some alone time. You have come this far and have a good foundation â ODAAT
There are MANY things that im grateful for 
I understand how not doing anything can be a downer, but that doesnât mean you canât have an amazing day at home! A little self care day, a good tv show & some good food⊠a yummy cake 
this is definitely the space for support & encouragement. Empowered women empower women 
I hope dinner went well and that youâre having an amazing night!!
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