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CeDAR Connects Alumni Newsletter
August 17th, 2023 | Volume 25
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Giving is a huge aspect of recovery; after all, we can only keep what we have by giving it away. In early recovery, I overcomplicated the the act of giving because I didn't think I had much to offer. I also was not attune to all of the many ways one can give. Drawing upon my experience from those early days, I knew it would important to create multiple pathways of giving so that all, no matter their recovery stage and level of readiness, could give back in some capacity.
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Giving is where we start to find purpose in our past experiences. Giving takes us out of self and can help to usher in feelings of usefulness. We can give our time, our ear, our shoulder, our energy, our skills, our talents, our passions and our experiences. Additionally, we can give items that will help to improve the experience of those just starting out their journey. The latter of which is how and why the clothing and toiletry pantry was formed as well as the on-campus recovery library. I recently created an registry on Amazon to identify needs and to help ensure the pantry and library are sustainable for all of the new residents who admit to CeDAR seeking a healthier way to live. Check out the registry here and feel free to reach out with questions!
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CeDAR by Candlelight:
I've been wanting to organize a candlelight meeting for awhile now and thought it would be a uniquely different way to kickoff Recovery Month 2023. So, that being said, join us on Friday, September 1st, from 9pm-10pm for a candlelight meeting at CeDAR in the chapel of the spiritual center. What is a candlelight meeting you may ask? It is an intimate meeting setting with the space only illuminated by the light of candles (battery-operated for our event). Space is limited for this one-of-a-kind meeting so reach out to reserve your spot. The candlelight meeting is exclusive to CeDAR Alumni. If you're interested in checking out other Denver-area candlelight meetings, here are a handful of recommendations:
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- AA Last Call
7 days a week 10PM
1311 York Street 80201
- CA Sno'More
Wednesdays 7PM
430 West 9th Avenue 80204
- CA Darkside of the Spoon
Fridays 9PM
2122 S. Lafayette Street 80210
- AA The Great Reality
Fridays and Saturdays 10PM
10210 W 26th Ave #12 80215
- CA Drawing Closer (prayer and meditation meeting)
Sundays 8:30PM 2122 S. Lafayette Street 80210
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Sober not Somber:
In this feature we highlight upcoming activities within the recovery community.
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See you on the Green:
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Many of you remember last year's Movie on the Green event during which we held a celebration on CeDAR's campus featuring an outdoor movie, popcorn, ice cream, games and fellowship. We are going to organize another celebration to be held on Saturday, September 23rd from 6pm-9pm. We will hand out sobriety chips at 6:30pm and the movie will start at about 7:15pm. All you need to bring is a chair or blanket and a warm jacket. Movie selection TBD and details to come. This event requires a RSVP.
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Recovery Planning Tips:
Recovery Planning was theme in IOP this week and is one of the topics we invite alumni to share about with the groups so I thought it would be fitting to offer readers a few tips on the subject:
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- My best pro-tip to you would be to NOT "wing it". Don't fool yourself by thinking you can figure it out as you go along. Have a plan. Have a backup a plan. Have a backup to your backup plan.
- Get yourself organized. Save important numbers. Bookmark helpful websites and resources. Use a day planner to help structure your time as well as stay on top of appointments, meds and meetings. This is simply setting yourself up logistically for recovery success.
- And while you're busy crafting your schedule, ask yourself when during the day and week am I most susceptible to picking up? One alum shared with me that everyday at 3pm, it was as if an internal alarm clock went off and he wanted to reach for a scotch. He knew to buffer this time with some sort of recovery action; be it a meeting, a phone call to another person in recovery, or anything else that would prevent him from picking up in that moment.
- Stay in the know! There are so many ways to engage your recovery in addition to traditional meetings. Diversify your recovery portfolio by participating in offered events, both virtual and in-person. My tip would be to sign-up for monthly newsletters so you know what's happening and when. HardBeauty, Advocates in Recovery, Colorado Artists in Recovery and Yoga and 12-step recovery (Y12SR) are just a few organizations to sign-up with.
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Your Online Hub:
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The best resource for alumni and the entire CeDAR community is CeDAR Central. Here, you can find current meetings, activities, service opportunities, recovery resources & more. Please let us know your feedback!
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