UNBROKEN LIFE
by: JANINE GREEN
I have wanted to write a book for as long as I can remember. Through the years of being in long term recovery I have heard the most amazing stories, the kind that stir your heart!
Before developing a problem with alcohol and drugs I thought addiction was a moral issue. Like many, I looked down on these people that had “lost control”. This belief was erroneous.
In my years of sobriety I have learned that many do recover, if they can be rigorously honest. These are not bad people trying to get GOOD; they are sick people trying to get WELL. Most everyone on this continent today knows someone (or loves someone) that struggles with an addiction. It might not be alcohol or drugs. It could be gambling, sex & love, online shopping, or food addictions. This “disease” (according to the American Medical Association addiction is a disease) affects millions of people worldwide.
I wanted to tell Molly’s story (All the names have been changed in this book to protect the innocent) because I felt it was very relatable. Not only did she get out from abusers and go on to find happiness and healthy relationships; she also overcame an eating disorder. It is after her struggles with addiction that she finds this brand new way of life and is no longer a victim. My hope is that the radical life change that she experienced may inspire others that are suffering and feel completely alone. There is hope and recovery is possible!
ABOUT ME
Whenever I tell people I’m from New York, I can almost see them imagining the skyscrapers and steel girder bridges. So, before they even ask, I quickly set them straight; “Not New York City, but upstate NY, which is a “horse of a different color”. On my dad’s farm in rural western New York, besides horses, we had cows, pigs, cats, and dogs. The nearest city, Buffalo, was about half an hour away. And yes, I come from a long line of die-hard Bills Mafia, passionate Buffalo Bills fans! After all the disappointment, I still struggle to watch the end of some games, but I love my team.
Growing up on a farm as the oldest of five, my siblings and I shared the chores. When we weren’t tending to the garden or the animals, we loved playing school.
Around the age of nine I was passionate about becoming either a teacher or dance instructor. My parents put me through an accredited dance studio, where I studied tap, jazz, and ballet for 9 years and danced competitively until I was eighteen when I became pregnant during my senior year of high school and became a mother instead. Despite this, the desire to teach never left me. Helping others has always been something I loved, and I found that working with people was just the panacea for the challenges in my life.
I have always been an avid reader, which is probably a prerequisite for a teacher. I am one of those people that can read ten books per month on average, sometimes even more. My favorites are non-fiction, especially in the realm of “overcomers”. I’m deeply drawn to people who face adversity and pain, but what I admire most is when they find the strength to turn it around and choose a new path. Stories of radical life transformations inspire me, and messages of hope are, in my opinion, the most powerful of all.
As time went on, I found myself caught up in a lifestyle that included alcohol and mind-altering substances. It began for me as a tool to self-medicate my pain. Many teens and young adults face the prospect of encountering these trends, though not all choose to participate.
COMING SOON!
By God’s grace, I was able to turn it around and eventually was able to get sober. My experiences with recovery helped me to secure a career where I did in fact end up being a teacher, of sorts. What I was teaching was life skills. I am very fortunate to have such a satisfying opportunity.
Today, I’m a person in long term recovery, where I have met the most amazing people and heard stories of tragedy, trauma, and triumph. Addiction touches so many people. It could be alcohol, food, gambling, pornography, online shopping, sex, codependency, etc.
Almost everyone knows someone that has struggled with an addiction. There are parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins, significant others, and friends that are affected. People can’t always see what’s possible when they’re in it. My hope is these books will inspire individuals and families.
There is hope for everyone being affected and recovery is possible.
I became an RCP (certified recovery coach professional) and I am passionate about helping those that are still sick and suffering. There are things that I have picked up along the way and learned from others, I hope to share these things with the world.
