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May 6, 2020May 6, 2020

Introducing My Author Buddy, Harriet Hunter

Harriet Hunter (Beth H.) is one of my favorite people! About two years ago, we met in a Facebook group for non-fiction authors, and we connected immediately. Since each of our books was about leading a peaceful, addiction-free life, we shared a tent at the 2019 Venice FL book fair. That’s where we were in this pic!

Here’s how my zany, creative, and big-hearted friend, Beth, describes her mission: “Using practical tools, principles and promises, I show others what continues to work for me, and how anyone can be free from the bondage of self, regardless of their situation. Employing a change of perception through the 12 Steps, the fellowship, and the village that is recovery is what propels us.” You’ll want to tune in to Harriet’s wise words in these ways:

PODCAST: Sundays 2 P.M. EST, “Miracles of Recovery“

Join the weekly podcast hosted by Harriet. Click HERE or copy & paste this url: https://www.intherooms.com/livemeetings/view?meeting_id=325

BOOK: Miracles of Recovery: Daily Meditations of Hope, Courage, and Faith

“Miracles is for everyone: for those still in active recovery, sitting on the fence, contemplating whether to jump in or run. It is for the old-timer, and for the family and friends of alcoholics who, just like me, have suffered their own personal and agonizing hell because of our destructive activities, and who now find that they, too, are alone and lonely.”

Special offer now on Harriet’s award-winning daily meditations ($15 includes paperback + free e-book/PDF) Buy it HERE

ARTICLE “Turning Desperation and Fear into Miracles”

“As an alcoholic/addict still in so much pain from the loss of my family, I felt more alone than I had ever been. Each day, driving through eight states with prominent mountains and magnificent lakes, I wrote, and I cried. And through the pain, gratitude was born.” Read about Harriet’s journey from tragedy to hope as “Miracles of Recovery” came to be, Read it HERE

Follow Harriet E. Hunter at http://www.HarrietHunter.org
FB at Harriet Hunter, author; Linked-In and Twitter @Elizza6 email: [email protected]

Buy “Miracles of Recovery” HERE ($15 includes paperback + free e-book/PDF)

Gigi Langer holds a PhD in Psychological Studies in Education from Stanford University. Formerly crowned the “Queen of Worry,” Gigi resigned her post many years ago and now lives happily in Michigan with her husband, Peter and her cat, Murphy.

In Worry Less Now, Gigi shares her personal journey as a prisoner of fear, worry, and substance abuse, along with practical techniques. Amazon 4.8 stars. Find special offers HERE.

April 28, 2020April 28, 2020

THE BUBBLE HOUR Podcast with Jean & Gigi

Jean McCarthy is a sober woman dedicated to breaking down the walls of stigma and denial surrounding the disease of alcoholism.

She created the highly rated “Unpickled” blog, wrote the awesome “Unpickled Holiday Survival Guide,” and hosts the popular podcast, The Bubble Hour.

What’s The Bubble Hour??

The Bubble Hour podcast seeks to inform, educate and help people identify with the stories, conversations and interviews with people who are just like they are, so people know they aren’t alone.

A couple of weeks ago, Jean and I recorded a wonderful conversation about her recovery and mine. We talked about our “soft spots,” the whispered lies (stories) underlying our shortcomings, codependency, infidelity, abuse, being a highly sensitive person, depression/anxiety, and the importance of healthy sober buddies.

Listen to our 45 minute chat by clicking HERE

*If you wish to share this link with others, here it is https://www.blogtalkradio.com/bubblehour/2020/04/13/gigi-langer

About The UnPickled Blog

Jean’s very popular blog header states, “How I Secretly Quit My Secret Habit of Secretly Drinking.” She goes on to write, “I am learning to walk without the crutch of alcohol. I began writing this blog on my first day of sobriety. Gulp. I drank quietly in private and have managed to quit just as privately. I didn’t stay quiet about it, though. My story is all here. The purpose of this blog is to help make me accountable and, as it turns out, to encourage others along the way.”

According to Jean McCarthy, “Nobody can take the first tentative steps towards sobriety without first getting past denial, but even once they are past denial, the stigma surrounding alcoholism is so strong that people are reluctant to seek help.”

Unpickled is one of the top 15 recovery blogs (rated by “Port of Call.”) with thousands of followers.

Sober Survival Guide for Any Social Occasion

The perfect gift for the summer! Stay sober with family and friends at social events & parties. Buy the survival guide here

Insights and lessons from hundreds of interviews and blog posts about life after alcohol, practical exercises to build your readiness for awkward situations, bonus information for friends and family, and other useful tips.

Gigi Langer, 34 years sober, holds a Ph.D. in Psychological Studies in Education and an MA in Psychology, both from Stanford University. Through her writing, coaching, and speaking, Gigi has helped thousands of people improve their lives at home and work. A former professor of teacher education at Eastern Michigan University, she lives in Michigan and Florida with her husband, Peter, and Murphy, their cat.

Get Gigi’s award-winning book, “50 Ways to Worry Less Now.” (4.8 Stars on Amazon). Available in audio, ebook, paperback. Click HERE for FREE workbook & special offers.

“This book is a winner.” –Karen Casey, Bestselling Hazelden author
“Valuable, heartfelt manual.” Publishers Weekly (BookLife)

April 20, 2020April 20, 2020

Reactions: A Story & A Song

I’m noticing two major reactions to the “stay-at-home” orders.

Which one is your way of coping?

Get really busy with projects, walking, cleaning, etc. or
Veg-out with TV, reading, music, and other “less active” diversions.

Guess which group I’m in?? The latter. Aside from the essentials (connecting with family and friends, meditating/praying, and light exercising), what’s keeping me “busy?” NOTHING!

After a life-time of achieving this and that, my reaction is to just relax, and indulge in whatever tickles my fancy. And I’m loving it!

For example, I just spent a couple hours on the lanai listening to two of my favorite entertainers: the beloved Brazilian crooner, Caetano Veloso and our Michigan favorite, Vienna Teng. Here’s a story from Brazil and a song of hope from Teng.

Seen in Brazil: A Puzzling Crazy-Quilt

In 1974, I lived in Sao Paulo while my second husband worked with IBM computer systems.

One day, I accompanied a Brazilian friend to her dentist appointment. Up, up we went to the 40^th story of one of the many famous Niemeyer skyscrapers dotting the Sao Paulo skyline.

While in the waiting room, I read an article about the survivors of a recent “towering inferno” fire in this very same town. The scandal was that this modern-era skyscraper had no fire-protections and, as a result, many lives were lost.

Perhaps it was this story that drew me to the window to peer down from the great height. At first, I couldn’t make sense of what I saw: a multi-colored quilt of shiny turtle-tops.

What could it be? As I studied the image far below me, I realized I was looking at many hundreds of Volkswagen “bugs” parked in a huge dirt parking lot.

At that time, about 80% of Brazilians owned VWs, with only a few color choices. Imagine the difficulty of finding your very own yellow bug (the color of mine) in a huge parking lot!

The inventive “Paulistas” had solved this urban puzzle by parking all the yellow cars in one section, the blue ones in another, and so on. The result was this bumpy, shiny quilt seen from the dizzying height above. I wish I had taken a picture!

A Song of Hope from Vienna Teng

“The Atheist Christmas Carol” isn’t only about the holidays and it’s not really “atheist.” It’s about HOPE, the best reaction we can have during uncertain times. Listen to this gorgeous song here, posted with its lyrics!

Savor these lines especially. “Don’t forget, don’t forget, I love, I love, I love you.”

Vienna reportedly said, “I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist.” Hmmm.

Get Gigi’s award-winning book, “50 Ways to Worry Less Now.” (4.8 Stars on Amazon). Available in audio, e-book, paperback. Click HERE for special offers.

“This book is a winner.” –Karen Casey, Bestselling Hazelden author
“Valuable, heartfelt manual.” Publishers Weekly (BookLife)

April 14, 2020April 14, 2020

The Ultimate Worry-Hack: Loving Connection

I’ve been sensing a seismic change in and around me, extending out to the entire planet. This viral threat has prompted many of us to reach deep down inside for something bigger and stronger than our fear.

I might call it an urge for loving connection.

Love is a force for goodness that wipes out all worry and negativity. And I believe it’s essential to our survival right now.

Choose love rather than fear—every moment.

If we spread fear, it amplifies, with perilous results, such as war, stealing, hate-speech, demonizing of politicians, and so on.

Love, however, heals all separation, judgment, and condemnation; and it too amplifies as it’s shared.

So, I ask you to decide right now: Are you going to succumb to fear and separation, or will you rise up in loving connection?

Be a love finder, not a fault-finder

This lesson from Attitudinal Healing* says it so simply: “Be a Love Finder, Rather than a Fault Finder.”

Finding fault is criticizing others in the arrogant belief that “we know better,” thus casting them out of our hearts. Unfortunately, such destructive thoughts only make everything worse—in our own minds and in the world.

**How, then, do we become love finders?**

We connect our hearts with one another via thoughts, prayers, and spoken words of hope, care, and affection. We choose to see the light in each person, regardless of their words and actions. We get out of the “judge’s seat” and leave it to a power much wiser than us.

So, let’s start now by making our “survival strategy” one of loving connection rather than fault-finding!

*Attitudinal Healing was developed by Gerald Jampolsky, one of the early students of A Course in Miracles. These essential lessons of love are taught world-wide to heal illness and negative thinking.

Gigi Langer, 34 years sober, holds a Ph.D. in Psychological Studies in Education and an MA in Psychology from Stanford University. Through her writing, coaching, and speaking, Gigi has helped thousands of people improve their lives at home and work. A former professor of teacher education at Eastern Michigan University, she lives in Michigan and Florida with her husband, Peter, and Murphy, her cat.

Get Gigi’s new book, “50 Ways to Worry Less Now: Reject Negative Thinking to Find Peace, Clarity, and Connection” (5 Stars on Amazon). Available in audio, e-book, and paperback Click HERE for special offers.

“This book is a winner.” –Karen Casey, Bestselling Hazelden author
“Valuable, heartfelt manual.” Publishers Weekly (BookLife)

Gigi Langer

Worry Less Now!