The place where Juan Blea writes about all that is good and strong and beautiful!

Tag Writing

Blogging is my practice, but should it be?

There are times when it feels like no one listens.  I write and teach about healthy ways to approach substance abuse, yet people continue to dig their respective holes and wonder why they can’t get out.  I started blogging to… Continue Reading →

4 things I’ve learned from blogging

It has now been almost 6 years since I’ve started my blog, jblea1016.com. While I can’t say that blogging success has allowed me to retire, I can say that it has grown and continues to grow. I am quite grateful… Continue Reading →

Labels may not be healthy, including “addict” or “alcoholic”

I consider myself a good writer and teacher.  At the heart of both is the hope and the belief that I can share information in such a way that can ignite the good, strong, and beautiful in those whom I… Continue Reading →

Recovery is everyone’s responsibility

So, much is made about the problems that Addiction presents. The awareness exists because, well, problems are pretty easy to spot. Really, I can hang out within any group of people and if given enough time, they will start complaining… Continue Reading →

What is “mental health”?

It may sound kind of strange, but I’ve never bought into the idea that mental health is an “either/or” proposition. I don’t think it’s realistic to suggest that mental health is a goal; to do so would assume that someone… Continue Reading →

Feel emotions, but don’t let them rule you

Typically, I leave my house at 6:15 AM for work. Most mornings, I’m rushed and hustle about my home at an almost frenetic pace; gotta beat the traffic, gotta be there on time. While I drive, my mind races over… Continue Reading →

Why do Oxy users switch to Heroin?

Tammy knew that she would never use heroin. Though she’d been addicted to Oxys for over two years, heroin wasn’t in her future. Really, she wasn’t one of those addicts – no way no how was she a junkie and… Continue Reading →

You can’t drink the dead back to life

The other day, I ran into an old friend who has now been sober for quite a while.  He’s enthusiastic about his recovery and tries to help others get into twelve-step programs.  He said that he was talking to a… Continue Reading →

At home or work, leadership is leadership

It’s important to me that people develop enough confidence in their own capability that they can meet any challenge in their lives.  Part of what I’ve longed recognized is that people will accept one set of standards for their “professional”… Continue Reading →

2 things to know about addicts

Talking with someone struggling with an addiction can be frustrating. Not for the reasons that you might think, but because they’re so mired in self-hate and shame that almost every thought he or she utters is a projection of those… Continue Reading →

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