This is the second in a four-part series with affirmations for the different parts of my life that I use. Affirmations can be a strong and beautiful way to remind yourself of your worth. Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that we are worth the life we are living. I learned a lot about affirmations and how they can be incredibly helpful and supporting while in treatment.

Things have been going semi-ok the past couple of months since I’ve been back. I got home and was ready to hit the ground running. I was going to journal, go to meetings, blog more, meet my sponsor, get my therapy and psychiatry world in order, spend more times with my friends in recovery, and friends and family.

Over the last few years, I have noticed major things going on with my brain. And none of them are good. It’s scary in fact. I have noticed my memory going, I find it very hard to find the words to describe something, in the easiest of conversations. I find myself stumbling over my words when I am teaching my students, and it’s things I have been teaching for years.

That’s what everyone says. “Smile and you’ll feel better and be more confident.” “If you don’t smile people won’t approach you.” And much more commentary about my physical appearance. Even though they may be approaching that from a place of positivity, it makes me feel even worse about my smile. I barely smile, and even less with my teeth showing. After years of drug abuse and dreaming my smile...