http://www.spartanrecovery.life/

Spartan Recovery, Prescott, AZ (2025)

07/25/2025

AI
"The phrase means to continuously use and develop your skills and abilities, rather than letting them fade due to inactivity or lack of practice. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining proficiency and avoiding a decline in performance that can result from prolonged disuse."

The Spartan Basics
1. Know what you're aiming at and why.

2. Put together the plan.

3. Don't let your talents get rusty or dull.

4. Consistent right action over time keeps them honed. Put in the effort daily!

5. Don't wait for the crisis.

The Lesson
Create / review the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially). Assess what talents you have related to your best version.

Craft powerful "whys" with at least one "why" to the negative that would disgust you if you settled and wasted your talents. Go deep!

Next, create the plan of healthy activities (30 - 60 minute events) and micro habits (2 - 5+ minute actions) that test your best version and talents. Start small. It's easier to discipline yourself to put them into action.

Talent alone doesn't create a mastery. Double down on effort:

talent + effort = skill
skill + effort = mastery

Consistent right action is required to grow as the best version of you and keep your talents honed. Get into a habit of consistent small steps mixed in with a series of one daily activity.

Don't wait for the crisis to occur before you drill your best version or try to draw on your talents. The key is consistent effort every day. Layer up the intensity and complexity as you go and grow. This will help increase the complexity of situations you can handle with maximum efficiency and effectiveness.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/24/2025

AI
"The phrase emphasizes the importance of pausing and consciously choosing a response rather than reacting automatically to a situation. This space allows for growth, freedom, and more mindful actions."

The Spartan Basics
1. What's your "true north"?

2. Know how you're wired.

3. Pause.

4. Choose your actions wisely.

The Lesson
Create / review the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially). This is your personal definition of excellence that you're aiming at.

P + B = E = A
Our (P)erceptions + (B)eliefs result in (E)motions and often trigger (A)ction. It's how we're wired and it's a closed loop system. As you act, it rewires the brain. (** formula credit Jeanne Sanner)

Between emotion (stimulus) and action (response), PAUSE. Give yourself the opportunity to choose your choices instead of being fueled by emotion as a result of limiting, warped beliefs and perceptions. Use the pause to open your mind and seek the healthiest path. Seek wise counsel, if necessary.

Following your emotional activation, and pausing, you can now choose your actions. You will either compulsively do what you've always been wired to do, or you can choose a new course of action. Choose based upon what will lead you to your "true north". That's your path to growth and freedom.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/23/2025

Reinhold Niebuhr
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time,

Enjoying one moment at a time,

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;

So that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him

Forever and ever in the next. Amen."

The Basics
1. Realize how we're wired.

2. Focus on what you can control or influence positively.

3. Define your role.

4. Choose your actions wisely.

The Lesson
P + B = E = A
Our (P)erceptions + (B)eliefs result in (E)motions and often trigger (A)ction. It's how we're wired, and it's a closed loop system. As you act, it rewires your perceptions and beliefs, influencing your emotions, positively or negatively. (** formula credit Jeanne Sanner)

Life falls into the categories of:
- Control
- Responsibility
- Influence
- None of Your Business

The only thing that goes into the Control category is you ... your P + B = E = A. You have control over your effort in the Responsibility and Influence categories, but you don't control the outcome. Waste no time on those things that fall into the None of Your Business category.

Create / review the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially). This is your role.

Give yourself the opportunity to be mindful of what is in the moment. Quickly get into action on a series of rapid, small steps assessing your perceptions and beliefs, regulating your emotions, and choosing your actions wisely. You may have a responsibility to and influence with others, but their thoughts, emotions, actions, and consequences are for them to own. Don't take them on.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/21/2025

Medium.com
"The number one reason that mostly holds us down comes from what’s inside our control.

Work on that.

There’s no other way than to face it.

Once you face it, you will then understand that the one who is holding you is actually you."

The Spartan Basics
1. Be crystal clear about what you're aiming at.

2. Realize how you're wired.

3. Focus on what you can control.

4. Take ownership of your actions.

The Lesson
Start by creating a clear goal, whether the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially), or a SMART goal, personally or professionally.

P + B = E = A
Our (P)erceptions + (B)eliefs result in (E)motions and often trigger (A)ction. It's how we're wired, and it's a closed loop system. Take ownership for your perceptions, beliefs, emotions, and actions. (** formula credit Jeanne Sanner)

Life falls into the categories of:
- Control
- Responsibility
- Influence
- None of Your Business

The only thing that goes into the Control category is you ... your P + B = E = A. You have control over your effort in the Responsibility and Influence categories, but you don't control the outcome. Waste no time on those things that fall into the None of Your Business category. When you take ownership for what's truly in your control, you stop blaming, making excuses, and open up the opportunity for creative solutions and action.

Quickly get into action on a series of rapid, small steps towards your goal. The "mountain" won't climb itself. Don't give power to obstacles and negativity. As you make progress, assess, adjust, and get back into action. Seek professional help if you're stuck.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/19/2025

AI
"Taking time for yourself is crucial for mental well-being and can lead to greater self-awareness, improved emotional regulation, and increased creativity. It provides a space to disconnect from external demands and reconnect with your inner self, fostering personal growth and a sense of calm."

The Spartan Basics
1. Self-care is not selfish.

2. Schedule "me" time.

3. Clear away distractions.

4. Be willing to inventory all of it.

The Lesson
A truly content life requires alone time to connect with your best version, your "whys", and inventorying your values, emotions, and actions. This requires moments of alone time.

Invest time daily for self-reflection. If you haven’t been a practitioner of this, you may need to start out with only 5 minutes, working your way up to 30 - 60 minutes as you grow more comfortable being alone with your thoughts and emotions.

Caution: You want to face and acknowledge negative thoughts and emotions, too, but don't obsess on them.

Determine where you will practice your inner examination ... a quiet room or a spot in nature. Wherever you select, assess what things may want to divert your inward attention. Remove the external stimuli as best as possible.

Create a list of things to explore:

- the best version of you
- mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being
- relationships
- work performance

Anything you're avoiding looking at requires attention. If you are troubled by unresolved trauma, seek professional help to guide you in self-reflection.

After your time of self-reflection, make a list of what came up for you. Take time to process your list and choose what changes you wish to make to become your best version.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/17/2025

Medium.com
"The picture that is emerging from all this research suggests that having a sense of purpose is not something that we only discover when we are free from our struggles and the mundane details of life. To the contrary, purpose is precisely what helps us deal with adversity. It gives us the strength to persevere when we start to lose hope, and to find meaning in the seemingly meaningless details of our daily routines."

The Spartan Basics
1. Search for your meaning.

2. Don't coast on autopilot

3. Cut loose the useless things.

4. Build your BEST version.

The Lesson
Create / review the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially), followed by SMART goals, personally and professionally, and healthy hobbies. When we have a clear definition of what we're aiming at, and we have deeply personal "whys" for achieving these goals, we give purpose to our lives.

Meditate on the fact that for you to become the BEST version of you, you can't coast. Without living each day with purpose, you run the risk of feeling empty and shackled. There aren't feelings of safety and security in stagnation.

Pay attention to where you've become comfortable with the things that have been holding you back ... addictions, unhealthy habits, harmful relationships. Cut them away quickly.

Invest time daily to push yourself to work on your best version. Break up the actions into healthy activities (30 - 60 minute events) and micro habits (2 - 5+ minute actions) that strengthen your best version. You can increase the complexity, frequency, and intensity of these actions as you gain a mastery of them. Be curious and creative in living a purposely life ... or risk feeling set adrift.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/16/2025

Medium.com
Any mollusk capable of producing a shell can produce a pearl, but only a few species create pearls of any worth. Marie Antoinette’s pearl started with an irritation. This could have been anything from grit or sand that got stuck in the oyster’s soft bits, to parasites trying to score a meal. Either way, for the oyster it was an irritation that had to be acted upon.

People are famously not like oysters. When people are irritated, their first instinct is to complain about it.

The Spartan Basics
1. Know what personal pearls you want to create.

2. Complaining only irritates problems more.

3. Turn problems into pearls.

4. Continue to hone your skills.

The Lesson
Create / review the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially). These values are your personal pearls.

Complaining only irritates you and others more. It keeps you stuck in the problem until you do something constructive with it. Take control. Identify the problem. Seek out a healthy solution. Get into action.

We mature through adversity, not by staying soft. When you face problems, you can choose to see them as opportunities to create new pearls of wisdom and character. Choose to face your irritants and resolve them while maintaining your best version.

When you aren't facing a current issue, don't go soft. Work on some aspect of your best version every day with healthy activities (30 - 60 minute events) and 3 - 5 micro habits (2 - 5+ minute actions) that strengthen the best version. This will keep you more capable in future situations to stay calm and craft more pearls.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/15/2025

AI
"Sudden moments of gratitude are often found in the unexpected, overlooked aspects of daily life. These can be simple things like the warmth of a cup of coffee, the sound of laughter, or a few moments of quiet. Noticing and appreciating these small blessings can anchor us during challenging times and foster a sense of connection with others."

The Spartan Basics
1. Pause. Be present in the moment.

2. Make a mental note about what you're grateful for.

3. Take a sensory snapshot.

4. Increase your ability to be more grateful in the future.

The Lesson
When spontaneously feeling grateful, pause. Don't lose the moment. Stay present with the experience. Don't be in a hurry.

Make a mental note of what may be contributing to your gratitude in the moment. It's healthy to see how you can increase these opportunities in the future.

Embed the grateful feeling in your being by doing a 5-4-3-2-1 grounding. What are:

5 things you can see
4 things you can touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste

Our bodies "keep the score". By taking a "snapshot", you're imprinting the memory of the moment in a positive way so you can recall it in the future and experience the release of healthy neurotransmitters again.

To increase the likelihood of experiencing spontaneous moments of gratitude in the future, continue to work on the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character values you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially). Get into action daily evolving. This will help keep you clearer, more aware, and more grateful.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/14/2025

AI
"Real maturity is the ability to observe your own inner emotional turbulence without immediately reacting to it. It's about recognizing and understanding your internal state, pausing before acting, and choosing self-awareness over impulsive reactions. This allows for more thoughtful responses and fosters greater peace and understanding."

The Spartan Basics
1. Define the principles in line with your best version.

2. Know how you're wired.

3. Pause.

4. Act with maturity as your best version, not immaturely based upon your current mood.

The Lesson
Create / review the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially). This is your personal definition of the mature you.

P + B = E = A
Our (P)erceptions + (B)eliefs result in (E)motions and often trigger (A)ction. It's how we're wired. Your Perceptions and Beliefs influence your Emotions and Actions. And it's a closed loop system. (** formula credit Jeanne Sanner)

Between emotion (stimulus) and action (response), PAUSE. Observe any inner turbulence you may have:

- worry
- fear
- frustration
- agitation
- aggression

Are you projecting negative emotions onto the situation? Use the pause to observe what is going on inside of you, and orient yourself properly to the situation before you decide how to act.

Following your emotional activation and pausing, you can now choose your actions forward. Your immaturity will allow your emotions in the moment to get the best of you, or you can mature by choosing a course of action in line with your core values of the best version of you.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/13/2025

Medium.com
"Intelligence, emotion, and attitude are the building blocks of success. You can be extremely talented, may have ample resources but if you lack the will to try you are out of the race even before it starts. Besides, knowledge without implementation is futile. Implementation is possible only with attitude."

The Spartan Basics
1. Be crystal clear about what you're aiming at.

2. "Why" matters.

3. Don't rest on your IQ and talent.

4. Get into action. Start small.

The Lesson
IQ coupled with a dose of fear (fear of failure, fear of not looking good, fear of missing out, fear of not knowing enough, fear as a result of trauma) will cause you to stall.

Start by aiming at a goal. Create / review the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially), followed by SMART goals, personally and professionally, with healthy hobbies.

Craft deeply personal, powerful "whys" to achieve your goals with at least one "why" to the negative that would disgust you if you quit on yourself. Go deep!

Having crystal clear goals and deeply personal reasons why produce the "I can" drive to succeed. IQ and talent alone won't get you there. Double down on effort:

IQ / talent + effort = skill

skill + effort = mastery

Get into massive action with consistent, small steps. You can layer up the intensity and complexity as you gain a mastery. As you gain mastery, your belief in "I can" increases exponentially.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/12/2025

AI
"The phrase is a metaphor for prioritizing your emotional well-being and self-care by letting go of toxic situations, relationships, or influences, even if they hold some appeal or perceived benefit. It emphasizes that your peace and happiness are more important than enduring something that causes you pain, regardless of how attractive or familiar it may seem."

The Spartan Basics
1. Create the window to view your future ideal life

2. Don't settle.

3. Shut the windows that don't apply to you.

4. Build your BEST version.

The Lesson
Create / review the best version of you (your top 5 - 10 character assets you wish to master mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and socially), followed by SMART goals, personally and professionally, and healthy hobbies. This is the view of your future, ideal life. Keep focused on this.

Meditate on the fact that for you to become the BEST version of you, you can't get distracted. Without living each day with purpose, you run the risk of being tempted by whatever stirs desire in you.

Assess any opportunity or relationship that are tempting but are holding you back from achieving your best life. Create the plan to shut them out decisively from your life. The longer you look at them, you will create plans, stories, and emotional connections with them. This will create changes in your neural pathways and dopamine production, hypnotizing you in a way from moving on.

Instead, invest time daily to push yourself to build your best version. Break up the actions into healthy activities (30 - 60 minute events) and micro habits (2 - 5+ minute actions) that strengthen your best version. You can increase the complexity, frequency, and intensity of these actions as you gain a mastery of them. This will create the connection to the life that is meant for you.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

07/11/2025

AI
"The statement highlights a fundamental truth about relationships: self-awareness and self-acceptance are crucial for forming meaningful connections with others. When someone lacks self-understanding, they struggle to communicate their needs and emotions, making it difficult for others to connect with them on a deeper level."

The Spartan Basics
1. People don't know themselves as well as they think they do.

2. Attachment styles play a significant role.

3. Connect with yourself first.

4. Choose wisely who you connect with.

The Lesson
People think they know themselves because they think they know what they feel and what they went through. This is a surface level misunderstanding of their experiences. Trauma, past failures, personality traits mixed with attachment styles, warped perceptions and beliefs, unhealthy habits, poor health, and more, all play a role in why people are disconnected from themselves, often unknowingly so.

Our attachment styles impact how we experience emotional connection in relationships ... or avoid it. There are four primary styles:
.. Secure.. Anxious (Preoccupied).. Avoidant (Dismissive).. Disorganized (Fearful-Avoidant)

Most people don't know theirs or answer deceptively when questioned about aspects of their connections.

To understand and connct with others, go deep on yourself first. You will need to address possible negative experiences from the past ... trauma, neglect, abuse, toxic environments and relationships ... that impact your perceptions, beliefs, emotions, actions, and attachment style today. Don't be ashamed to ask for help with this from others who are adept at working through these issues.

By working on you, you can heal, having a better sense of who others truly are, and who to be in a relationship with or create boundaries with.

Questions? Need help with this? Reach out to us at: info@recoveryinthepines.com

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