When I am released I will go to work in the mortgage field to someday own my own business and continue my education through California Association of Drug and Alcohol counselors. I also want to work with other women across the world as an advocate. I will never give up on me because I am worth it. I hope to someday sing with women vocal artist who have kept me inspired to sing since I was a little girl. With God by my side and my heart committed to my dreams I can never go wrong.

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My First New Beginning
By Mary

This year will be my first and only year I actually want recovery. I've been an addict since 1996. Besides my pregnancy and getting caught up a few times, therefore being forced to be clean, this is the only time I want to get well and stay clean, because I'm tired of going nowhere especially at the age of 28. So my main goal is to be clean and then eventually everything else will fall into place with the grace of God. Being in R.C.P–1 and 2, I'm more open with my family and I'm learning to swallow my pride.

Being the oldest of three, I had a lot of shame before and I never asked for help from my family and this time I took that leap with my family and they are very supportive. Even when I go through hard times in my recovery, they promised to not shut me out. I promised to be open about my feelings, even if it may involve feeling like relapsing.

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He Is All the Support I Need
By Bennetta

All the support I need is from God, who has never left my side. I made it a point in 2007 to not let a day go by with out asking God for all of my directions in life. I feel I'm on a good journey and I can truly say I live my life. The poem that gives me the most inspiration goes as follows:

I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be reduced by it. - Maya Angelou

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A Good Year Has Already Begun for Me
By Island Girl

As 2007 begins it has already been a jumpstart and a great outlook into the rest of 2007. I have been contracting for a year with the company that is now my employer and just before the holidays I was offered a full-time position. This was a huge relief. Mostly because I wouldn't have to worry about looking for employment and because I love the people I work with and I believe in the company's case.  

My immediate plan is to finish my program here so I can go on with life. I am very fortunate to have wonderful and supportive family and friends. They're always there for me whenever I need them. I know 2007 is going to be a better year than 2006. Mainly since I didn't have a plan to be in the system again. I plan on doing the opposite of all the wrongs that I did in 2006.

I plan on living a healthy and clean life, spend more quality time with family and friends. My desire is to help others that are less fortunate.

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Be All I Can Be and Not all Someone Else Can Be.
By Taiesha

Every waking morning is a new beginning with a fresh start, a new day to make life better than it was before. So that is exactly what 2007 is going to be for me, a fresh start. In 2006 I made the attempt to be better than everyone else and top what the next person was doing. I ended up in jail so obviously that plan wasn't working for me. So for the New Year I decided to just do my best, be all I can be and not all someone else can be. If I do my absolute best every moment there is no way I can go wrong. There is nothing I cannot achieve. If I don't complete my goal one day, then I will just try my best to complete it on day two. My best is all I can give.

Major challenges in being my best are not pleasing everyone all the time. I enjoy helping others and making them happy, however my choices and decisions in life don't always please others. So the way I overcome that is by telling myself I am not here to please others only myself. If I take good care of myself everything will follow.

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