My Vision - An End to Addiction

My personal vision for my life is all children and youth I encounter are positively affected by their experience with me. In other words, I make a positive difference in the life of every child I meet. My personal vision for the community in which I live, work and play is by 2045 all women addicted to alcohol and other drugs live healthy, well lives recovered from their active disease. My mission in this case is to facilitate health and wellness in women who are addicted. My personal vision for the world is an end to addiction on the planet by 2060.

I get up every day devoted to finding a way to end addiction. And, although a noble and ambitious vision I remain dedicated to doing so. My personal mission is to make a positive difference in the life of a child. How I will know I have done so will be because all children growing up in households and families affected by the disease of addiction will feel cared for and supported. I will measure care and support by helping the children live the “Seven C’s”, “I didn’t cause it, I can’t control it, I can’t cure it, but I can take care of myself by communicating my feelings, making healthy choices and celebrating me.“ In all encounters with children and youth I offer them education and support to accept these C’s as truths As a Voices of Our Future Correspondent I will ensure that more “safe people” are recruited and trained to do so insuring all children are on the receiving end of that care and support.

Since embarking on this journey with Voices of our Future my process to achieve my mission has changed. It has come to me through support from my community that to make the most impact on the lives of children I must work with the parents, in my case, the moms. I recognize that though I do great work to educate and support children and youth growing up with addiction it is not enough. When the children return to their homes and day-to-day activities many of their challenges re emerge, as they do not have ongoing support from their parents. Many of the moms do not have life skills and coping strategies necessary to parent children, which results in compounding the number of “adverse childhood experiences” for their children. Supporting and educating the mom’s will reduce the number of negative experiences for the children and youth. Moms across the globe will be empowered to take care not only of themselves, their children as well. We will see an increase in healthy and well mom’s and a healthy and well next generation. We know where the next generation of people with addiction are. They are growing up in households and families with addiction. We change the world as we reach all children and families.

I want to be a Voices of Our Future Correspondent because I am on a mission to change the world and I need help doing so. Having access to ongoing coaching and mentoring grants me additional tools, skills and support from a powerful woman who “has been there”. I will grow in confidence and ability while being nurtured and lovingly cared for and supported. The patriarchal methods I have grown up with will be replaced by methods that are inspiring for me as a woman. I will be enriched in my efforts and my companion will foster the achievement of my vision with greater purpose, ideals and truths, many of which I am unaware of at this time. With laser focus and accountability my vision will be achieved. I will not be alone on this journey as I now have a larger community of support.

My life’s purpose is to change the world on a grand scale. Part of this purpose includes leaving a legacy for those who will follow. As a Voices of Our Future Correspondent I am assured my legacy will demonstrate the power of women working with one another. Through involvement with WorldPulse and Voices of Our Future I can be certain my legacy is lasting.