6 Popular Songs About Addiction & Recovery

Learning to live a new life after addiction and recovery can be challenging, but it doesn’t need to be bleak or depressing. By immersing yourself in positive experiences and focusing on everything you have to gain from sobriety and being clean, you can experience life with joy. One excellent way to keep yourself focused on staying clean and sober is to listen to uplifting songs. Some research confirms that listening to uplifting music for 2 weeks can significantly improve your level of happiness and create an elevated mood.  Give these six uplifting songs about the positive benefits of kicking your addictions a try as part of your plan to overcome negative thoughts or feelings. Continue reading

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5 Tips for a Sober Summer: Staying Sober at Summer Events

Summer months are filled with pool-side parties beach gatherings and backyard BBQs. But how can you enjoy these social occasions while also avoiding drugs and alcohol? Follow these tips for a fun and sober summer. Continue reading

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Summertime Spike in Teen Alcohol Abuse

It’s the summer months, and the teens are out of school. But what are they doing? Studies have shown that the summer months can lead to a substantial spike in teen drinking, for a variety of reasons. Here’s what you need to know if you want to protect your child. Continue reading

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Why Do LGBTQ Individuals Face Higher Risk of Addiction and Substance Abuse?

Many people turn to addiction and substance abuse as a way to cope with very real problems and challenges within their lives. The LGBTQ community, in particular, faces a higher risk of addiction and substance abuse. Here’s why. Continue reading

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My 12 Step Store WeHo is Moving to a Larger Space

By WEHO TIMES

Recovery gift and bookstore, MY 12 STEP STORE WEHO, is moving to a larger location. The store that specializes in 12-step literature, recovery medallions, jewelry and sober apparel is moving next door to the former N101 Nutrition space, located in the same lot. The current retail space the store occupies is 400 square feet and the new space will provide the store with 1100 square footage.

“We are excited to announce that we’re taking over the space next to us,” My 12 Step Store WeHo Founder and Director of Outreach, RJ Holguin, told WEHO TIMES. “The new location has almost three times the amount of square footage, which will allow us to showcase our product line much better, increase our jewelry collection, along with additional meditational gifts that the community will enjoy.”

Holguin acknowledged the risk of expending to a larger location, but says the move is necessary.

“We’re excited, but at the same time, from business perspective, we recognize that most stores are downsizing or closing in West Hollywood,” he said. “We outgrew our space about two years ago. We’ve actively looked for a new space and considered moving to a different location. It was a god shot that the place next door became available to us. We decided to expand because a store like ours is necessary in this city where a lot of the focus and energy tends to go towards alcohol and cannabis consumption. There is supply and demand for the recovery items that we offer and hopefully the community will continue to support us and help us keep our doors open.”

N101 Nutrition Health & Sport abruptly closed back in April after falling behind on the rent. The former tenants left behind a store full of inventory that still needs to be liquidated by the current landlords.

My 12 Step Store WeHo first opened in Hollywood on September 2003. The opening coincided with National Recovery month. The store moved to the city of West Hollywood on January 2006. The new location will undergo construction over the summer and if all goes according to plan, the new store will open in September 2019, which will give cause to the grand opening along with National Recovery the store’s 16th anniversary of servicing the community

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Vacation Tips for Recovery Life

Getting sober is a major accomplishment, so it is only natural to want to reward yourself for your hard work. A great way to do that is by taking a vacation. However, it is important to be aware of the potential triggers a vacation might involve so that you can enjoy your trip while also maintaining your sobriety. Here’s what you should and shouldn’t do while on vacation to stay on track with your recovery.  Continue reading

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In Praise of Clean and Sober Dads

Father’s Day is coming up soon, and that means that it’s time to celebrate all the dads out there! Getting sober in time for the holiday could be one of the best gifts you ever give your children. Not only is it a gift for them, but also for yourself.

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My 12 Step Store Celebrates Pride Month with Events During LA Pride and Pop-up Store at New York’s Stonewall World Pride

My 12 Step Store Celebrates Pride Month with Events During LA Pride and Pop-up Store at New York's Stonewall World Pride

MY 12 STEP STORE, the recovery book and gift store located at 8730 Santa Monica Boulevard in the heart of West Hollywood, will celebrate Pride Month 2019 with a lineup of events that support the recovering LGBTQ+ community. It will also support the Gay Sober Men (GSM) conference taking place in New York with pop-up stores during the NYC World Pride celebrating Stonewall at 50 years.

WEST HOLLYWOOD LA PRIDE

The events for LA Pride include:

June 8th: My 12 Step Store will welcome and host the Trudging Buddies AIDS/Lifecycle team

during the completion of their 7-day, 545-mile journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Trudging Buddies helped raise proceeds that will benefit the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the HIV/AIDS-related services of the Los Angeles LGBT Center. My 12 Step Store’s front parking lot will serve as a meetup where riders will have an opportunity to refresh with drinks and re-energize with snacks as they celebrate the completion of their long journey with family and friends.

June 9th: My 12 Step Store will partner with Capital Drugs, WEHO TIMES, Power Zone, Van Ness Recovery House, GSM New York, Hollywood Hills Senior Living and Twin Town and the West Hollywood Chamber to host the Sober Oasis Safe Zone, offering LA Pride Parade viewing space at 8730 Santa Monica Boulevard. The Sober Oasis will offer a festive location with seating and beverages on the parade route. Everyone is encouraged to meet up or simply check in during the LA Pride Parade.

NEW YORK CITY WORLD PRIDE

 For the third year, My 12 Step Store will open a Pop-Up store in New York City during NYC Pride weekend from June 26—30, 2019. This year’s Pop-Up store will open at The WESTIN New York City at Times Square, located at 270 West 43rd street, NYC. World Pride is taking place at NYC Pride marking the 50th anniversary of Stonewall. The pop-up stores are in conjunction with the Gay Sober Men (GSM) Conference taking place June 27-30, 2019. GSM is a non-profit organization that provides a safe, fun, and enriching experience to the sober community. It encourages unity and enhance one’s sobriety.

My 12 Step Store Pop-Up Stores will feature some of the most popular items found at the West Hollywood location, as well as in their online store. Items will include the beautiful Pride Rainbow Swarovski Crystal Bling Medallions in various styles, along with the limited edition GSM Commemorative Coin, as well as signature recovery t-shirts, various medallions covering a vast number of years, and much more.

 My 12 Step Store is approaching 16 years of providing love and service for all 12-step programs in the recovering community. The recovery book and gift store is located in the heart of West Hollywood USA, ships worldwide. Whether it’s addiction to alcohol, drugs, sex, love, food, meth or codependency, to list only a few, the store offers various ways to make 12-recovery fun and livable for all walks of life. The store continues to offer the largest collection of splashy medallion styles, fun apparel, Silver and gold 12-step jewelry including the Surrender Collection, along with prayer bookmarks, unique gifts and inspirational recovery cards.

To learn more, visit: www.my12stepstore.com, email:  info@my12stepstore.com or call: 310 623 1702.

Visit the West Hollywood location at: My 12 Step Store 8730 Santa Monica Blvd.  West Hollywood CA 90069

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Celebrities Get Sober Too!

The road to recovery is not an easy or glamorous path, but it is a path that will lead you to living a healthy sober life. Normal, everyday people are not the only ones that struggle with addiction and have to walk this path. Many celebrities also face or have gone down the road that you are on. Here are a few celebrities that have also gone through recovery and are now sober.  Continue reading

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3 Summer Mocktails for Memorial Day

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Memorial Day weekend is the kick-off to summer. Many people spend time outdoors with family and friends, soaking up the nice weather. Enjoy cold, refreshing beverages is often customary. If you are in recovery, you will want to avoid alcohol. But great tasting drinks don’t always have to include booze. Here are three tasty summer mocktails you may want to try this Memorial Day weekend.

Virgin Watermelon Margarita

A virgin watermelon margarita can be a tasty treat on a warm summer day. Cut up and puree a medium watermelon to create four cups of watermelon juice. Add 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice, four teaspoons of agave and five tablespoons of sparkling water. If desired, you can drink as is or serve it over ice, also referred to as on the rocks. You can dip the rim of the cup into sugar or salt for a more professional look.

Lavender Lemonade

Lemonade is a sweet drink that is commonly associated with the summer months. If you are hosting a party or get-together, you can make lavender lemonade, which is a fun and classy play on traditional lemonade. Crush 5 tablespoons of dried lavender. Boil six cups of water with 1/2 cup of light-colored honey. Add the lavender in when the water is boiling and remove the pot from the heat. Cover it and refrigerate it for two hours, allowing the lavender to steep into the mixture. After two hours, strain the liquid to remove lavender parts. Stir in one cup of fresh strained lemon juice to complete your lavender lemonade. If desired, you can garnish the drink with a stem of fresh lavender.

Coconut, Cucumber, Lime, and Mint Cooler

Coconut, cucumber, lime and mint are all flavors that work well together and can instantly make you feel like you are at a tropical destination. This is an easy drink to make, that has a tropical and refreshing taste to it. Slice two cucumbers very thinly. Combine four cups of coconut water, the thinly sliced cucumbers, 1/2 cup of lime juice and 1/4 cup of chopped mint leaves. If you prefer sweeter drinks, you can add in 1/4 cup of sugar to make the drink a bit more sweet. Allow the drink to chill for two hours in the fridge before serving. If desired, you can garnish with a mint leaf.

Enjoy a day with family and friends does not need to include alcohol. Here at My 12 Step Store, we applaud you on your sobriety and produce products that help you to maintain and celebrate that sobriety. Visit our website today to learn more about the products we have to offer or visit our blog for more information on maintaining your sobriety in social settings.

 

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