Friday, June 4, 2010

Daily Motivations 6-3-2010

Friday, June 4, 2010
Today's Gift

We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same. —Anne Frank

Happiness feels so close and yet so far away. Perhaps we look to a person for it, or to a job, or a new winter coat. We deserve happiness, we know. Yet, we learn so slowly that happiness can only be found within. The person leaves; the job goes sour; the new coat is quickly out of style. Elusive, all of them.

But the happiness that comes from knowing who we are and how our lives fit in the grand design of the Creator, never eludes us. We are one of a kind. And there is no other who can offer to the world of friends just what each of us can. We are needed, and knowing that, really knowing it, brings happiness.

Before we found this program, we no doubt failed to realize our worth. We can celebrate it now. We can glory in our worth, our specialness, and we can cherish the design. We can cherish our parts and cherish the part each other person plays.

Combined, we are as one big orchestra. The conductor reads the music and directs the movements. Being in tune with the conductor feels good. I can call it happiness. All I need do is play my part.

From Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women by Karen Casey ©

************************************
Twenty-Four Hours A Day

Walk in Dry Places

Humility

Needing to receive credit
"Is it wrong to want credit for the good things I do?" a person asked at a 12 Step meeting.
"Why do people say my ego is showing just because I feel I should get proper credit?"

We should, indeed, receive the right amount of praise and recognition for the good things we do. We have to remember, however, that we're trying to get this from human beings... many of whom are poorly informed or indifferent. Whatever credit we receive will be influenced by others perceptions. Sometimes we will be praised too lavishly: at other times, insufficiently.

But the real question is not whether others give us the right amount of praise or credit. The question we should really ask is why we need such recognition. If we are doing a good thing or have made progress, isn't that sufficient reward? What can receiving credit do for us that we do not already have?
Action for the Day: I'll take as my guide today the belief that right action is its own reward. I do not need credit or recognition from others, although I'll appreciate it if it comes.

**************************
One Day At A Time

Rewards
We have found we can enjoy, sober, every good thing we enjoyed while drinking
-- and many, many more. It takes a little practice,
but the rewards more than make up for the effort.
To do so is not selfish, but self-protective.
Unless we cherish our own recovery, we cannot survive
to become unselfish, ethical, and socially responsible people.
- Living Sober, p. 42

Thought to Ponder . . .
The joy is in the journey, so enjoy the ride.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
B E S T =
Been Enjoying Sobriety Today?

*************************
Daily Motivation

Empty space
On a regular basis, do nothing. Drop your expectations, forget your worries and anxieties, and don't even think about feeling guilty about it.

Everyone alive must have some sleep each day. Just as your body needs the restful period that sleep provides, your mind and spirit benefit from regular restful times as well.

When you read a good book, it is the spaces between the words that enable you to understand each one of those words. In a musical composition, the silence between the notes is just as important as the sound of the instruments.

In whatever you are working to accomplish, be sure to put in some well-placed empty space. Pauses can be just as significant as the most eloquent words, and periods of unproductive rest can be just as useful as periods of strenuous, focused activity.

No, of course you wouldn't want to be lazy and inactive all the time, yet you will benefit from balancing your diligent efforts with peaceful relaxation. The busy times make the restful times more enjoyable, and the restful times make the busy times more productive.

Just because you're not intensely engaged in focused accomplishment doesn't mean that you've stopped moving forward. Devote some time to relaxing and refreshing your spirit, and your efforts will become more effective than ever.

-- Ralph Marston

No comments:

Post a Comment