Daily Motivations 7-16-2010

Friday, July 16, 2010

Today's Gift

w/Bonuses

Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by. —Carl Sandburg

There is a song that says joy is like the rain. It comes across our windowpane and then goes away again. When joy comes knocking at our window we can reach out and let it in. Joy comes to us in many ways - through deep laughter, through games played together in a spirit of fun and sharing. Singing together, skating, and being around a campfire are all ways we share joy. Yet joy can also be felt alone.

Each moment of joy we reach for strengthens our spirits. Joyful memories can sustain us through days of long hard work. Like rain, joy comes and goes; yet its nourishment keeps our spirits alive.

How can I share my joy today?

From Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families

Bonus

Insisting on the Best

We deserve the best life and love has to offer, but we are each faced with the challenge of learning to identify what that means in our life. We must each come to grips with our own understanding of what we believe we deserve, what we want, and whether we are receiving it.

There is only one place to start, and that is right where we are, in our current circumstances. The place we begin is with us.

What hurts? What makes us angry? What are we whining and complaining about? Are we discounting how much a particular behavior is hurting us? Are we making excuses for the other person, telling ourselves we're "too demanding"?

Are we reluctant, for a variety of reasons, especially fear, to tackle the issues in our relationships that may be hurting us? Do we know what's hurting us and do we know that we have a right to stop our pain, if we want to do that?

We can begin the journey from deprived to deserving. We can start it today. We can also be patient and gentle with ourselves as we travel in important increments from believing we deserve second best, to knowing in our hearts that we deserve the best, and taking responsibility for that.

Today, I will pay attention to how I allow people to treat me, and how I feel about that. I will also watch how I treat others. I will not overreact by taking their issues too personally and too seriously; I will not under react by denying that certain behaviors are inappropriate and not acceptable to me.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

Walk In Dry Places

Mature living.

Accepting and correcting mistakes.
Being in error now and then is part of our human existence. Many of us, however, feel unbearable self-reproach when we make a mistake. Some compulsive people even blame themselves for errors beyond their control.

But the worst mistake is the refusal, or denial, of responsibility for mistakes. This comes from a strange belief that we can erase the mistake by refusing to accept it. It may stem from the belief that we should be above mistakes. This is immature thinking.

We are learning and growing when we accept our mistakes graciously and immediately move to correct them. Most of the time, when this is done, the distress passes quickly and we can go on to other matters.

Action for the Day: I'll take full responsibility for all of my actions today, and I'll move quickly to correct any of my mistakes.

Bonus

Keep It Simple

We can't all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. --Will Rogers
Humility is being thankful for the chance to watch the parade. There were days we thought that all that counted were the heroes. But our program has no heroes. It has many fine, spiritual people. . . but no heroes.

When someone is needed to make coffee or pick up after a meeting, we can be willing to do those things. Let's look at doing these little jobs as our way of looking for a good spot on the curb. . . .to watch the parade! The floats are so colorful, and the bands play so loud!

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me be proud of who I am, instead of always putting myself down because I'm not who I "should" be.

Action for the Day: I will look and help someone today. Service to others is service to my Higher Power.

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One Day At A Time

Values
I stood off and took a long look at life and the values I found in it:
I saw a paradox, that he who loses his life does indeed find it.
The more you give, the more you get.
The less you think of yourself the more of a person you become.
...we can begin again no matter how late it may be.
~ Experience, Strength and Hope, p. 431

Thought to Ponder . . .
Humility is not thinking less of myself, but thinking of myself less.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Altered Attitudes

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Daily Motivation

The gift of this moment

Stop wishing to be somewhere else or worrying about what might be next. Here and now is a beautiful place to be.

In this moment you can add to life's treasure. In this moment you can fill your world with the power of love.

Love will calm your fears and heal your pains. Take this opportunity to let love flow through all of you.

The fullness of your experience has brought you here for a reason. Live and learn and love the gift of this moment that you've created for yourself.

There is no limit to the richness you can know. Let it be beautiful, and meaningful, and filled with joy.

You are alive and aware and connected to every possibility. Live the beauty that is here for you now.

-- Ralph Marston