Friday, October 15, 2010
Today's Gift
We know about remorse and death. But do we know about hope and life? I believe in life after birth! —Maxie Dunham
We do not need to create difficulties and pain in our lives. They come with the package of human existence. Some of us even feel bewildered when we aren't pressed by trouble. As we grew in recovery and our lives became better ordered, many of us thought, "Life seems to be going so well; I wonder what's wrong?" We were more accustomed to remorse and crisis than to joy and serenity.
What lies before us today is an unpainted picture. There are many possibilities for events to take a good turn. This, too, is part of the package, but we must believe and affirm the good things in order to accept them. When our only expectations are pain and trouble, they probably will be our only experiences. However, when we have faith that a better life is possible, we open ourselves to receive it.
Today, I will live with hope for the possibilities and accept the good things that come my way.
From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men ©
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Twenty-Four Hours A Day
Keep It Simple
To err is human, but when the eraser wears out ahead of the pencil, you’re overdoing it. --Josh Jenkins
It’s okay to make mistakes. But we shouldn’t live a life of excuses. We shouldn’t slide over our mistakes; we should learn from them.
Excuses keep us part from ourselves and others. People don’t trust us if we won’t admit and accept our mistakes. Relying on excuses dooms us to repeat the same mistakes.
In recovery, we admit and accept our behavior. We do this by continuing to take an inventory of our lives. We do this so we can learn from our mistakes. “Owning” our mistakes helps us grow.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me own my mistakes.
Action for the Day: Today, I’ll list my five favorite excuses. I’ll think of the last time I used each of these. What was I trying to avoid.
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One Day At A Time
Habits
Our drinking was connected with many habits -- big and little.
Some of them were thinking habits, or things we felt inside ourselves.
Others were doing habits -- things we did, actions we took.
In getting used to not drinking, we have found that we needed new habits
to take the place of those old ones.
- Living Sober, p. 1
Thought to Ponder . . .
Habits are like cork or lead -- they tend to keep you up or hold you down.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
N E W = Nothing Else Worked.
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Daily Motivation
Naturally positive
Taking a positive approach to life will bring many rich rewards. Yet forcing yourself to be positive is not the way to get there.
Forcing yourself to be positive is not being positive. Fighting against negativity is not being positive.
When you merely try to be positive, your focus is on the trying and not on any actual positive substance. The very act of trying to be positive is a clear sign that you're not.
Instead, allow yourself to be naturally positive by experiencing, in your mind or in your world, what you truly love. Let go of the striving and let love be.
If positive thinking is just another item on your list of things to do, it won't bring you any real value. Instead of making it a chore to be positive, just give it room and reason to easily and naturally grow within you.
Seek less judgment and feel more joy. Be naturally positive and authentically empowered.
-- Ralph Marston
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