Daily Motivation 6-17-11

Friday, June 17, 2011

Today's Gift

 

The past has flown away. The coming month and year do not exist; ours only is the present's tiny point.--Shabestari

 

We are tempted to look back and to look ahead. But what we most need to do is be present in this moment, with ourselves, with our loved ones and friends, and with our experience right here and right now. When we were lost and asleep in our using days and codependency, we could not be emotionally present. Our thoughts were taken up with how we would get our next drink, our next big gambling win, or with how to handle the latest crisis. To be emotionally present and live in the moment; this takes time, and it's a frame of mind that develops as we grow in recovery.

 

One way we become more present in the moment is to practice gratitude. We can always name a few things we feel grateful for - small and big things, funny and serious things. Looking through the lens of gratitude brings us into the immediate moment.

 

Today I will look at my day through the lens of gratitude.

 

You are reading from the book:

Wisdom to Know by Anonymous

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Twenty-Four Hours A Day

Keep It Simple

Each day provides its own gifts. ---Ruth D. Freedman
Life is full of wonderful gifts. Recovery is life's greatest gift to us. If we're not excited about being sober, we need to check ourselves. Are we keeping something secret? Is there a sadness we need to talk about? Are we stuffing anger? These things eat away at our excitement for life.

 

Many addicts never get the gift of recovery. Those of us in recovery are special. We've been given a new life. There will be hard times. But the joy of getting a second chance will be stronger. Am I grateful that I've been given recovery?

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me see recovery as a gift. I deserve this gift because I'm human. Help me to always accept this gift.

Action for the Day: At the end of the day, I'll list three gifts that this day has given me.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Willingness

When I become "willing to make amends to them all"
I am saying to them, "your pain is my pain; when I hurt you, I hurt myself;
I will try not to hurt you anymore." With this kind of willingness to identify,
my Higher Power has always set up my amends and allowed both of us
to grow from the love involved in such an act.
-Experience, Strength and Hope [Vol. 2], p. 163

Thought to Ponder . . .
If faith without works is dead; then willingness without action is fantasy.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
W H O = Willingness, Honesty, Open-mindedness.

 

 

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Daily Motivation

Be appreciative

Life brings you great and wonderful gifts each day. Be aware, be appreciative, and be willing to make the best use of every one.

Often, the most valuable of life’s gifts don’t look very appealing when you first encounter them. They appear as demanding problems and complicated challenges.

Be appreciative anyway, and soon you’ll begin to see the positive value that’s hidden in those difficulties. Be appreciative, and you’ll discover ways to make meaningful use of that value.

What you have may not seem like much, yet within what you already have is your connection to all you could ever desire. Truly appreciate what you already have, what you already know, what you already can do, and you’ll activate that connection to limitless abundance.

Be appreciative of the truth, even when it is painful. Be appreciative of each moment, of each circumstance, of each encounter, for everything can add richness to your life when you allow it.

Be appreciative of whatever may come. And you’ll see your own unique way to make it great.

— Ralph Marston