Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Today's Gift
Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. --Saint Francis de Sales
"I was lucky," a man explained to me. "One of my first mentors in life made me practice serenity. Whenever I'd call him in full-blown panic mode or with that frantic tone in my voice, he'd refuse to talk to me until I calmed myself down.
"'Go get centered,' he'd tell me. 'Then we'll talk.'" Sometimes we need help working through our panic, anxiety, and fear. Find someone to talk to who will support serenity, rather than feed anxiety. Learn to recognize turmoil and urgency in your body, speech, emotions, and thought. Learn what it feels like to be centered and calm. Practicing serenity is a learned behavior and an art.
Action:
When you find yourself in turmoil, stop what you are doing. Take deliberate steps to relax. Talk to a friend, say the Serenity Prayer or any favorite prayer, breathe, meditate, feel any emotions you need to feel. Calming yourself may feel awkward at first, nearly impossible. (Some people may need professional help to deal with anxiety and panic if it's chronic and continual.) Over time and with practice, you will discover ways to calm yourself, the way a loving parent learns to calm a fretting child.
From the book 52 Weeks of Conscious Contact by Melody Beattie
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Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Keep It Simple
We are all held in place by the pressure of the crowd around us. We must all lean upon others. Let us see that we lean gracefully and freely and acknowledge their support. --Margaret Collier Graham
We did not come into this world alone. And our voyage through this life is in concert with many others: some who directly aid us, while others seem to hinder our paths. We don't have full knowledge, however. We can't determine the many ways we are being helped to take the right steps, even by those who block our way for the moment.
Likewise, our presence is helping to pave the way for both the friends and the strangers we will encounter today, at work, on the street, at the meeting perhaps. We have all been charged, in this life, with a similar responsibility--to help one another fulfill our destinies. Our impatience with one another, our wavering love and acceptance of each other, at times our disavowal of our brothers and sisters comes because we fail to understand the necessary part we each play in the drama of one another's life.
Action for the Day: In my personal drama, I am sharing the stage with everyone else I encounter today. I need a supporting cast. And I need applause. I will give it freely today.
Spirituality
Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you
from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 47
Thought to Ponder . . .
True religion is the life we lead, not the creed we profess.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Altered Attitudes
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Daily Motivation
Best response
Don’t resent the obstacle for being in your way. Figure out how to get over it, under it, around it or through it.
It’s not the end of the world when things fail to go your way. It’s the beginning of your quest to turn things around by making a positive difference.
If someone disagrees with you or criticizes you, there’s no need to take offense. Instead, take the opportunity to learn something valuable about that person’s perspective.
When you make an attempt and it doesn’t work, that’s no reason to quit. You’ve just gained priceless experience, so put it to good, effective use.
When life is negative, your best response is to be positive. In fact, you’ll find the best opportunities in the worst situations, so choose to make the most of those opportunities.
A key ingredient of success is seeing that it can happen. And it can happen whenever you choose.
— Ralph Marston
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