Thursday, November 8, 2012
Today's Gift
This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou 'canst not then be false to any man. —William Shakespeare
To thine own self be true. A grounding statement for those of us who get caught up in the storm of needs and feelings of others.
Listen to the self. What do we need? Are those needs getting met? What do we feel? What do we need to do to take care of our feelings? What are our feelings telling us about ourselves and the direction we need to go?
What do we want to do or say? What are our instincts telling us? Trust them - even if they don't make sense or meet other people's rules and expectations.
Sometimes, the demands of other people and our confused expectations of ourselves - the messages about our responsibilities toward others - can create a tremendous, complicated mess.
We can even convince ourselves that people pleasing, going against our nature and not being honest, is the kind, honest thing to do!
Not true. Simplify. Back to basics. Let go of the confusion. By honoring and respecting ourselves, we will be true to those around us, even if we displease them momentarily.
To thine own self be true. Simple words describing a powerful task that can put us back on track.
Today, I will honor, cherish, and love myself. When confused about what to do, I will be true to myself. I will break free of the hold others, and their expectations, have on me.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©
********************************
Twenty-Four Hours a Day
Keep It Simple
As in the physical world, so in the spiritual world, pain does not "last forever." --Katherine Mansfield
Each of us struggles with pain and its repercussions; some of us more than others. At times pain seems unending. Sometimes we hang onto the pain in our lives, maybe because we fear even more what's on the other side. The unknown so easily controls us. Right at this moment, each of us can look back on other painful times and feel thankful for what they taught us. The puzzle pieces take on a deeper meaning when we enjoy the gift of perspective. The pain at this moment fits, too, in the bigger picture of our lives. And it will pass. It is passing.
The wisdom of the past tells us that pain enriches us, prepares us to better serve others. We come to know who we are and the specialness of our gifts through the despair that at times encumbers us. An old, wise saying, is, "We are never given more than we can handle."
Action for the Day: My pain today is bringing me closer to the person I'm meant to be. With each breath I'll remember that.
Thankful
Prayer has become a habit with me. Anytime is the time for prayer:
in the street, in the factory, sitting still, walking about,
or actively engaged upon some task.
I must always bear in mind that, like a good parent, God often says no.
And the simplest prayer is "God, thank you, thank you."
I have so much to be thankful for, and sobriety tops the list.
- Thank You For Sharing, p. 192
Thought to Ponder . . .
No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
T G I F = Thanking God Is Freedom.
***********************
Daily Motivation
Let the past go
It’s okay that you’ve wasted some time. It’s not okay to continue doing so.
There’s nothing wrong with the fact that you’ve made some mistakes. Now, take what you’ve learned from those mistakes and use it to make some progress.
Quickly and fully forgive yourself for any shortcomings in the past. Then diligently get to work creating a bright and valuable future, starting where you are right now.
Don’t allow the past to imprison you or discourage you. Instead, let the opportunities of the present inspire you to take solid, effective action.
Life is now, so be here now and give your focus to what you can do with now. Life is now, so live it now without being weighed down by what has already come and gone.
Be truly thankful for what has brought you here, whatever it may have been. Then let the past go and let yourself soar into a magnificent, fulfilling future.
— Ralph Marston
No comments:
Post a Comment