Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Work-In: Daily Motivation 3-31-2016

Thursday, March 31, 2016
Today's Gift

You grow up the first day you have the first real laugh - at yourself. --Ethel Barrymore

Infants chuckle and gurgle and find the world amusing, but apparently they rarely laugh at themselves. Perhaps that's because they're still very much the lord and master of their world. Even when they see themselves in the mirror, tots are more likely to find themselves incredible than hilarious.

As we grow wiser we gain a sense of proportion about ourselves and our position in the universe. Just as the earth is not the center of the solar system, so we are just one of billions of people on our planet.

Can we smile at ourselves? Or are we always guarding our dignity or feeling fragile and vulnerable? A sense of humor means the ability to enjoy human foibles, even at our own expense. Having this kind of humor helps us to put others - and especially ourselves in relation to others - in perspective. Perhaps it is only when we've had a good laugh at ourselves for our imperfections that we can really begin to gain in stature. By keeping our importance in perspective, we learn to grow.

I can enjoy a good laugh - and will allow myself the freedom of a sense of humor, especially about myself.

From the book Answers in the Heart ©


From: Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation - Thought for the Day http://www.hazeldenbettyford.org/recovery/thought-for-the-day

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

To make mistakes is human; to stumble is commonplace; to be able to laugh at yourself is maturity. William Arthur Ward

There was a time when we wouldn't let anyone laugh at us---even ourselves. We had to much shame. We had to much pain. We took the world too seriously. If we laughed it was at others---not at ourselves. Over time , real honest laughter returns to us. Laughter is a way of accepting ourselves as human. To be human means we can make mistakes. It means we can lighten up. It also means growing up. And growing up means being happy with all of who we are---even parts of us that may seem odd or funny. If we can't laugh at ourselves, we shut ourselves off from the world. We shut ourselves off from the parts of us we need to accept. Am I willing to accept the fact that I'm human.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, You made laughter. Help me us it to make my life easier. Help me accept all of me a funny mistake I've made.

Action for the Day: Today, I'll share with someone close to me a funny mistake I've made.

From: Bluidkiti's Alcohol and Drug Addictions Recovery Help/Support Forums

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One Day At A Time

In His Hands
Cling to the thought that, in your Higher Power's hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have
-- the key to life and happiness for others. With it you can avert death and misery for them.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 124

Thought to Ponder . . .
So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains
and we never even know we have the key.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.

From: AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net)

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Daily Motivation

Excerpt of The Daily Motivator

Help make the world
by Ralph Marston

Your laughter will inspire the world today. Let it ring loudly and often.

Your thankfulness will give life its beauty today. Your love makes the entirety of existence worth all the trouble.

Your actions will make life richer today. Your thoughts and words and feelings will bring new substance to the wonder that is life.

Your awareness will inform and improve things. Your curiosity will make a whole new set of experiences possible.

Whatever you do will matter very much, going far beyond you and coming back in wonderful ways you cannot even imagine. So do, and do, and do some more, with authentic joy and boundless, delighted generosity.

Your life will help make the world what it is today. Live it for all it can be, and more.

From The Daily Motivator website at http://greatday.com/



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