Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Today's Gift
We each are traveling our own, very special path in this life. At times our paths run parallel to each other. On occasion they may intersect. But we do all have a common destination: knowledge of life's meaning. And we'll arrive at knowledge when we've arrived at the mountain's summit, separately and yet together.
We do not go straight up the side of the mountain on this trip. We circle it, slowly, carefully, sometimes losing our footing, sometimes back-tracking because we've reached an impasse. Many times we have stumbled, but as we grow in understanding, as we rely more and more on our inner strength, available for the taking, we become more sure-footed.
We have never needed to take any step alone on this trip. Our troubles in the past were complicated because we did not know this; but now we do. Our lifeline is to our higher power. If we hang onto it, every step of the way will feel secure. The ground will be stable under us.
The Shared Gift
We must carry the message, else we ourselves can wither
and those who haven’t been given the truth may die.
- As Bill Sees It, p. 13
Thought to Ponder . . .
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Alive
Excerpt of The Daily Motivator
Banish worry and doubt
by Ralph Marston
When you were very young, you developed an astounding number of new skills in a short period of time. You quickly worked your way from a helpless infant into a capable and knowledgeable young person.
How were you able to make such rapid progress? One big reason why you moved ahead so quickly was because you weren’t worried about making mistakes.
Certainly you did make your share of mistakes. You fell down while learning to walk, and used the wrong words while learning to talk.
And yet, you persisted, undeterred by your past errors and unimpeded by the prospect of more mistakes. You had an unshakable faith that you would eventually get it right, and indeed you did.
When your focus is only on avoiding mistakes, you avoid achievement as well. Being constantly worried about getting it wrong prevents you from getting it right.
Choose to learn one more important lesson from the rapid progress you achieved as a child. Banish worry and doubt from your efforts, and see how very much more quickly you move forward.
As I journey through life, more and more I learn that accepting myself and my idiosyncrasies — laughing at myself for my ways — gets me a lot further than picking on myself and trying to make myself perfect. Maybe that's really what it's all about — absolute loving, joyous, nurturing self-acceptance. —Anonymous
Stop expecting perfection from yourself and those around you.
We do a terrible, annoying thing to others and ourselves when we expect perfection. We set up a situation where others, including ourselves, do not feel comfortable with us. Sometimes, expecting perfection makes people so uptight that they and we make more mistakes than normal because we are so nervous and focused on mistakes.
That does not mean we allow inappropriate behaviors with the excuse "nobody's perfect." That doesn't mean we don't have boundaries and reasonable expectations of people and ourselves.
But our expectations need to be reasonable. Expecting perfection is not reasonable.
People make mistakes. The less anxious, intimidated, and repressed they are by expectations of being perfect, the better they will do.
Striving for excellence, purity in creativity, a harmonious performance, and the best we have to offer does not happen in the stymied, negative, fear-producing atmosphere of expecting perfection.
Have and set boundaries. Have reasonable expectations. Strive to do your best. Encourage others to do the same. But know that others and we will make mistakes. Know that others and we will have learning experiences, things we go through.
Sometimes, the flaws and imperfections in ourselves determine our uniqueness, the way they do in a piece of art. Relish them. Laugh at them. Embrace them, and ourselves.
Encourage others and ourselves to do the best we can. Love and nurture others and ourselves for being who we are. Then realize we are not merely human - we were intended and created to be human.
Today, Higher Power, help me let go of my need to be perfect and to unreasonably insist that others are perfect. I will not use this to tolerate abuse or mistreatment, but to achieve appropriate, balanced expectations. I am creating a healthy atmosphere of love, acceptance, and nurturing around and within me. I trust that this attitude will bring out the best in other people and in me.
From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©
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
...the growth of understanding follows an ascending spiral rather than a straight line. --Joanna Field
...the growth of understanding follows an ascending spiral rather than a straight line. --Joanna Field
We each are traveling our own, very special path in this life. At times our paths run parallel to each other. On occasion they may intersect. But we do all have a common destination: knowledge of life's meaning. And we'll arrive at knowledge when we've arrived at the mountain's summit, separately and yet together.
We do not go straight up the side of the mountain on this trip. We circle it, slowly, carefully, sometimes losing our footing, sometimes back-tracking because we've reached an impasse. Many times we have stumbled, but as we grow in understanding, as we rely more and more on our inner strength, available for the taking, we become more sure-footed.
We have never needed to take any step alone on this trip. Our troubles in the past were complicated because we did not know this; but now we do. Our lifeline is to our higher power. If we hang onto it, every step of the way will feel secure. The ground will be stable under us.
Action for the day: I am on a path to full understanding. I am learning to trust the lifeline offered by my Higher Power and my friends. As I learn, my footing is less tentative, and it supports me more securely.
From: Bluidkiti's Alcohol and Drug Addictions Recovery Help/Support Forums
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One Day At A Time
The Shared Gift
We must carry the message, else we ourselves can wither
and those who haven’t been given the truth may die.
- As Bill Sees It, p. 13
Thought to Ponder . . .
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Alive
From: AA Thought for the Day (courtesy AA-Alive.net)
***************************
Daily Motivation
Excerpt of The Daily Motivator
Banish worry and doubt
by Ralph Marston
When you were very young, you developed an astounding number of new skills in a short period of time. You quickly worked your way from a helpless infant into a capable and knowledgeable young person.
How were you able to make such rapid progress? One big reason why you moved ahead so quickly was because you weren’t worried about making mistakes.
Certainly you did make your share of mistakes. You fell down while learning to walk, and used the wrong words while learning to talk.
And yet, you persisted, undeterred by your past errors and unimpeded by the prospect of more mistakes. You had an unshakable faith that you would eventually get it right, and indeed you did.
When your focus is only on avoiding mistakes, you avoid achievement as well. Being constantly worried about getting it wrong prevents you from getting it right.
Choose to learn one more important lesson from the rapid progress you achieved as a child. Banish worry and doubt from your efforts, and see how very much more quickly you move forward.
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