Daily Motivation 1-31-2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Today's Gift

Thou shalt not should thyself. —-Anonymous

When someone tells us we should do something, do we want to do it, or do we feel mad that someone else is telling us what we want to do? Sometimes we forget that these messages are not our own, but are the desires of others. It's important to listen to what we tell ourselves, to be aware of which messages we're giving ourselves and which come from others. We can make a list of all our shoulds and identify where they came from: parent, boss, friend, self. Then we can decide which shoulds are want to's, and throw out the rest. Doing what we want to is very different from doing what we should, and we can usually do a better job of it.

Have I freed myself of shoulds today?

From Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families ©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

 

Walk In Dry Places

 

Facing Change

Open-mindedness Means Growth
While open-mindedness is supposedly virtuous, many of us have difficulty with it. In our drinking, we continued to suffer because we were unwilling to believe that anything could relieve us of our condition. We also feared that change would diminish us.

 

Our great liberation came in opening up our minds to new ideas. This same process might be needed to sober living. We may have an investment in old attitudes and ideas that are keeping us from constructive growth. Without giving up our attitudes immediately, we can at least give new ideas hones consideration and study.

 

True open-mindedness does not mean empty-mindedness. We still can have strong convictions, consistent values, and definite opinions. But in the spirit of open-mindedness, we should continuously reexamine our views and adopt new ideas for improvement and growth.

Open-mindedness helped bring us to sobriety. It can also open the doors to other blessings that will bring enrichment and happiness.

 

Action for the Day: I will be open-minded and curious today. New ideas can bring wonderful benefits to me if I am willing to consider them.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Improvement
In my present life from day to day, I try to improve my understanding of my Higher Power
by responding to my Higher Power in three basic ways:
by moving outwards into positive action,
by exercising my ability to choose positive thoughts,
and by allowing myself to be drawn inwards to positive being.
- Came To Believe . . ., p.99

Thought to Ponder . . .
I can find on the outside only what I possess on the inside.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
G O D = Good Orderly Direction.

 

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Daily Motivation

The positive side

Your attitude may be the biggest thing holding you back. And that’s great news, because you can change it very quickly.

Other challenges and limitations can take much time and energy to overcome. Yet if your attitude is what’s limiting you, then you have the key right here and now to break free.

Your attitude does not define you and it doesn’t really control you. It does, however, exert a powerful influence on the way you see the world.

The simple fact is that with a positive, purposeful and loving attitude, you are able to see and to connect with life’s best possibilities. And simply by deciding to choose it, you can immediately benefit from such an attitude.

You don’t have to let your attitude be held hostage by negative people, events or circumstances. You can choose whatever attitude you wish, no matter what may be going on around you.

So give yourself a powerful advantage. Choose an attitude, right now, that will illuminate the positive side of life, and begin right away to reap the great rewards of your empowering focus.

— Ralph Marston