[nandm]

Beginning the Assessment

"A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work." Anonymous

Our inventory is really an assessment of where we are today. But in order to understand where we want to go, it is necessary to look at where we've been. We need to know which of our actions created negative results, not only for ourselves, but also for others. Then we need to uncover the cause of those actions.

When we continue to experience "bad luck" in situation after situation, when we feel people are treating us unfairly through no fault of our own, isn't it interesting that the single common denominator in each case is that we were there? Chances are, if we were the only member of the cast on stage in each scenario, it was probable that our performance was the one out of sync.

When we remember that people are not doing things to us, but are doing things for themselves, we can release those old familiar feelings of being a victim.

When we begin to question whether our current thinking and actions are bringing us growth and satisfaction, we can direct our attention away from blaming others and focus it where it needs to be--on ourselves.

Switching our focus in no way diminishes us as people. Rather than condemning ourselves, what we're doing is freeing ourselves from the bondage of self.

Todays Step: I release blame as I examine my own part in each situation.

Step By Step, meditations for living the 12 steps. Muriel Zink