"Today's Hope"
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FEBRUARY 6
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
The next time I react to another’s behavior, I’ll ask myself how many times I’ve reacted the same way.
-- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
It's an estimable act to stop and smell the roses.
For years I diligently and faithfully read my daily meditations. I worked them into my routine activities, just as I shower, brush my teeth, and press my clothes. After each reading, I'd stop and digest the material, allowing myself to mentally interpret each passage's meaning. It was a great way to begin my day. But over the years, I became careless in my reading and rushed through my daily meditations. As a result, I missed the essence of what keeps me grounded.
Do you really take the time to understand the meaning of your daily readings? On average, I'd imagine too few of us do. When we skim through our readings, we miss the real benefit of these powerful, inspirational, mind-altering tools. There is a richness in our reading that has the power to change a day, avert a disaster, calm a nerve, or untwist a mind wrought with anger. Think of a time when you needed help in making sense of an experience and you opened your book to just the right page, seemingly by accident. When we don't process what we read, how can it help us?
Yet if we invest the time, we will experience more abundance and a greater sense of serenity. We'll discover tools for living that previously eluded us. We'll feel better equipped to handle situations that used to baffle us because we're participating in our solution. We'll know a new freedom and a new happiness because we'll know we are not alone.
You're invited to take time to read, understand, and really digest your daily inspirational readings. The more you practice reading for understanding, the easier it becomes and the more you will benefit.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
The next time I react to another’s behavior, I’ll ask myself how many times I’ve reacted the same way.
-- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
It's an estimable act to stop and smell the roses.
For years I diligently and faithfully read my daily meditations. I worked them into my routine activities, just as I shower, brush my teeth, and press my clothes. After each reading, I'd stop and digest the material, allowing myself to mentally interpret each passage's meaning. It was a great way to begin my day. But over the years, I became careless in my reading and rushed through my daily meditations. As a result, I missed the essence of what keeps me grounded.
Do you really take the time to understand the meaning of your daily readings? On average, I'd imagine too few of us do. When we skim through our readings, we miss the real benefit of these powerful, inspirational, mind-altering tools. There is a richness in our reading that has the power to change a day, avert a disaster, calm a nerve, or untwist a mind wrought with anger. Think of a time when you needed help in making sense of an experience and you opened your book to just the right page, seemingly by accident. When we don't process what we read, how can it help us?
Yet if we invest the time, we will experience more abundance and a greater sense of serenity. We'll discover tools for living that previously eluded us. We'll feel better equipped to handle situations that used to baffle us because we're participating in our solution. We'll know a new freedom and a new happiness because we'll know we are not alone.
You're invited to take time to read, understand, and really digest your daily inspirational readings. The more you practice reading for understanding, the easier it becomes and the more you will benefit.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
FEBRUARY 7
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
A Power greater than myself gives me a warm coat, so that I can walk into the coldest night and be protected. When the wind blows, I don't change the weather. I button my coat.
-- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
Reacting
Sometimes I allow my temper to get the better of me and when I do... I jump to react.
But the problem with reacting during a moment of intense emotion is that I often say things or do things I later regret. When I let my emotions take over, I act from a place that is not in line with my spiritual path.
Reacting without stepping back to calm my mind leads me to make assumptions... assumptions that often prove to be inaccurate.
Today, I try my best to walk away from a heated moment and give myself time to process the situation and use logic to clearly think on the problem.
Then, when I feel that I can approach the situation again with a bit of compassion and a bit of maturity, I do so... sure in my behavior.
Dear God, help me to be rational. Help me to choose to react as a loving and kind adult in all situations that may try my spiritual growth.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
A Power greater than myself gives me a warm coat, so that I can walk into the coldest night and be protected. When the wind blows, I don't change the weather. I button my coat.
-- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
Reacting
Sometimes I allow my temper to get the better of me and when I do... I jump to react.
But the problem with reacting during a moment of intense emotion is that I often say things or do things I later regret. When I let my emotions take over, I act from a place that is not in line with my spiritual path.
Reacting without stepping back to calm my mind leads me to make assumptions... assumptions that often prove to be inaccurate.
Today, I try my best to walk away from a heated moment and give myself time to process the situation and use logic to clearly think on the problem.
Then, when I feel that I can approach the situation again with a bit of compassion and a bit of maturity, I do so... sure in my behavior.
Dear God, help me to be rational. Help me to choose to react as a loving and kind adult in all situations that may try my spiritual growth.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Location: Midwest
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This is so important for me. I have kind of adopted the turtle as my totem. I have several turtle pictures on the walls at my house, I have 3 different carved stone turtles in various rooms, and I have a small carved stone turtle necklace that I wear constantly to help remind me to slow down and think , let my HP have a moment to speak, instead of me just knee-jerk reacting.
Believe me, I need all the help I can get w/this!
Believe me, I need all the help I can get w/this!
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
FEBRUARY 8
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
Every good thought you think is contributing its share to the ultimate result of your life.
--Grenville Kleiser
DAILY REFLECTION:
Faith
Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.
-- Voltaire
Coming to my first meeting was an act of faith. I had no idea how it could help, but everything else I had tried was not working. I felt better at the end of the meeting. I did not know why. I could not explain it. But I continued to have faith in the process, I followed the steps, did what I heard from others, just took it on faith. And I got better. The situation that brought me to my knees did not get better right away, but I did.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
Every good thought you think is contributing its share to the ultimate result of your life.
--Grenville Kleiser
DAILY REFLECTION:
Faith
Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.
-- Voltaire
Coming to my first meeting was an act of faith. I had no idea how it could help, but everything else I had tried was not working. I felt better at the end of the meeting. I did not know why. I could not explain it. But I continued to have faith in the process, I followed the steps, did what I heard from others, just took it on faith. And I got better. The situation that brought me to my knees did not get better right away, but I did.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Thank you for these every day, honeypig. The images you find are stunning, too. Those Cardinals! Just lovely.
Faith builds on itself. When I believe I go looking for ways to bolster my belief. Faith is the starting point.
Faith builds on itself. When I believe I go looking for ways to bolster my belief. Faith is the starting point.
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Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
FEBRUARY 9
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
Forgiveness is the key to happiness.
- A Course In Miracles
DAILY REFLECTION:
Connectedness
Connectedness
Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.
--Leonardo da Vinci
I have noticed that when I see myself as separate from the world around me, I lose my serenity. When I am feeling sad or angry, I am separating myself from what I perceive as “good” and believe I will not receive that to which I feel entitled. When I am feeling critical or anxious, I am separating myself from what I perceive as “bad” and trying to fix the situation. Either way, I behave as though I am alone in the world. At times like this, I lose my serenity. In order to regain my serenity, I lovingly accept the world around me and take my place in it, rather than judge my surroundings as “good” or “bad”. When I do this, I no longer feel victimized by or responsible for all that goes on around me. Instead, I feel peace.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
Forgiveness is the key to happiness.
- A Course In Miracles
DAILY REFLECTION:
Connectedness
Connectedness
Learn how to see. Realize that everything connects to everything else.
--Leonardo da Vinci
I have noticed that when I see myself as separate from the world around me, I lose my serenity. When I am feeling sad or angry, I am separating myself from what I perceive as “good” and believe I will not receive that to which I feel entitled. When I am feeling critical or anxious, I am separating myself from what I perceive as “bad” and trying to fix the situation. Either way, I behave as though I am alone in the world. At times like this, I lose my serenity. In order to regain my serenity, I lovingly accept the world around me and take my place in it, rather than judge my surroundings as “good” or “bad”. When I do this, I no longer feel victimized by or responsible for all that goes on around me. Instead, I feel peace.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
FEBRUARY 10
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
In Al-Anon I can set my secrets and myself free.
- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
Even if you understand and follow all of the rules for more effectively engaging manipulators, life with them is not likely to be easy.
--George K. Simon Jr. *
Sometimes they want something. Sometimes they want someone to give them something or to feel a particular way. They want power in some way, shape, or form. Manipulators prey on our weak spots.
Obsession and guilt are weapons. Manipulators get us to use these weapons on ourselves.
Sometimes we can disengage from manipulators - walk away, set a clear limit, be done with them. Other times, it's not that easy. We may be at least temporarily stuck with a boss or authority figure that indulges in heavy manipulation. One of our children may be going through a relentlessly manipulative period. We may have a parent whom we care about deeply who has adapted manipulation as a way of life.
Learn how to effectively deal with manipulators. Not everyone means what they say. Learn to recognize when others are telling you what they believe you want to hear. Learn to not react, stay clear, practice nonresistance, and stay true to yourself.
Be gentle with yourself if you have a manipulator in your life. You're not responsible for the other person's attempts at manipulation. You're responsible for staying clear.
God, help me let go of the weak spots in myself that allow me to fall prey to manipulations. Help me stay clear of guilt and obsession so I can decide what's best for me.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
In Al-Anon I can set my secrets and myself free.
- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
Even if you understand and follow all of the rules for more effectively engaging manipulators, life with them is not likely to be easy.
--George K. Simon Jr. *
Sometimes they want something. Sometimes they want someone to give them something or to feel a particular way. They want power in some way, shape, or form. Manipulators prey on our weak spots.
Obsession and guilt are weapons. Manipulators get us to use these weapons on ourselves.
Sometimes we can disengage from manipulators - walk away, set a clear limit, be done with them. Other times, it's not that easy. We may be at least temporarily stuck with a boss or authority figure that indulges in heavy manipulation. One of our children may be going through a relentlessly manipulative period. We may have a parent whom we care about deeply who has adapted manipulation as a way of life.
Learn how to effectively deal with manipulators. Not everyone means what they say. Learn to recognize when others are telling you what they believe you want to hear. Learn to not react, stay clear, practice nonresistance, and stay true to yourself.
Be gentle with yourself if you have a manipulator in your life. You're not responsible for the other person's attempts at manipulation. You're responsible for staying clear.
God, help me let go of the weak spots in myself that allow me to fall prey to manipulations. Help me stay clear of guilt and obsession so I can decide what's best for me.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
FEBRUARY 11
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
The book of life is filled with incoherent riddles. Life's true lessons are inscribed in a corner of the margin.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
DAILY REFLECTION:
Accepting Love
Many of us have worked too hard to make relationships work; sometimes those relationships didn't have a chance because the other person was unavailable or refused to participate.
To compensate for the other person's unavailability, we worked too hard. We may have done all or most of the work. Doing all the work in a relationship is not loving, giving, or caring. It is self-defeating and relationship=defeating. It creates the illusion of a relationship when in fact there may be no relationship. It enables the other person to be irresponsible for his or her share. Because that does not meet our needs, we ultimately feel victimized.
We can learn to participate a reasonable amount, and then let the relationship find its own life. Are we doing all the calling? Are we doing all the initiating? Are we doing all the giving? Are we the one talking about feelings and striving for intimacy?
Are we doing all the waiting, the hoping, and the work?
We can let go. If the relationship is meant to be, it will be, and it will become what it is meant to be. We do not help that process by trying to control it. We do not help ourselves, the other person, or the relationship by trying to force it or by doing all the work.
Let it be. Wait and see. Stop worrying about making it happen. See what happens and strive to understand if that is what you want.
Today, I will stop doing all the work in my relationships. I will give myself and the other person the gift of requiring both people to participate. I do not have to do all the work; I need only do my share.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
The book of life is filled with incoherent riddles. Life's true lessons are inscribed in a corner of the margin.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
DAILY REFLECTION:
Accepting Love
Many of us have worked too hard to make relationships work; sometimes those relationships didn't have a chance because the other person was unavailable or refused to participate.
To compensate for the other person's unavailability, we worked too hard. We may have done all or most of the work. Doing all the work in a relationship is not loving, giving, or caring. It is self-defeating and relationship=defeating. It creates the illusion of a relationship when in fact there may be no relationship. It enables the other person to be irresponsible for his or her share. Because that does not meet our needs, we ultimately feel victimized.
We can learn to participate a reasonable amount, and then let the relationship find its own life. Are we doing all the calling? Are we doing all the initiating? Are we doing all the giving? Are we the one talking about feelings and striving for intimacy?
Are we doing all the waiting, the hoping, and the work?
We can let go. If the relationship is meant to be, it will be, and it will become what it is meant to be. We do not help that process by trying to control it. We do not help ourselves, the other person, or the relationship by trying to force it or by doing all the work.
Let it be. Wait and see. Stop worrying about making it happen. See what happens and strive to understand if that is what you want.
Today, I will stop doing all the work in my relationships. I will give myself and the other person the gift of requiring both people to participate. I do not have to do all the work; I need only do my share.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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FEBRUARY 12
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
In Al-Anon we talk about the part we played in our problems and how we change our attitudes and actions by applying the Al-Anon program to our lives.
- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
Let Go and Let God
The 'Let God and Let God' slogan helped me to stop the madness going on in my head. It didn't mean that I could let go of my responsibilities but helped me to do the foot work and let go of the outcome. I know now what great peace of mind I can have when I realize what I can control and what I can't. I know now that God is in charge, not me.
Letting go isn't always easy because sometimes I still think I can control an outcome, After a while, though, when it's just not working, I know at that point I need to let go. I'm still surprised at how far better God's will is than mine.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
In Al-Anon we talk about the part we played in our problems and how we change our attitudes and actions by applying the Al-Anon program to our lives.
- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
Let Go and Let God
The 'Let God and Let God' slogan helped me to stop the madness going on in my head. It didn't mean that I could let go of my responsibilities but helped me to do the foot work and let go of the outcome. I know now what great peace of mind I can have when I realize what I can control and what I can't. I know now that God is in charge, not me.
Letting go isn't always easy because sometimes I still think I can control an outcome, After a while, though, when it's just not working, I know at that point I need to let go. I'm still surprised at how far better God's will is than mine.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
FEBRUARY 13
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
Forgiveness is the way out of resentment.
- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
Fantasies are more than substitutes for unpleasant reality; they are also dress rehearsals, plans. All acts performed in the world begin in the imagination.
--Barbara Grizzuti Harrison
Our minds mold who we become. Our thoughts not only contribute to our achievements, they determine the posture of our lives. How very powerful they are. Fortunately, we have the power to think the thoughts we choose, which means our lives will unfold much as we expect.
The seeds we plant in our minds indicate the directions we'll explore in our development. And we won't explore areas we've never given attention to in our reflective moments. We must dare to dream extravagant, improbable dreams if we intend to find a new direction, and the steps necessary to it.
We will not achieve, we will not master that which goes unplanned in our dream world. We imagine first, and then we conceive the execution of a plan. Our minds prepare us for success. They can also prepare us for failure if we let our thoughts become negative.
I can succeed with my fondest hopes. But I must believe in my potential for success. I will ponder the positive today.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
Forgiveness is the way out of resentment.
- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
Fantasies are more than substitutes for unpleasant reality; they are also dress rehearsals, plans. All acts performed in the world begin in the imagination.
--Barbara Grizzuti Harrison
Our minds mold who we become. Our thoughts not only contribute to our achievements, they determine the posture of our lives. How very powerful they are. Fortunately, we have the power to think the thoughts we choose, which means our lives will unfold much as we expect.
The seeds we plant in our minds indicate the directions we'll explore in our development. And we won't explore areas we've never given attention to in our reflective moments. We must dare to dream extravagant, improbable dreams if we intend to find a new direction, and the steps necessary to it.
We will not achieve, we will not master that which goes unplanned in our dream world. We imagine first, and then we conceive the execution of a plan. Our minds prepare us for success. They can also prepare us for failure if we let our thoughts become negative.
I can succeed with my fondest hopes. But I must believe in my potential for success. I will ponder the positive today.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
I find today's post helpful, but I really do take issue w/this particular statement:
I have never found that I could do anything that would control how my life unfolded. I can make myself ready for opportunities when they arise; I can be gentle w/myself and others during times of trouble, but actually controlling what happens so my life unfolds "much as I expect"? Not so far....
Fortunately, we have the power to think the thoughts we choose, which means our lives will unfold much as we expect.
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Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 103
I would, first off, like to thank you for these posts. I have come to look forward to them every day, and they are often topics of my journaling for the day. I really love this one. Yesterday, I caught myself day dreaming about possibilities for the future, and for the first time in a very long time, I realized that these dreams could be a reality if I chose to make it so. It was like I broke free of some imaginary chain. I also took it to mean that you get what you put out there, so to speak... so if negativity is what you choose to focus on, your life will unfold in a negative manner. However, if it is positivity you focus on, your life will unfold in positive way. They more good you do, the more good that will come to you. Lord knows that I have made a habit of self sabatoge most of my life. Now its time to turn that around by dreaming big positive dreams, rather than focus my energy on all the bad things that could happen.😀
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I'm glad you find these posts helpful, Turtle! And thanks for your insight regarding what "much as expected" might mean. I absolutely agree w/you, if we take it in that sense rather than in the more specific sense that I was thinking of.
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FEBRUARY 14
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
An angry man is again angry with himself when he returns to reason.
- Publilius Syrus
DAILY REFLECTION:
Laughter
I am thankful today for the people in my life who can make me laugh.
It seems like such a silly thing... a simple thing... but it has the power to turn the course of my day.
When I am wallowing in self-pity, when I am allowing despair to get the better of me, to have a loved one stop me from my ruminations with an unexpected joke that pulls me from my pain and releases my emotions is a blessing.
Today I am thankful for all of the people in my life who have been blessed with the gift of humor.
They are able to improve a sullen mood, lighten a heavy heart and bring a smile to my face when the last thing I want to do is smile... even though I know that it truly is the best thing for my spirit.
Dear God, thank you for joy and laughter. Thank you for the humor you bring into my day and for the people who make me smile.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
An angry man is again angry with himself when he returns to reason.
- Publilius Syrus
DAILY REFLECTION:
Laughter
I am thankful today for the people in my life who can make me laugh.
It seems like such a silly thing... a simple thing... but it has the power to turn the course of my day.
When I am wallowing in self-pity, when I am allowing despair to get the better of me, to have a loved one stop me from my ruminations with an unexpected joke that pulls me from my pain and releases my emotions is a blessing.
Today I am thankful for all of the people in my life who have been blessed with the gift of humor.
They are able to improve a sullen mood, lighten a heavy heart and bring a smile to my face when the last thing I want to do is smile... even though I know that it truly is the best thing for my spirit.
Dear God, thank you for joy and laughter. Thank you for the humor you bring into my day and for the people who make me smile.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
FEBRUARY 15
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
We must alter our lives in order to alter our hearts, for it is impossible to live one way and pray another.
--William Law
DAILY REFLECTION:
Finish Each Day
Finish each day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
We must alter our lives in order to alter our hearts, for it is impossible to live one way and pray another.
--William Law
DAILY REFLECTION:
Finish Each Day
Finish each day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
FEBRUARY 16
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace.
- Anonymous
DAILY REFLECTION:
Compassion
While growing up I remember being told, when I was being less than kind to someone, "Well, how would you feel? Put yourself in their place."
It was the way my parents worked to teach me not to be so judgmental and also a way to remind me to have compassion.
It is easy to make a snap judgment.
It is easy to say, "I would never do that!"
It is easy to think, "I'm above making that type of mistake."
But the truth is that I am no different than any other person on this planet.
I have my good days and I have my bad days.
When I am struggling to find compassion for another human being in my life, it would do me well to step back and review my own "perfect behavior."
Have I truly been pristine in everything I have ever said and done?
When I find myself struggling to find compassion, I must think on my own mistakes from the past and remind myself how I have learned from them.
I must be willing to give others a chance to grow at their own pace, in their own time, and work towards finding compassion for all of those who are struggling on their spiritual path.
Dear God, help me to always carry compassion in my heart. Help me to lay judgment aside and look towards my own shortcomings to mend instead of focusing on another's flaws.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace.
- Anonymous
DAILY REFLECTION:
Compassion
While growing up I remember being told, when I was being less than kind to someone, "Well, how would you feel? Put yourself in their place."
It was the way my parents worked to teach me not to be so judgmental and also a way to remind me to have compassion.
It is easy to make a snap judgment.
It is easy to say, "I would never do that!"
It is easy to think, "I'm above making that type of mistake."
But the truth is that I am no different than any other person on this planet.
I have my good days and I have my bad days.
When I am struggling to find compassion for another human being in my life, it would do me well to step back and review my own "perfect behavior."
Have I truly been pristine in everything I have ever said and done?
When I find myself struggling to find compassion, I must think on my own mistakes from the past and remind myself how I have learned from them.
I must be willing to give others a chance to grow at their own pace, in their own time, and work towards finding compassion for all of those who are struggling on their spiritual path.
Dear God, help me to always carry compassion in my heart. Help me to lay judgment aside and look towards my own shortcomings to mend instead of focusing on another's flaws.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
February 17
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
The way to happiness is what I call Zero-Based Gratitude. Each day be happy and grateful for what you have, independent of yesterday and of other people.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
DAILY REFLECTION:
What Will I Do?
I saw a cartoon of two Al-Anon members talking. The one is saying “But if he starts taking care of himself, what will I do?”
Many of us have defined and shaped our lives around taking care of other people. What would our lives be like if we took care of ourselves first? Can we separate the concept of “care-taking” from “being of service”, seeing the first as a problematic behavior (a “character defect”) and the second as healthy?
Just for today, I will take care of my own needs.
Just for today, I will not do for others what they can do for themselves.
Just for today, I will let my loved ones follow their own paths, even when I think I know a better way.
Just for today, I will let them fail, so that they may learn and grow.
Just for today, I will make commitments only when I have the time, energy, and expertise to follow through on them.
Just for today, I will view service to others as a gift, not an obligation.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
The way to happiness is what I call Zero-Based Gratitude. Each day be happy and grateful for what you have, independent of yesterday and of other people.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie
DAILY REFLECTION:
What Will I Do?
I saw a cartoon of two Al-Anon members talking. The one is saying “But if he starts taking care of himself, what will I do?”
Many of us have defined and shaped our lives around taking care of other people. What would our lives be like if we took care of ourselves first? Can we separate the concept of “care-taking” from “being of service”, seeing the first as a problematic behavior (a “character defect”) and the second as healthy?
Just for today, I will take care of my own needs.
Just for today, I will not do for others what they can do for themselves.
Just for today, I will let my loved ones follow their own paths, even when I think I know a better way.
Just for today, I will let them fail, so that they may learn and grow.
Just for today, I will make commitments only when I have the time, energy, and expertise to follow through on them.
Just for today, I will view service to others as a gift, not an obligation.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 982
Originally Posted by honeypig 
Finish Each Day
Finish each day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can.
Tomorrow is a new day.
You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 11,481
February 18
This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon.
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
What appears to be a dark cloud of trouble is often the shadow of god's wing.
- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
--Step One
Accepting powerlessness is a prerequisite of recovery. As adult children, the very idea may seem puzzling or even laughable. Haven't we felt powerless all along? Shouldn't we be trying to move away from powerlessness and toward power?
But in the program we've found powerless to have a different meaning. We see how we have exhausted all the nonproductive, ineffective ways to deal with our situation. Powerlessness here means we're giving up on willpower, force, and intellectualizing because they just didn't work.
When we admit we are powerless, we are saying that we are through trying to do it on our own - finished with attempts at recovery which are centered around our own strength or cunning. To lay down our old failed powers is not much different, after all, from laying down a broken old bike with two flat tires. It was better than nothing, but now we have a new means of moving on our way.
Today, I am relieved and grateful to unburden myself of unrealistic expectations.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING:
What appears to be a dark cloud of trouble is often the shadow of god's wing.
- Heard in a meeting
DAILY REFLECTION:
We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
--Step One
Accepting powerlessness is a prerequisite of recovery. As adult children, the very idea may seem puzzling or even laughable. Haven't we felt powerless all along? Shouldn't we be trying to move away from powerlessness and toward power?
But in the program we've found powerless to have a different meaning. We see how we have exhausted all the nonproductive, ineffective ways to deal with our situation. Powerlessness here means we're giving up on willpower, force, and intellectualizing because they just didn't work.
When we admit we are powerless, we are saying that we are through trying to do it on our own - finished with attempts at recovery which are centered around our own strength or cunning. To lay down our old failed powers is not much different, after all, from laying down a broken old bike with two flat tires. It was better than nothing, but now we have a new means of moving on our way.
Today, I am relieved and grateful to unburden myself of unrealistic expectations.
Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope
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