chip

Hello everyone.

I've been feeling like a victim for the past couple days. I'm sober, but I have problems facing my life. I have difficulty dealing with reality. If I'm not careful, I make the minor problems and upsets of my life get blown out of proportion.

It's times like these when I need to remind myself of everything that I am grateful for. The positive outweighs the negative in my life, and I need to think positive to be on the "right" side. Negative thinking only hurts me.

The insanity of negative thinking is much like this: "I'm angry at you, so I'll hurt me".

I could go on and on about the injustices that have been dealt my way this week, but they are grossly overshadowed by good things. In an attempt to help me get out of a "funk", I'm going to write a little gratitude list here.

If anyone else wants to share some things that they are thankful for, please do.

chip's list:
-My relationship with God
-My sobriety
-AA
-My beautiful children
-My wife
-The money I make at my job, even though I don't really like my job. I've never had a job that I love, but I hate this one less than I hate other ones that I've had.
-My beautiful home in an affluent neighborhood
-My work shop & garden
-My cars, including "chip's toy"
-My abilities
-My health
-The respect of my peers
-Public acknowlegment of the success of my hobby.
-Living in a free country
-My education
-The opportunities I've taken to do the things I wanted to do when I was younger
-The ability to make choices in my life
-The option of feeling loved
-Having weekends off from work
-The possibility of a work promotion in the near future
-The 10% raise I negociated beginning in May
-My upcoming vacation time
-My benifits package, and pension plan
-Having a window in my private office
-Listening to satelite radio in my workshop
-Praying in my private backyard
-Eating fudge
-Enjoying coffee in a handmade ceramic coffee cup
-The brilliant blue sky outside
-Having a hot bath with epsom salts
-Chewing gum
-Finding worms and bugs in the garden with my 3 year old
-Induldging my 6 year old in all his birthday wishes
-Not having a long commute to and from work
-Living in a very nice community with lots of opportunities for my children
-Going to the DQ
-Having a campfire in our backyard firepit
-Drinking pop and fresh fruit juices...it tastes better than beer.
-Being relieved of the poor health effects of my addictions
-Not having a hangover today
-Playing internet chess and posting on my favorate websites (including SR)
-going to a meeting tonight

I could go on and on.

Guess what???
I feel much better about my life now. Please share some things that YOU are grateful for...
peace out,
chip

Iwanttobe1

Chip,

I am thankful for your post. I have had a terrible day and needed to be reminded of the things you listed.

Hugs,

Carol

best

My list addition...

People like Chip that share and help us all grow...

Rowan

Just proves that if you really look around you - and ask 'what am I grateful for?' - suddenly we see the abundance in each of our lives.

I went for a bike ride with my daughter today - first 'hot' day we've had this year. I used to be scared to ride my bike - had isolated for so long. But we were out in the sunshine amongst people and I felt my heart pumping and my lungs were full of fresh air and I felt alive. So that's what I am grateful for today.

Rowan

laurie6781

When I read that I just had to laugh Chip. Oh sheesh, I have lots and lots of Recovery as many here know, however, when I am stressed, if I am not careful, I can take an ant hill and turn it into Mt. Everest in about 5 seconds flat!!!! Now I don't do it near as much as I used to early in recovery.

I do believe this is a problem with most alcoholics. We get sober and we get clean but we lived with chaos so long that into recovery we still create it when there is none, and when we have a bad couple of days or week where 'life' has thrown us some rough curves, we revert to our thinking when we were drinking and make the problems bigger, IT WAS THE ONLY WAY WE KNEW HOW TO DEAL.

Now you are learning new tools, posting here, making a gratitude list!!! Today, you have come a long way Chip, you know what you are feeling and doing, WOW WHAT GROWTH.

Chip, I promise you, it DOES GET BETTER, and these incidents get further and further apart.

I am so glad you started this thread. Thank you.

Love and hugs,

chip

Thanks for the replys.

It's a beautiful, sunny Sunday morning, and I'm going outside to work on my hobby. Have a wonderful day!
chip