JFT May 14 - Oops!
Evolving Addict
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New York State
Posts: 3,067
JFT May 14 - Oops!
May 14
Mistakes! We all know how it feels to make them. Many of us feel that our entire lives have been a mistake. We often regard our mistakes with shame or guilt—at the very least, with frustration and impatience. We tend to see mistakes as evidence that we are still sick, crazy, stupid, or too damaged to recover.
In truth, mistakes are a very vital and important part of being human. For particularly stubborn people (such as addicts), mistakes are often our best teachers. There is no shame in making mistakes. In fact, making new mistakes often shows our willingness to take risks and grow.
It’s helpful, though, if we learn from our mistakes; repeating the same ones may be a sign that we’re stuck. And expecting different results from the same old mistakes—well, that’s what we call “insanity.” It just doesn’t work.
Just for today: Mistakes aren’t tragedies. But please, Higher Power, help me learn from them!
Copyright © 1991-2008 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Oops!
“Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.”
Basic Text, p. 23
––––=––––
Basic Text, p. 23
––––=––––
Mistakes! We all know how it feels to make them. Many of us feel that our entire lives have been a mistake. We often regard our mistakes with shame or guilt—at the very least, with frustration and impatience. We tend to see mistakes as evidence that we are still sick, crazy, stupid, or too damaged to recover.
In truth, mistakes are a very vital and important part of being human. For particularly stubborn people (such as addicts), mistakes are often our best teachers. There is no shame in making mistakes. In fact, making new mistakes often shows our willingness to take risks and grow.
It’s helpful, though, if we learn from our mistakes; repeating the same ones may be a sign that we’re stuck. And expecting different results from the same old mistakes—well, that’s what we call “insanity.” It just doesn’t work.
––––=––––
Just for today: Mistakes aren’t tragedies. But please, Higher Power, help me learn from them!
Copyright © 1991-2008 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Member
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Cape Town - South Africa
Posts: 47
I hear what they are saying about mistakes. The lesson I can take from this reading is that perfection is not a realistic goal to punish myself for for not achieving. And that if I dont acheive perfection always that it isnt instantanious proof of the fact that I am "too damaged to recover properly"
It is quite amusing to me that I have chosen recovery whole heartedly and am now beating myself for not being the same as everyone else who didnt go down the same road as I did.
Thank you for letting me share.
It is quite amusing to me that I have chosen recovery whole heartedly and am now beating myself for not being the same as everyone else who didnt go down the same road as I did.
Thank you for letting me share.
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