Courage To Change: 06/20/14
Behold the power of NO
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: WA
Posts: 7,764
Courage To Change: 06/20/14
Fear was a daily part of my experience of alcoholism, and I learned certain ways to cope with it. I often catch myself reacting to my fears in the same way today, even though my circumstances have changed. For example, I often keep quiet when confronted, instead of speaking my mind. This might be a legitimate response, except that I don’t consciously make the choice. This is not responding, it’s reacting, giving up my self-respect out of fear and out of habit. My best alternative is to admit that I have a problem, accept my reactions, and turn them over to my Higher Power. I’ve often heard that courage is fear that has said its prayers. I must recognize my fear, I must say those prayers, and I must have faith as I wait for healing. In the meantime, there are important ways in which I can help myself. The first step in learning to respond more effectively to others is to learn to respond more effectively to myself. I can learn to respond with love, caring, and respect for myself, even for those parts of me that experience fear, confusion, and anger.
Today’s Reminder
Today I’ll try to become more aware of alternatives that I haven’t yet recognized.
“. . . Al-Anon helped me to accept the fact that, although I have no control over other people’s reactions or thoughts, I can change the way I react.”
. . . In All Our Affairs
Today I’ll try to become more aware of alternatives that I haven’t yet recognized.
“. . . Al-Anon helped me to accept the fact that, although I have no control over other people’s reactions or thoughts, I can change the way I react.”
. . . In All Our Affairs
Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: right here, right now
Posts: 6,516
Thank you, Carlotta. I feel like God is trying to tell me something. I just this morning read something remarkably similar in one of Melody Beattie's books. About how we keep reacting with fear long after it's no longer necessary.
Food for thought.
Food for thought.
Member
Join Date: May 2014
Location: liverpool, england
Posts: 1,708
i have to face fear head on other wise i will have no peace in my mind.
i used to always put things off like paying a bill or contacting someone over a bill i couldnt pay as i was scared of what might happen
but when i would do the right thing it would all be ok and they would help me rather than hurt me
its been a long painful process of growing out of fear and i first had to understand me and how i work inside of me
i dont pray to a higher power for courage as i know i have to do it
however in my early years i used to repeat the serenity prayer over and over in my mind. the god word had no meaning for me but the rest of the words did
accept things i can not change
all my life i have tried to change everything to my own way and when i had it my own way i was never happy
but it takes work on me each day in every situation i come across in life to put this new way of living into practise
and it works but only if we work it
thats why i dont need the god side of things as it works without the need to pray so long as i work it and i am honest
i used to always put things off like paying a bill or contacting someone over a bill i couldnt pay as i was scared of what might happen
but when i would do the right thing it would all be ok and they would help me rather than hurt me
its been a long painful process of growing out of fear and i first had to understand me and how i work inside of me
i dont pray to a higher power for courage as i know i have to do it
however in my early years i used to repeat the serenity prayer over and over in my mind. the god word had no meaning for me but the rest of the words did
accept things i can not change
all my life i have tried to change everything to my own way and when i had it my own way i was never happy
but it takes work on me each day in every situation i come across in life to put this new way of living into practise
and it works but only if we work it
thats why i dont need the god side of things as it works without the need to pray so long as i work it and i am honest
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