Today's Hope - September 7
Life is good
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 4,036
Today's Hope - September 7
From: Today's Sharing
Today's Quote
Attitude is Everything. - Charles Swindoll
Daily Reflection
Be Who You Are
In recovery; we're learning a new behavior. It's called Be Who You Are.
For some of us, this can be frightening. What would happen if we felt what we felt, said what we wanted, became firm about our beliefs, and valued what we needed? What would happen if we let go of our camouflage of adaptation? What would happen if we owned our power to be ourselves?
Would people still like us? Would they go away? Would they become angry?
There comes a time when we become willing and ready to take that risk. To continue growing, and living with ourselves, we realize we must liberate ourselves. It becomes time to stop allowing ourselves to be so controlled by others and their expectations and be true to ourselves - regardless of the reaction of others.
Before long, we begin to understand. Some people may go away, but the relationship would have ended anyway. Some people stay and love and respect us more for taking the risk of being whom we are. We begin to achieve intimacy, and relationships that work.
We discover that who we are has always been good enough. It is who we were intended to be.
Today, I will own my power to be myself.
Today's Quote
Attitude is Everything. - Charles Swindoll
Daily Reflection
Be Who You Are
In recovery; we're learning a new behavior. It's called Be Who You Are.
For some of us, this can be frightening. What would happen if we felt what we felt, said what we wanted, became firm about our beliefs, and valued what we needed? What would happen if we let go of our camouflage of adaptation? What would happen if we owned our power to be ourselves?
Would people still like us? Would they go away? Would they become angry?
There comes a time when we become willing and ready to take that risk. To continue growing, and living with ourselves, we realize we must liberate ourselves. It becomes time to stop allowing ourselves to be so controlled by others and their expectations and be true to ourselves - regardless of the reaction of others.
Before long, we begin to understand. Some people may go away, but the relationship would have ended anyway. Some people stay and love and respect us more for taking the risk of being whom we are. We begin to achieve intimacy, and relationships that work.
We discover that who we are has always been good enough. It is who we were intended to be.
Today, I will own my power to be myself.
Life is good
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 4,036
Daily Sharing from The Forum (Al-Anon pocket-size magazine)
The Best For Me
When I first came to Al-Anon, I knew I didn’t have a problem. It was the alcoholic who had the problem. If the alcoholic would just listen to me, I would tell him what he needed to do. When I explained this to people in Al-Anon, they smiled and said, “Keep Coming Back.” I thought I had too many things to do to keep going to meetings. Obviously, they didn’t have the busy life that I had.
Well, I kept coming back-not really wanted to at first. Little by little I related to something somebody said. Of course, they never said it the way I would have said it. They were kind, courteous, and peaceful. I, who was loud, angry and resentful, didn’t understand. Someone suggested that I get a sponsor, but I didn’t think I needed none. I had lots of friends whose advice I followed through the drinking years, and none of it ever worked. Why call someone I barely knew to talk about my alcoholic, when they hadn’t even met?
All of the people in Al-Anon seemed to have a secret. While not all were happy, they openly shared and gave hope and encouragement to one another. They talked like they had known each other for years. I thought, “What’s the catch? All these people can’t be this nice-they must want something.”
They wanted to hug and talk to me after a meeting. At first, as soon as the meeting was over, I’d run for the door. I didn’t have anything to talk about. If they talked to me for very ling, they’d find out that I wasn’t a good conversationalist. When they talked about service work, I thought they meant the community-service work an alcoholic gets as part of his sentence for driving under the influence I soon learned I was wrong about a lot of things.
Al-Anon was not a program for the alcoholic. It was a program for me. During the drinking years, I became ill-full of anger, resentment, and self-pity. I became controlling and unreasonable. Al-Anon helped me change by taking the focus off the alcoholic and putting it on myself. Today, after a little time in the program, my life has changed dramatically. The meetings that I thought I didn’t have time for, I attend about five times a week. Although I still have a long way to go, I’ve gained self-confidence, understanding and a serenity that I didn’t think was possible. I have a sponsor-someone “who has been there and done that.” Who is willing to share her experience, strength and hope with me. I don’t feel like I’ve known her all my life, but I hope and pray I know her for the rest of my life.
The people that I thought wanted something from me, did. They wanted the best for me. That was the secret. Now I’m one of those hanging out after the meetings, hugging and talking. I’ve turned into a chatterbox. I found out that service work means giving back what I received. It’s only as much as I want-things like answering the phone, manning a booth, chairing a meeting and coming to newcomers’ meeting. All are things everyone can do. I’ve found the more I give, the more I get.
The Best For Me
When I first came to Al-Anon, I knew I didn’t have a problem. It was the alcoholic who had the problem. If the alcoholic would just listen to me, I would tell him what he needed to do. When I explained this to people in Al-Anon, they smiled and said, “Keep Coming Back.” I thought I had too many things to do to keep going to meetings. Obviously, they didn’t have the busy life that I had.
Well, I kept coming back-not really wanted to at first. Little by little I related to something somebody said. Of course, they never said it the way I would have said it. They were kind, courteous, and peaceful. I, who was loud, angry and resentful, didn’t understand. Someone suggested that I get a sponsor, but I didn’t think I needed none. I had lots of friends whose advice I followed through the drinking years, and none of it ever worked. Why call someone I barely knew to talk about my alcoholic, when they hadn’t even met?
All of the people in Al-Anon seemed to have a secret. While not all were happy, they openly shared and gave hope and encouragement to one another. They talked like they had known each other for years. I thought, “What’s the catch? All these people can’t be this nice-they must want something.”
They wanted to hug and talk to me after a meeting. At first, as soon as the meeting was over, I’d run for the door. I didn’t have anything to talk about. If they talked to me for very ling, they’d find out that I wasn’t a good conversationalist. When they talked about service work, I thought they meant the community-service work an alcoholic gets as part of his sentence for driving under the influence I soon learned I was wrong about a lot of things.
Al-Anon was not a program for the alcoholic. It was a program for me. During the drinking years, I became ill-full of anger, resentment, and self-pity. I became controlling and unreasonable. Al-Anon helped me change by taking the focus off the alcoholic and putting it on myself. Today, after a little time in the program, my life has changed dramatically. The meetings that I thought I didn’t have time for, I attend about five times a week. Although I still have a long way to go, I’ve gained self-confidence, understanding and a serenity that I didn’t think was possible. I have a sponsor-someone “who has been there and done that.” Who is willing to share her experience, strength and hope with me. I don’t feel like I’ve known her all my life, but I hope and pray I know her for the rest of my life.
The people that I thought wanted something from me, did. They wanted the best for me. That was the secret. Now I’m one of those hanging out after the meetings, hugging and talking. I’ve turned into a chatterbox. I found out that service work means giving back what I received. It’s only as much as I want-things like answering the phone, manning a booth, chairing a meeting and coming to newcomers’ meeting. All are things everyone can do. I’ve found the more I give, the more I get.
Life is good
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2018
Posts: 4,036
Gratitude & Appreciation:
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. What can I be grateful for in my life right now? – In other words, focus on, what can I be grateful for in my life right now? If I ever catch myself in a negative mindset or thinking pessimistically, I ask this question. Maybe it’s just that you are healthy and alive, which means you still have time.
If you’ve still got time, that means you still have time to make your life the way you want it to be. When you ask your brain for a positive answer, it fills you with positive emotions.
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. What can I be grateful for in my life right now? – In other words, focus on, what can I be grateful for in my life right now? If I ever catch myself in a negative mindset or thinking pessimistically, I ask this question. Maybe it’s just that you are healthy and alive, which means you still have time.
If you’ve still got time, that means you still have time to make your life the way you want it to be. When you ask your brain for a positive answer, it fills you with positive emotions.
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