The Language of Letting Go, Feb. 17
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The Language of Letting Go, Feb. 17
FEBRUARY 17
You are reading from the book "The Language of Letting Go."
Acceptance
Our basic recovery concept that never loses its power to work miracles is the concept called acceptance.
We do not achieve acceptance in a moment. We often have to work through a mirage of feelings==sometimes anger, outrage, shame, self-pity, or sadness. But if acceptance is our goal, we will achieve it.
What is more freeing than to laugh at our weaknesses and to be grateful for our strengths? To know the entire package called "us"--with all our feelings, thoughts, tendencies, and history--is worthy of acceptance and brings healing feelings.
To accept our circumstances is another miraculous cure. For anything to change or anyone to change, we must first accept others, the circumstance, and ourselves exactly as they are. Then, we need to take it one step further. We need to become grateful for our circumstances or ourselves. We add a touch of faith by saying, "I know this is exactly the way it's supposed to be for the moment."
No matter how complicated we get, the basics never lose their power to restore us to sanity.
Today, Higher Power, help me practice the concept of acceptance in my life. Help me accept others, my circumstances, and myself. Take me one step further, and help me feel grateful.
©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.
You are reading from the book "The Language of Letting Go."
Acceptance
Our basic recovery concept that never loses its power to work miracles is the concept called acceptance.
We do not achieve acceptance in a moment. We often have to work through a mirage of feelings==sometimes anger, outrage, shame, self-pity, or sadness. But if acceptance is our goal, we will achieve it.
What is more freeing than to laugh at our weaknesses and to be grateful for our strengths? To know the entire package called "us"--with all our feelings, thoughts, tendencies, and history--is worthy of acceptance and brings healing feelings.
To accept our circumstances is another miraculous cure. For anything to change or anyone to change, we must first accept others, the circumstance, and ourselves exactly as they are. Then, we need to take it one step further. We need to become grateful for our circumstances or ourselves. We add a touch of faith by saying, "I know this is exactly the way it's supposed to be for the moment."
No matter how complicated we get, the basics never lose their power to restore us to sanity.
Today, Higher Power, help me practice the concept of acceptance in my life. Help me accept others, my circumstances, and myself. Take me one step further, and help me feel grateful.
©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved.
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Originally Posted by honeypig 
To accept our circumstances is another miraculous cure. For anything to change or anyone to change, we must first accept others, the circumstance, and ourselves exactly as they are. Then, we need to take it one step further. We need to become grateful for our circumstances or ourselves. We add a touch of faith by saying, "I know this is exactly the way it's supposed to be for the moment."
It's a thin little book and a quick read; I'd recommend checking it out if you can. I was able to get it thru my county library system.
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When I mentioned to my mom how awful this one work project was going, she immediately said in a shocked voice, 'Will you get fired?!'
Which was really funny because a lot of what went wrong was not In my realm of control. Her statement in its ridiculous over-assumption voiced one of MY deep fears and what fuels my perfectionism. And for her to just say that with no faith in MY work ethic and capabilities, no empathy whatsoever, was an ironic moment of 'wonder where all of this perfectionism came from?? Wonder why I don't believe that I will get support from others - probably because my immediate family really has time and time again just NOT been capable of it. My two supervisors have been more kind about this situation than my own mother. They have been kinder to me than I have been to my own self.
And as I spend more months trying to fix a project that I inherited, there is grace and acceptance in that my work ethic and perfectionism will not always save me. And by God it is never going to win me my parents' love either. There's a lesson in all this muck that I am grateful for and that I can see that in the beginning I was not Type A. It was a bit of armor I picked up so things would never be my fault. I was only as worthy as my last report card or capability. But now I see I am just me. Even sitting on the couch doing nothing at all, I am.
In all this mess, I am grateful for the lesson.
Which was really funny because a lot of what went wrong was not In my realm of control. Her statement in its ridiculous over-assumption voiced one of MY deep fears and what fuels my perfectionism. And for her to just say that with no faith in MY work ethic and capabilities, no empathy whatsoever, was an ironic moment of 'wonder where all of this perfectionism came from?? Wonder why I don't believe that I will get support from others - probably because my immediate family really has time and time again just NOT been capable of it. My two supervisors have been more kind about this situation than my own mother. They have been kinder to me than I have been to my own self.
And as I spend more months trying to fix a project that I inherited, there is grace and acceptance in that my work ethic and perfectionism will not always save me. And by God it is never going to win me my parents' love either. There's a lesson in all this muck that I am grateful for and that I can see that in the beginning I was not Type A. It was a bit of armor I picked up so things would never be my fault. I was only as worthy as my last report card or capability. But now I see I am just me. Even sitting on the couch doing nothing at all, I am.
In all this mess, I am grateful for the lesson.
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Thanks for this post today...wow do I need to just accept my situation. I'm not sure about being grateful yet...ha...I'll *work* on it! Progress not perfection. 
OTHO- I do recognize that all is as it should be right now, so that is a good start.
OTHO- I do recognize that all is as it should be right now, so that is a good start.
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This is an awesome reading and just what I needed today.
Did I ever tell you that you and that sweet little puppy in your avatar rocked?
Whenever I see that little mug on my screen, I know there is some good stuff and some recovery to follow.
Thank you so much for doing service
Did I ever tell you that you and that sweet little puppy in your avatar rocked?
Whenever I see that little mug on my screen, I know there is some good stuff and some recovery to follow.
Thank you so much for doing service
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Originally Posted by Carlotta
This is an awesome reading and just what I needed today.
Did I ever tell you that you and that sweet little puppy in your avatar rocked?
Whenever I see that little mug on my screen, I know there is some good stuff and some recovery to follow.
Thank you so much for doing service
Did I ever tell you that you and that sweet little puppy in your avatar rocked?
Whenever I see that little mug on my screen, I know there is some good stuff and some recovery to follow.
Thank you so much for doing service
And as far as my houndie--that is Mr. Ned, the most handsome basset in the known universe. He is 50 pounds of soft, warm cuddlement, but can turn in an instant to--CRAZY BASSET!--tearing thru the house after his black terrier mix "sister." You would never guess he's 12. He is my dearest and my heart...
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