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October 29 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. – Jimmy Dean DAILY REFLECTION Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. - Mark Twain Which of the Twelve Steps teach us how to handle our fear? The Steps that scare us the most! For many of us, that would be Step Three, Step Five, and Step Nine. These Steps ask us to move from one place in our life to a new place. Step Three asks us to let go of the life we are leading and to step into a new life. We have faith that it is okay to do so because we have come to believe in a Higher Power that will restore us to balance and sanity. Step Five asks us to move from a secret life to a life of openness. We have to leave our hiding place, take off our masks, and let someone else see us as we really are. In Step Nine, we take responsibility for our past actions. We face the people we have hurt, and we do what we can to repair the damage we caused. Each of these Steps teaches us courage. Higher Power, give me courage to move into the new life You have made open to me. All I need to do is take the Steps to get there. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s6.postimg.org/xz0khl301/Quotes_On_Courage.jpg |
October 30 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Coincidence: God performs a little miracle and wishes to remain anonymous. – Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION It's a simple formula--do your best and somebody might like it. - Dorothy Baker We're never guaranteed success by others' standards. However, if we do our best according to the standards we think God has in mind, we'll be successful. And from God we'll always receive unconditional love and acceptance. In the past, many of us were haunted by fears that our best wasn't good enough. And not infrequently those fears hindered our performance, thus validating our fears. We can slip back into those immobilizing fears if we don't attend, with vigilance, to the program and its suggestions. Our higher power will help us do whatever task lies before us. And no task will be ours except those for which we've been readied. Our job is simply to go forth, taking God as our partner, and set about completing the task. We will not falter if we remember where our strength rests, where the guidance lies. Self-esteem is one of the byproducts of a job done with God's help. An additional byproduct is that we learn more quickly to rely on God's direction and strength the next time, thus reducing the time we give to fear. I can be successful today in every endeavor if I let God manage my moves. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s6.postimg.org/8o0getjsh/use_...ould_be_ve.jpg |
October 31 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Please everybody and no one is pleased; please yourself and at least you're pleased. – Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION Growth A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions. I am growing spiritually, every day. It is not always obvious to me, but when I do my daily inventories, I am able to see how much my thinking has changed. I am happy to see that ideas and actions that terrified me in the past are now not so daunting. I have found that when I do the next right thing even when I am scared, I grow; and when I grow into a more healthy person, I can never really go back to subscribing to my old unhealthy behaviors. That’s not to say that I always act in a healthy manner. There are times when I relapse into my codependent tendencies. *The difference is that now I am aware of it, and it doesn’t feel acceptable to me anymore. In times like this, I am gentle with myself and remember that noticing and deciding not engage in those behaviors is in itself progress. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s18.postimg.org/4k1ie07yh/eff...ad99259eeb.jpg |
November 1 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING What is addiction, really? It is a sign, a signal, a symptom of distress. It is a language that tells us about a plight that must be understood. – Alice Miller DAILY REFLECTION Angels Are Everywhere I never believed in angels. Now I do. I think of angels as people who do nice things for us without expecting much in return. They give for the love of giving. They seek out opportunities to help, even when it seems inconvenient. They don't always look like we expect them to look or smell like we think they should. Their beliefs aren't always aligned with ours. But when we need them, they are there. One of the first times I really understood their concept was when I drove to New York from Las Vegas in 1982. There I was, thrust into a big world I had never known except in geography schoolbooks. I was terrified but willing to make the drive. This cross-country trip was to become a metaphor for the bigger journey in my life. Angels were everywhere. I met them in gas stations and rest stops, on the highway, in hotels, at restaurants, and at every meeting place I stopped along the way. From Flagstaff, Arizona to Albuquerque, New Mexico; from Joplin, Missouri to Chicago, Illinois and then on to New York. Their support was unfailing. Because of them, I got from one city to another. Because of them, I completed my journey. My job was simply to show up; they did the rest. When was the last time you recognized an angel? Perhaps they let your car pass into the next lane without giving you a dirty look. Perhaps they offered to assist you when you were overloaded with bags. Perhaps they gave you their seat on the subway or the bus. Maybe they gave you a gift they knew you'd like. Perhaps they loaned you some money, bought clothes or toys for your kids when you couldn't, or just lent a helping hand in whatever way they could. Or maybe it was a friend who just stopped in the middle of a busy workday to take your call or meet with you for coffee or lunch. An angel can be someone you know or someone you meet in passing. Angels enhance your life, if even for a moment. You're invited to recognize and acknowledge the angels in your life, people who have contributed to your life in big and small ways. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s21.postimg.org/tkm8lxmwn/doggies.jpg |
November 2 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them. - Malcolm S. Forbes DAILY REFLECTION Attitude Some days are just harder to get through then others. Maybe I'm overwhelmed by too many commitments. Maybe I didn't sleep well the night before and my emotions are getting the better of me. Maybe I'm just fed up with everyone and everything and can't stop myself from being snappy or snide, sure that everyone around me is just trying to test my patience. On days like these, I stop and think about what I once heard in an inspirational speech. The speaker was sharing an anecdote related to bad attitudes and he said, "If throughout the course of the day you run into someone with a bad attitude, then you run into someone with a bad attitude. Don't worry about it. It's bound to happen. Just stay positive and move along in your day but..." Here he paused for emphasis and then added, "If you run into three or more people with bad attitudes, then you're the one with the bad attitude. You're the one with the problem." Of course we all laughed, each of us being guilty of this type of denial related to our own bad behavior at one time or another. But for me, the sentiment stuck and today, if I do catch myself angry with the world, sure that everyone is against me, ready to attack at any moment, then it is time for me to check my own attitude, change my perspective, and step back onto my spiritual path and away from my shadow self. Dear God, help me to adjust my attitude during the course of a particularly trying day. Help me to remember that each day is a gift that I must cherish. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s3.postimg.org/oblr1e5qb/Phot...7_00_58_AM.jpg |
November 3 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING God's delay in answering our prayers isn't God's denial. - Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION Stop Building Cases You don't have to build a big drama around your life. We may need to end a relationship or explore a new career. Instead of simply saying "this is what I'm going to do", we build a case. Like a lawyer getting ready to go to court, we prepare our arguments. We take one feeling and build a hundred page document around it, prepared to battle our case. You can build cases if you want to. But usually there's a hidden feeling underneath all that case building that's asking to be cleared. It could be a tinge of guilt or fear. Or it could just be the belief that it's not okay to clearly express ourselves, say how it feels to us, and do what we need to do to take care of ourselves. Let go of the drama. Just say what you need and how it feels to you. Be as simple and clear as you can in expressing yourself. If you find yourself building a case or creating a big dramatic scene, take a moment. Why are you making such a fuss? God, help me keep it simple, especially when it comes to expressing myself. Daily share from the forum can be found here: http://www.todays-hope.com/todays-sharing.html http://s21.postimg.org/few1m7wdj/Simplicity_Quote.jpg |
November 4 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Everything happens for a reason. You might ask yourself why that which you are going through has happened to you, but just understand that you are being made strong. Blaming others simply means you are not in total control of your life, so you find someone responsible for your failures. Just don't give up in life. If you can't run, walk; if you can't walk, crawl, if you can't crawl, then roll. Just make sure you keep moving in life. Never give up. Take it one step at a time. - Unknown DAILY REFLECTION Some people walk in the rain. Others just get wet. - Roger Miller Gifts are usually surprises. We don't generally know what the ribbons, bows, and wrapping conceal. Life's greatest misfortunes are, in retrospect, often referred to as gifts. While a debt can feel like a curse, when we finally get to the bottom of what's happened to us, we're surprised to find something good - a gift or blessing of sorts. Through our misfortune, we may have developed some true and lasting relationships, learned we had some admirable qualities we didn't know we had, or discovered the meaning of courage. Today, if I am struggling, I will anticipate the wondrous surprise to come. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s16.postimg.org/dxebkorad/som...l_of_darkn.jpg |
This past spring, I was at a church I'd started going to on and off. I no longer recall the overall theme of the day, but at one point we all chanted "I give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way." I liked this so much that I wrote it down and hung it on my walls in a couple of different rooms as a reminder. On one copy, I misspelled "unknown" as "unkown" and didn't notice this for a while. When I did notice, I was horrified, ready to rip it down and correct it immediately--it looked bad, it made me look careless or stupid or both, I HAD MADE A MISTAKE!!! Then, for some reason, I paused. Maybe I should just leave it up there as a reminder that A) I'm not perfect, and B) that it's OK to not be perfect. And there it hangs, doing double duty--it was an "unknown blessing" indeed... |
November 5 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING People can be more forgiving than you can imagine. But you have to forgive yourself. Let go of what’s bitter and move on. - Unknown DAILY REFLECTION We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, "Why did this happen to me?" unless we ask the same question for every moment of happiness that comes our way. - Author unknown A millionaire wanted his son to understand that the world was made up of those who had great happiness in the world because they never wanted for anything, and those who lived in unhappiness because their struggles were never-ending. He asked one of his lowest-paid workers if his son could stay for a weekend, and the employee agreed. When the weekend was over, the millionaire picked up his son. On the way home he asked his son, "What did you learn about how others live?" "A lot," the boy replied as he sat with his shoulders slumped, "We have a dog, but they have three dogs and a couple of cats. They even have chickens and ducks and a donkey. We have a swimming pool, but they have this great big lake. We have a deck, but they have a back yard that stretches for miles and miles. And at dinner, they all sit around a table and laugh and talk together." The millionaire sat in silence, listening to his son. "I guess the lesson I learned, Dad, is how poor we really are." Rather than rue what I do not have, I will be happy for all that I have been given. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s12.postimg.org/bat21nb2l/d0c...42511d00f3.jpg |
November 6 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Remember, we were all born to be happy, joyous and free. - Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION The principle of life is that life responds by corresponding; your life becomes the thing you have decided it shall be. - Raymond Charles Barker The attitude that we carry with us into a particular setting will greatly influence our perceptions of any event. Our attitude also influences, positively or negatively, personal interactions, and not just those involving ourselves. The effect of our message is this: our personal power is profound. We have explicit control over our own perceptions. We determine our own attitudes. Every moment of our lives we are deciding what we want to see, to think, to feel. And reflections will inform us that our expectations are firmly fulfilled. How exhilarating to become aware of our freedom to think and to feel as we wish. However, with this freedom comes responsibility. We're barred from blaming others for our troubles. Each of us is charged with the responsibility for deciding our own fate. How we prepare ourselves for this experience or this day is individually chosen. Every minute we are in control of our perceptions, our attitudes, and our responses. Today is mine to mold--my attitude, my thoughts and responses. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope Since we're not supposed to embed videos any more, I'll just post this link to "Today is Going to Be a Great Day", a silly and fun song from Bowling for Soup. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erjC2HfqRUs |
November 7 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Do the rowing and let God do the steering. - Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION Worth Don’t give up! I believe in you all! A person’s a person no matter how small! - Dr. Seuss There are many times in my life when I have felt that my value comes from what I do – my job, my salary, how perfect I could make my relationships. It is often a conscious effort for me to remember that my value comes from me as I am, not from how I measure up to “perfection.” A friend once told me that simply by existing, I have a right to be. Simply by being here, I have a right to the respect and dignity of human beings, just like any other person. I don’t need to be the perfect daughter or the perfect partner. I can just be. It is in this way that I can remember that I am not greater than nor am I less than others. This balance is often hard to maintain because of my black-and-white thinking. But in cases like this, I do Stepwork, reach out to people in the program including my Sponsor. When I do this, I am able to get in touch with my serenity rather than seek externally for validation. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s15.postimg.org/679sgywwb/I_value_myself_I.jpg |
November 8 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. - Marie Curie DAILY REFLECTION Strength Strength is a character trait that I am glad that I possess. It has been cultivated over time, made stronger by each trial I have endured. Today, when I find myself struggling to continue on, feeling like I can't cope for even a moment longer, I remind myself of the pain and despair I have walked through over the course of my life and how I have been made stronger today because of it. The painful events of my past remind me that I do have the strength to continue on my spiritual path even when it seems the road is too difficult to walk. I must remember that "This too shall pass." I must remember that change for the better is inevitable. If I keep these thoughts in mind, I will move forward, and I will get through my hardships. Dear God, help me to have the strength to endure when I feel that I am lost and worn. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s15.postimg.org/y71rfge0b/ima...l_EJPf_HYf.jpg |
November 9 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Yesterday is so far in the past I can't see it; tomorrow is too distant in the future to be seen. So I'll take a good look at what I can see - today - Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION Whoever is happy will make others happy too. He who has courage and faith will never perish in misery. - Anne Frank Acknowledging our gratitude for the blessings in our life releases the happiness that we sometimes keep hidden within our heart. And happiness can be contagious. We all know people who are always bubbly, who always look on the bright side of events, who genuinely inspire happiness in us when we're around them. We, too, can serve as a catalyst for happiness in the lives of others. Knowing that we're never left alone to solve any problem or handle any situation relieves us of much of the anxiety that crowds out happiness. Having God as a constant companion and having faith that we are moving toward the best outcome for the present circumstance makes happiness a far more frequent visitor in our life. Happiness becomes habitual when we keep our focus on God as our play's director, the source for all our decisions. I will share happiness and my faith in God with others today. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s14.postimg.org/ty0r61i69/Favim_com_6345.jpg |
November 10 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING When confronted with a dilemma, ask yourself "What would Jesus do?" - Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION Going Easy Go easy. You may have to push forward, but you don't have to push so hard. Go in gentleness, go in peace. Do not be in so much of a hurry. At no day, no hour, no time are you required to do more than you can do in peace. Frantic behaviors and urgency are not the foundation for our new way of life. Do not be in too much of a hurry to begin. Begin, but do not force the beginning if it is not time. Beginnings will arrive soon enough. Enjoy and relish middles, the heart of the matter. Do not be in too much of a hurry to finish. You may be almost done, but enjoy the final moments. Give yourself fully to those moments so that you may give and get all there is. Let the pace flow naturally. Move forward. Start. Keep moving forward. Do it gently, though. Do it in peace. Cherish each moment. Today, God, help me focus on a peaceful pace rather than a frenzied one. I will keep moving forward gently, not frantically. Help me let go of my need to be anxious, upset, and harried. Help me replace it with a need to be at peace and in harmony. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s11.postimg.org/m2uzwry4j/ima...to_go_fast.jpg |
My absolute favorite quote from Today's Hope. Thank you, hp. I also would like those shoes, although I suspect they do in fact make you go faster. |
November 11 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Our opportunity is to love ourselves exactly as we are, with all our joys and sufferings, to be grateful for everything and to forgive ourselves for our doubts of our own worthiness, for we have no need to be anything other than what we are. - Jonathan Lockwood Huie DAILY REFLECTION Silence I am not a quiet person and I did not grow up in a quiet family but I still relish the time when I can find silence in the middle of noisy chaos. Silence can calm a restless mind and silence can also open it to solutions. When I find myself becoming overwhelmed, I take the time to find a moment of solitude. It can be a walk in the nature center by my house on one of the quiet paths, a silent moment in my car, parked on top of a hill, looking out over my city or a short weekend trip, away from day-to-day life, where I can rest peacefully by the lake and watch as nature unfolds. These moments of silence, whether they last just a few minutes or a few days, soothe my spirit and rejuvenate my heart like prayer. When I find myself unable to make decisions, when I find myself being at odds with those around me, I must make time to step out of the frenzy of my daily world and make room for silent moments. These moments are a gift that help me to once again find balance and God's grace. Dear God, help me to find a moment of quiet respite when I am lost in the chaos of my world. Help me to see that I must make time to find peace in nature and in solitude. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s18.postimg.org/u2ucy40fd/8f5...682b2a41c2.jpg |
November 12 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. - Mother Theresa DAILY REFLECTION One forgives to the degree that one loves. - La Rochefaucould We all get hurt by other people sometimes. When this happens, we have choices. We can get angry and stay that way. We can act like it didn't hurt and try to forget it. We can act like a sad sack and hold a grudge. Or we can forgive. We first have to think about how someone hurt us. It often helps to talk to the person, to tell the person that he or she hurt us. We then tell the person what we'd like from him or her to help set our relationship straight. Then we let go. This is what forgiveness is: (1) loving ourselves enough to stand up for ourselves, (2) loving others enough to point out their behavior, and (3) letting go. Higher Power, help me lovingly forgive those who have hurt me Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s15.postimg.org/9stlt56rv/pos...ct_forgive.jpg |
November 13 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING I don't need your help today. Love, God - Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION Optimism What I think about surrounds me. What I allow to be entertained in my mind becomes a reality. If I think negatively, I will attract negativity in my life. On the other hand, if I concentrate on developing positive thoughts, I will attract positive people and events to my life. My potential will be increased. I cannot control what thoughts come into my mind, but I can control my perception and reaction to them. I pray that I may be filled with positive thoughts today; I deserve the resulting rewards. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s3.postimg.org/f20wbqpvn/brya...ought_4r5e.jpg |
November 14 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well. – Antoine de Saint-Exupery DAILY REFLECTION Pause Don’t just do something – stand there. This slogan is often a difficult one for me. I often find myself unable to act because I am afraid, but I also find myself unable to sit still because I am uncomfortable. This slogan reminds me that fear and discomfort are not, either of them, good reasons to act. It reminds me that it is OK to sit with discomfort and, I have found, it is good for me to sit with discomfort. It gives me a chance to love myself even I am unhappy, even when I am uncomfortable, even when I’m scared. I came to realize that these are the times when I most need love and through the program, I was able to learn to give myself that love rather than seek externally for validation. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s21.postimg.org/kxu9mi6vb/d62...ea8b0ae45f.jpg |
November 15 This is posted from the "Today's Hope" site of Alanon. DAILY SLOGAN/SAYING Our sickness is between our ears. – Heard in a meeting DAILY REFLECTION Self Control Sometimes when I am overwhelmed, I realize that I am so busy running ariound that I am not taking care of myself. Next thing I know, I'm tired and worn out. I'm not exercising, I'm not eating properly. I'm not practicing my spiritual footwork, and what has already been too much for me to handle becomes so much more of a problem. It is at this time that I must step back and practice self-control: Cut back on my commitments, take the time to make good choices about my health, and spend each day moving forward on my spiritual path through writing and praying. I must exercise self-control and move away from unhealthy behavior so that I can be my best self. Today, I choose to put "first things first" and exercise self-control so that I benefit from the rewards. Dear God, help me to make good emotional and physical choices. Guide me to put first things first. Daily share from the forum can be found here: Today's Sharing - Today's Hope http://s12.postimg.org/vfg088uv1/8x1...ings_First.jpg |
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