candi7

My learning lessons for today:

I can't control anything outside my own hula hoop... the serenity prayer gives me plenty-Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the different.

Before sobriety I had no boundaries, if I walked into your home and I felt emotional tension-I took that on and based my attitude on that very emotional sludge that oozed all over me... I'd let it bring me down and low..

I had to learn, it's not my problem and it's not always me causing drama or having a bad day.. I had to learn my own boundaries...where I began and ended and where the other person began and to let others deal with their space & issues...I learn to keep my mouth shut to how I thought or felt they were feeling toward me.. 9 times out of 10-they had a stinkin bad day-like everybody else and if I brought that attitude home and gave it to them-it would repel them.. So I learned that I could say hi to them and if they wanted to talk about it, I'd let them, but if they decided to hold it in-that's their life.. Then I went about the chores or dinner, or my own thing..

Then, I learned that I could use my resources with AA, and call other recovering alcoholics & especially my sponsor when I needed to vent... made me feel so much better.

Now I'm learning I have a higher power that is willing to listen and will answer me, not always as I would have it but if I'm patient good things do come. I admit to my part in my destructive alcoholic past, my character flaws and allowing what needs to be done to keep me sober..I'm still on step 4 and looking forward to 5 and beyond.. But one day at a time, one step at a time.

With the higher powers help, my focus is no longer my little hula hoop-now I'm able to look beyond and see need all around me.. now I'm excited to share and extend some love & compassion toward a fellow sufferer..

And those with whom I may have conflict-those who don't know boundaries or have no respect outwardly for me-I can throw up my hand-in a stop fashion and say sorry but that's unacceptable and I'm walking away.. And I take me and my hula hoop and walk away... (I learned that from my sponsor).

It's not so bad standing on my own 2 feet inside the safety of my hula hoop!



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And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing, or situation-some fact of my life -unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, happens in God's world by mistake.