Daily Motivation 5-24-2013

Friday, May 24, 2013

Today's Gift

Edith Bunker: I was just thinking. In all the years we been married, you never once said you was sorry.
Archie Bunker: Edith, I'll gladly say that I'm sorry - if I ever do anything wrong.
—Norman Lear

We can laugh at Archie because we see a part of ourselves in him. We have lived in a cloud of denial, blind to our faults. If we weren't actually blind to them, perhaps we just refused to admit them because we did not dare. Changing this pattern takes time and determination. We make progress in life when we stop focusing on what is wrong with others and start being accountable for ourselves. We grow when we are willing to amend our lives and accept forgiveness for our mistakes.

A feeling of self-respect flows into us when we stand up and say "I did something wrong." This statement also says, "I have the strength to face my responsibilities and repair my mistakes." It is surprisingly helpful to our self-esteem, and it improves our relationships.

Today, I will be accountable for my actions and will admit my mistakes.

From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

It's ironic, but until you can free those final monsters within the jungle of yourself, your life, your soul is up for grabs. --Rona Barrett

We all have monsters. Maybe it's depression over the past or present circumstances, or resentment about another's behavior, or fear of new situations. Maybe it's jealousy of other women. The more attention we give the monsters, the more powerful they get. The harder we try to resist the jealousy or depression or fear, the greater it becomes.

The program offers us the way to let go. And we find the way through one another. When we share ourselves fully with one another, share our monsters with one another, they no longer dominate us. They seek the dark recesses of our minds, and when we shine the light on them, they recoil. The program offers us an eternal light.

Action for the Day: I will let the program shine its light in my life today. My monsters will flee for the day.

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One Day At A Time

Pass It On
". . . I'll never forget the first time I met Bill Wilson.
I was a couple of months sober and so excited,
so thrilled to actually meet the co-founder that I gushed all over him
with what my sobriety meant to me and my undying gratitude
for his starting AA. When I ran down,
he took my hand in his and said simply, 'Pass It On.' "
- 'Pass It On' the story of Bill Wilson and how the AA message reached the world, Preface

Thought to Ponder . . .
Get it - Give it - Grow in it.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
H E L P = Hope, Encouragement, Love, Patience.

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Daily Motivation

Every moment a miracle

Every moment is a miracle. Every day is filled with magnificent wonder.

Opportunities for joy, and possibilities for great enrichment, are everywhere. A vast abundance spreads out in all directions.

Even the troubling, challenging moments have their positive components. For it is in each moment that the miracle of your life is lived.

Though the petty, frustrating things vie for your attention, they do not have to dominate you. You can choose to remind yourself, again and again, how miraculous it all is.

You can act to make something even more beautiful out of the beauty that already is. You can celebrate, appreciate, and support the goodness and positive value in your world.

The miracle you seek is this moment. Live it as the miracle it is, and the miracle will be yours.

— Ralph Marston

Daily Motivation 5-23-2013

Thursday, May 23, 2013
Today's Gift

Life is not to be endured; life is to be enjoyed and embraced. --Melody Beattie

The belief that we must square our shoulders and get through a meager, deprived existence for far off rewards in Heaven is a codependent belief.

Yes, most of us still have times when life will be stressful and challenge our endurance skills. But we're learning always learning to live, to enjoy our life, and handle situations as they come.

Our survival skills have served us well. They have gotten us through difficult times - as children and adults. Our ability to freeze feelings, deny problems, deprive ourselves, and cope with stress has helped us get where we are today. But we're safe now. We're learning to do more than survive. We can let go of unhealthy survival behaviors. We're learning new, better ways to protect and care for ourselves. We're free to feel our feelings, identify and solve problems, and give ourselves the best. We're free to open up and come alive.

Today, I will let go of my unhealthy endurance and survival skills. I will choose a new mode of living, one that allows me to be alive and enjoy the adventure.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

The present will not long endure.---Pindar

At certain moments, our best friend is time. Time is a gift given us. Time helps us heal. We need to know that when things are tough, these times will pass, and peace will return. Our Higher Power can be like a parent who comforts a child when there's a storm outside. The parent gently reminds the child the sun will shine again.

Tough times come and go. There will be times when life is ugly and very painful. We can't be happy all the time. Remember, our Higher Power is always there. We must have faith in this. A saying often heard in the program is, "This too shall pass."

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, remind me that things will get better. Even if they get worst for a while, they will get better. Let this be my prayer in hard times.

Action for the Day: Today, I'll list times in my life when I thought I couldn't go on. I'll remember the pain, but I'll also remember how time was my friend.

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One Day At A Time

Paradox

It is the great paradox of AA that we know we can seldom keep

the precious gift of sobriety unless we give it away. . .

. . . if we neglect those who are still sick,

there is unremitting danger to our own lives and sanity.

- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 151

Thought to Ponder . . .

We surrender to win; we give away to keep.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .

P R O G R A M = People Relying On God Relaying A Message.

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Daily Motivation

Focus on your good fortune

Think about the things that are right with your life. Think about the good and valuable relationships, skills, tools, resources and opportunities that you have right here, right now.

Focus on what’s right with your life, and make the commitment to make it grow. Focus on what’s right with your life, and make good and purposeful use of that value to make even more.

It’s easy to complain about what’s wrong. But not only does that miss the point, it keeps you stuck in a gloomy, ineffectual perspective.

The fact is, there are plenty of good things in your life. The more you pay attention to them, the more thankful you are for them, the more of them there will be.

If you catch yourself feeling sorry for yourself, have the good sense to stop. Re-direct your energy into feeling lucky for the opportunity you have to make a real, meaningful difference.

Focus on your good fortune. It’s most definitely there, and you can use it to make a whole lot more.

— Ralph Marston

Daily Motivation 5-22-2013

Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Today's Gift

If you do not express your own original ideas, if you do not listen to your own being, you will have betrayed yourself. —Rollo May

Those of us who go around trying to be right and do everything right are likely to betray ourselves. We stifle our impulses and control our intuition because we can't be certain that we are correct. As a spiritual exercise, we could stop now and listen to our inner selves and state our own ideas. What comes out may break the illusion of perfection and free us to proceed with life.

We all have original ideas if we just notice them. What images come to mind while listening to music? What do our dreams tell us? New insights sometimes come by physical activity. Conversation with a friend can help lead us to our wisdom. Our growing strength as a person requires that we listen to our own messages and then take some risks to express them.

Today, I will take risks by stating my ideas. I will stand up for myself by listening to my intuition.

From Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men©

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

 

The change of one simple behavior can affect other behaviors and thus change many things. --Jean Baer

Our behavior tells others and ourselves, who we are. Frequently, we find ourselves behaving in ways that keep us stuck or embarrass us. Or we may feel deep shame for our behavior in a certain instance. Our behavior will never totally please us. But deciding we want to change some behavior and using the our inner guidance to help us, is a first step.

 

Remember, imperfections are human and very acceptable. However, changing a particular behavior, maybe deciding to take a walk every morning rather than sleeping 30 extra minutes, will change how we feel about ourselves. And a minor change such as this can have a remarkable effect on our outlook, our attitudes.

The dilemma for many of us for so long was the fear we couldn't change. But we can. And we can help each other change, too.

Action for the Day: One small change today--a smile at the first person I meet--meditation before dinner--a few minutes of exercise--will help me chart a new course. I will encourage another person to join me in this effort too, and I will be on my way.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Belonging
When we reached AA, and for the first time in our lives
stood among people who seemed to understand,
the sense of belonging was tremendously exciting.
- Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p. 57

Thought to Ponder . . .
I'm not alone anymore.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
T L C = Tears, Laughter, Caring.

 

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Daily Motivation

Opinions

Give consideration to the opinions of others. But don’t let those mere opinions become your reality.

Opinions are valuable, and yet they are far from infallible. What really matters is not what someone else might think, but rather the way you choose to live your life.

Opinions are easy to adopt, to create and to discard. Yet the real substance of life is in action, commitment, persistence and experience, not in tenuous opinions.

It’s fine to have strong opinions. Just make sure those opinions are not a substitute for an active, rich and meaningful life.

Most opinions are based primarily on what has already happened. There’s a whole universe of possibilities that those opinions fail to take into account.

Focus on the best of those possibilities, and work to make them real. Instead of being boxed in by opinions, be liberated by your creation of new and beautiful facts.

— Ralph Marston

 

Daily Motivation 5-14-2013

Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Today's Gift

The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. And the first to learn from it and move on is the happiest. --Nishan Panwar

Sometimes, we act in a manner with which we are less than comfortable. That's human. That's why we have the words: "I'm sorry." They heal and bridge the gap. But we don't have to say, "I'm sorry" if we didn't do anything wrong. A sense of shame can keep us apologizing for everything we do, every word we say, for being alive and being who we are.

We don't have to apologize for taking care of ourselves, dealing with feelings, seeking boundaries, having fun, or getting healthy.

We never have to change our course, if it is in our best interest, but sometimes a general apology acknowledges other feelings and can be useful when the issues of a circumstance or relationship are not clear. We might say, "I'm sorry for the fuss we had. I'm sorry if what I needed to do to take care of myself hurt you; it was not intended that way."

Once we make an apology, we don't have to keep repeating it. If someone wants to keep on extricating an apology from us for the same incident, that is the person's issue, and we don't have to get hooked.

We can learn to take our apologies seriously and not hand them out when they're not valid. When we feel good about ourselves, we know when it's time to say we're sorry and when it's not.

Today, I will try to be clear and healthy in my apologies, taking responsibility for my actions and nobody else's. Higher Power, help me figure out what I need to apologize for and what is not my responsibility.

From the book The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

 

Our friends were not unearthly beautiful, Nor spoke with tongues of gold; our lovers blundered now and again when we most sought perfection . . . --Adrienne Rich

So often our expectations exceed reality. We want more than we have; our homes, our loved ones, perhaps our jobs seem not to measure up. "If only"--we say to ourselves. The time has come to quit saying "if only" and be glad, instead, for what is.

We are talking care of ourself. We do have friends and family who care about us. We do have exactly what we need at this moment.

We each can make a contribution today for the good of someone else and thus for ourselves. And in the act of looking to this day--to giving something to another human being--we will sense the inner perfection we mistakenly long for in our outer selves.

Action for the Day: I can look around me today and be thankful. I will tell someone close that I'm glad we share one another's world.

 

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One Day At A Time

 

Listening
Sometimes, the body can speak an eloquent language all its own.
I see that and feel that in meetings. So coming to regular meetings of AA
is a priceless experience for me in a great many levels -- mental, spiritual,
social, emotional, and now possibly physical.
Listening quietly is already a joy to me, and if it calms me down
and lowers my blood pressure in the process,
that's just another great reason to keep coming back.
- Thank You For Sharing, p. 13

Thought to Ponder . . .
Learn to listen; listen to learn.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Aware.

 

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Daily Motivation

One thing well

If you attempt to do too much at once, you can end up doing not much at all. It is focus, not frenzy, that brings the best achievements to fruition.

Give respect and love to what you’re doing by giving the whole of your attention to it. Your efforts are vastly more effective when your mind is clearly focused.

Remember, the goal is not merely to be busy. The goal is to make a positive, meaningful difference.

When your mind is filled with dozens of different concerns and priorities, its awesome power becomes severely diluted. Make full use of your thoughts, your skills and your actions by not letting them become too scattered.

Be eager, enthusiastic and ambitious about doing more, but not so much that you lose focus on what you’re doing now. Do one thing well, with great focus, then the next, and the next.

Make the choice to focus, and you make the choice to significantly improve your effectiveness. Finish the first thing before turning your attention to the next thing, and you’ll be able to do everything better.

— Ralph Marston

Daily Motivation 5-20-2013

Monday, May 20, 2013
Today's Gift

It only takes one person to change your life - you. —Ruth Casey

Change is not easy, but it's absolutely unavoidable. Doors will close. Barriers will surface. Frustrations will mount. Nothing stays the same forever, and it's such folly to wish otherwise. Growth accompanies positive change; determining to risk the outcome resulting from a changed behavior or attitude will enhance our self-perceptions. We will have moved forward; in every instance our lives will be influenced by making a change that only each of us can make.

We have all dreaded the changes we knew we had to make. Perhaps even now we fear some impending changes. Where might they take us? It's difficult accepting that the outcome is not ours to control. Only the effort is ours. The solace is that positive changes, which we know are right for us and other people in our lives, are never going to take us astray. In fact, they are necessary for the smooth path just beyond this stumbling block.

When we are troubled by circumstances in our lives, a change is called for, a change that we must initiate. When we reflect on our recent as well as distant past, we will remember that the changes we most dreaded again and again have positively influenced our lives in untold ways.

Change ushers in glad, not bad, tidings.

From Each Day a New Beginning: Daily Meditations for Women by Karen Casey©

 

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

 

Keep It Simple

 

The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.---Marcus Aurelius

The struggles of life teach us a lot. They challenge our beliefs. As we struggle, we come to believe that our friends, family, and Higher Power will be there for us in hard times. But we must do our part. We need to call and honestly let people know how we are doing. We need to pray and ask our Higher Power for help. If we do these things, we'll come to respect and learn from hard times.

 

Prayer for the Day: I pray for the wisdom to see that struggles are part of live. Higher Power, I pray for Your help in not taking struggles too personally.

Action for the Day: I'll list four times I've struggled and what I learned from each stuggle. I'll share this with a friend.

 

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

 

Complacency
Alcoholism and addiction ares deadly, ugly, and tough.
They are also cunning, baffling, and powerful. . .
They want me to believe that self-indulgence is fine,
as long as I call it self-forgiveness. . .
They want me to forget that it is a snake in the brain,
hoping to catch my eye, watching, waiting.
The gritty pain of alcoholism and addiction are the traction of recovery.
I cannot afford to sell off the principles for an easier, softer way.
- The Best of the Grapevine [Vol. 3], p. 165

Thought to Ponder . . .
The alcoholic and addicy are in no greater peril than when they take sobriety for granted.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
I S M = I Sabotage Myself.

 

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Daily Motivation

Let yourself

Let yourself think empowering thoughts. Let yourself do amazing things.

Let yourself enjoy the beauty. Let yourself feel the wonder.

You can fill this very day, this moment, this situation with positive, meaningful value. So go ahead, and let yourself do it.

The limitations limit you mostly because you expect them to. Raise your expectations, and let yourself move ahead more quickly and confidently than ever before.

Let yourself dream, and let yourself enjoy doing the challenging work to reach those dreams. Let yourself see what is truly possible, and let yourself bring the best of it into being.

There is amazing greatness within you. Let yourself live it, now.

— Ralph Marston

Daily Motivation 5-17-2013

Friday, May 17, 2013

Today's Gift

 

A small dose of reality is better than no reality at all. --Mark Allen Zabawa

 

Being Present

 

Realtiy can be a difficult place to live. Sometimes it seems impossible to stay in the here and now.

 

From time to time we all revisit the past and yearn for the future. This is natural. Being present every minute of the day is impossible for anyone.

 

Still, we can strive to be present for as many minutes as we can. We strive for progress, not perfection.

 

Today, am I doing what I can to be present?

 

From the book A Restful Mind by Mark Allen Zabawa

 

 

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

Serenity

Rehearsing Outcomes

Imagination is undeniably a human faculty that accounts for much progress. Compulsive people, however, can use imagination in a most destructive way.

One destructive practice is that of rehearsing i our minds the outcome of some treat or problem, usually expecting the worst. While we should not avoid facing real problems, it's wrong to assume that the worst will always happen. This tendency to anticipate the worst possible outcome can actually produce the very outcome we'd like to avoid, thus making it a self-fulfilling prophecy.

We can deal with such pessimistic thinking by reminding ourselves that our Higher Power is in charge and will bring our good to pass in just the right way.If we're going to rehearse anything, let it be an outcome that includes the best for everybody, including ourselves.

Action for the Day: I'll expect the best today, knowing that all outcomes and results are in my Higher Power's hands.

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One Day At A Time

Fact
The fact is that most alcoholics and addicts, for reasons yet obscure,
have lost the power of choice in drink og drug.
Our so-called willpower becomes practically nonexistent.
We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness
with sufficient force the memory and suffering and humiliation
of even a week or a month ago.
We are without defense against the first drink or hit.
- Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 24

Thought to Ponder . . .
The first drink or hit has the last say.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Absolute Abstinence

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Daily Motivation

Now you can do more

You’ve done a lot, and now you can do more. Good things happen when you keep going.

If you stop now, you could lose valuable momentum. While you’re already making some progress, keep going.

The things you’ve done will enable you to do much more. Keep going, and build achievements on top of achievements.

If your efforts have resulted in failure, adjust those efforts and continue making them. If your efforts have resulted in success, expand on those efforts and work yourself toward even greater success.

There’s always more you can do, so do it. You’re capable of making an even bigger positive difference, so make it.

Persistence pays off, so make it pay for you. Now is when you can keep on going, and make life better than it’s ever been.

— Ralph Marston

Daily Motivation 5-16-2013

Thursday, May 16, 2013
Today's Gift

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.--Doug Larson

Life is never just one thing. It is quite possible to feel optimistic and happy even when some things are not right with us. An optimistic outlook gives us energy to handle the harder things that we have to deal with. Research shows that people who have a positive attitude have a stronger immune system, are healthier, live longer, and are even more likely to recover from serious illness.

To believe in hopeful outcomes is largely a matter of choice. Many of us have experienced big disappointments and defeats in life. But having come this far, we can look back and see that somehow we had the capacity to deal with it. Optimism guides us to believe in hopeful possibilities. We can't say that things will always turn out just the way we hope, but that we can cope with whatever happens.

Today I choose to believe that a power greater than myself can help me deal with life, and I have reason to be optimistic.

From the book Wisdom to Know by Anonymous

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Twenty-Four Hours a Day

Keep It Simple

The work will teach you how to do it.—Estonian proverb

We learn this spiritual program as we learned to ride a bike or to swim. We could never get it from reading a book. We only learn it by doing it and by following the example of others. As we first entered the program, we may have thought, "Oh I understand this. In twelve meetings I'll have it licked."

Many people have had difficulty trusting, so we try to understand everything before we get involved in it. But as long as we try to figure it out first, we remain on the outside looking in. Doing the practical things in our new way of life - taking inventories and making amends, praying for guidance from our Higher Power, helping others, selecting a the right people to be aound, will teach us the essentials for spiritual recovery.

Action for the Day: Today, I will take the risk of learning by living the spiritual life.

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One Day At A Time

Surprise!
Somewhat to our surprise, staying sober turns out not to be the grim,
wet-blanket experience we had expected!
While we were drinking and drugging, a life without alcohol or drugs seemed like no life at all.
but for most members of AA, living sober is really living -- a joyous experience.
We much prefer it to the troubles we had with drinking and drugging.
One more note: anyone can get sober. We have done it lots of times.
The trick is to stay and live sober. That is what this booklet is all about.
- Living Sober, Foreword

Thought to Ponder . . .
Happiness is part of the journey, not some distant destination.

AA-related 'Alconym' . . .
A A = Always Awesome.

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Daily Motivation

Improved attitude

No matter how good and positive your attitude may be, you can improve it. And when you improve your attitude, your attitude improves you.

To improve your attitude, you don’t have to deny reality. When you improve your attitude, it doesn’t mean things will be perfect.

What it means is that you’ll be more positive, more effective, and more solidly focused on the best possibilities. What it means is that you’ll live and act from a position of strength.

With an improved attitude, you can still clearly see all the problems. Yet instead of living in fear of them, you’ll choose to be bigger than those problems.

Right now, there’s a certain way you feel about life, and a certain way you expect life to be. Just think of what could happen if you made the choice to raise those expectations.

Whether you have a great attitude or a lousy one, decide today to improve it. For where your attitude goes, your life will quickly follow.

— Ralph Marston