Topic of the Week - Courage

[caressa]

It takes courage to step beyond what is comfortable, predictable, and known.

- Courage to Change

"Courage faces fear and thereby masters it."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Courage comes from within. The source of that within, is the God of my understanding. Each day I try to face with courage. It is so easy to sit back and say, "I can't do that." or "I don't feel up to doing that today." and I allow the pain to lead and direct my life.

It makes a big difference in my day, when I do my morning meditation, do my posts, which helps me to get out of me, and put the pain aside. I can't always think through the pain, and when that happens, I am selective about what I post. When I share, I try to share from the heart and not from my head. All I can do is share my experience, strength and hope.

As the last line in the Serenity Prayer says, "...and the wisdeom to know the difference." You can't make something happen that is not there. If you do, it isn't real.

The Serenity Prayer is very empowering. I have been trying to think of a new topic for several days. Nothing has come to mind, the well just seemed all dried up.

So glad you can't wear the Serenity Prayer out. I say it at the start of each day and many times through the day when I need the courage to take the next step.

A friend use to say, "What Step are you on today." I replied, "Some days, all 12." I have posted that before, but it comes to mind, and is a good reminder. As a friend of mine says, "If it is a repeat, there is a reason. Someone needs to see it besides you."

[caressa]

It took courage to acknowledge that I had a problem. I had always pointed the finger at others. They had the problem. My world would be just fine if everyone would just do as I wanted them to do.

It took courage to acknowledge that I had a major ego. I thought it was a man thing. EGO - Easing God Out. My way was the best way, I courageious fought for what I wanted. It was my time and not God's or anyone elses. I'm a leading authority on everything don't you know, just ask me. Recovery was about a change it attitude. It took courage to look at myself and admit all my wrongs.

It took courage to walk into the rooms of recovery. I compared and stayed sick. I didn't realize that I was often a product of my environment prior to recovery, and thanks to recovery, by sticking with the winners, I changed and had the courage to grow and become a new person. It wasn't about putting the plug in the jug, putting down the drugs, and not using other people, places and things, it was about taking the courage to work the steps and apply them to my life.

It took courage to live a new way of life.

[caressa]

Found this on another site. It takes courage some days to just get up and face the day. Life happens. Before recovery, like it says here, I wasn't living, I was existing. Lately, I have been looking at how small my world is. As it says in an old country song, "There needs to be some changes made."

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end, Be afraid that it will never begin. ~anonymous~

[caressa222]

The Lion came up in my meditation, which generally means courage. It generally means I will have a lot of pain to deal with.

The Serenity Prayer says it all. The nice thing is, If your God brings you to it, He will see you through it.