Spring ABC of recovery

[majestyjo]

O is for Open. Open your mind and your heart. The longest part of this journey is from our head to our heart.

[majestyjo]

P is for Peace. It was a great day in my life when I felt at peace with myself. I found on the whole, it came from my God. It is too bad that all the people on this planet didn't acknowledge a God of their understanding, and find peace too.

[majestyjo]

Q is for Quiet. Quite your mind. Still the internal chatter, how can you hear Good Orderly Direction when it comes your way. As I told a new friend today, put on music, something without words like Kenny G, if it won't bother your husband. I told her about my designing my dream home until I fall asleep. Lately I have been forgetting about that. I was getting really good, I wasn't making it up the stairs to the bedrooms.

I like the saying, "Be still and know that I am God. Step Three says, "..and in the stillness, say the Serenity Prayer. It is very empowering. When I surrender, I am empowered to do what I need to do in today for my recovery.

[majestyjo]

R is for Review. Apply a Step 10 to your life and allow it to work in your life. Review your day, look at the things you did good, things that didn't quite measure up, not just to your standards but that of your Higher Power. We can stop and take a rest to say the Serenity Prayer, review what has lead up th that point, and what you can do to change things, and the rest, give over to your Higher Power.

[majestyjo]

S is for Serenity. You can't wear the Serenity Prayer out. If you used it as much as I do, you would know it works in all circumstances and applicable to all occasions.

[majestyjo]

T is for Trust. Trust your Higher Power and you will learn to trust yourself and others through Him.

[majestyjo]

U is for Unity. We need unity between the groups and our members. This is a "We" program, without you, there is no me. United we stand against the disease of addiction.

[majestyjo]

V is for very lonely. We get very everything. Our emotions seem to be on a high or a low, and seldom in between. It is nice when we don't get the extremes we had in early recovery and they can level out. We no longer do /\/\/\/\/\, but it can level out to ~~~~~.

Sometimes it does get lonely when you are talking to yourself. It isolates the soul and blocks us from the spirit of our God.

[majestyjo]

W is for Win. It is a win, win situation when we stay clean for one 24 hours. They say stick with the winners, other people who have stayed clean and sober today too.

[majestyjo]

X is for 'Xtreme Measures. We often have to go eXtreem measures to make sure that we don't pick up one day at a time. When our obsessions take over our mind, the only way to deal with them is to connect with our Higher Power and ask for help. We can't do it alone, but our HP can give us the courage and the strength to withstand the feelings until they pass. They do pass. I once heard that a feeling generally lasts 10 min. if we don't do anything to make it grow out of proportion. I don't know about you, but I have a magic magnifying mind that find the worst of the worst. I try not to look at the worst case scenario in recovery. I trust my Higher Power. With His Help, I don't have to go there in today.

[majestyjo]

Y is for Yet. Don't say, "I haven't done that." You should say, "I haven't done that yet!" This is a progressive disease. If you can't stay clean and sober, yield to the program. It works when you work for it.

[majestyjo]

Z is for Zest. Zest to my way of thinking is to enjoy life with vigor and tenacity are the words that come to mind, even though I don't know how to spell them. The dictionary was more than helpful. I like this one: Spirited enjoyment; gusto:.