"L" discussion topic

[Lin]

L is for Letting Go. I have to let go of expectations. Control of others. Fear. Resentments. Anger. I hae to give those things to God when I let them go. It makes me much happir when I dot try to hang onto them.

LIN

[majestyjo]

Thanks for sharing Lin. It is so true. We can be so hard on ourselves and if we would just let go, even lighten up on our grasp of that ever wanting to control things (things would be so much better if they did what we thought they should do), and as I read once, "God saying, "Child how can I have helped you when you didn't let go."

Like so many other things in my life, I need to pray for the willingness to be willing to let go.

[majestyjo]

L is for Live and Let Live. It is important for us to live our own lives and let the A in our life live theirs. We are not responsible for their choices, but we are responsible for our own.

It was important for me to take an interest outside of my home. I started playing bridge, but the medications the doctor's gave me seemed to block a lot of my brain cells and I didn't feel like I could be a good player or a good partner, which is important to me. I started back playing bridge a few months ago and learned that I could still play, and I was very grateful. Life seemed to get in the way and I haven't been back.

I once heard, "Live today like their is no tomorrow." I like that.

[majestyjo]

L is for Let. Let the program come to you and absorb it one day at a time. It isn't a quick fix program. We didn't get sick overnight, so we don't get better overnight or in a month or six weeks. Let your heart reach out to others. Let your Higher Power into your life. When you are troubled about things, let go and let your God take the burned from you. Walk in faith and let your God work in your life. Let Him/Her/It do His job. Don't try to do it or Him/Her/It.

As the song says, "Let the sunshine in..." Let it in to every pore of your being.

[majestyjo]

L is for Less is more. When I am thinking more, I am acting out in my dis-ease. My drug of choice was more. So for me in today, I try to remember that don't take as much as you use to and think in smaller amounts. Like lower your expectations, so they are attainable. Take a smaller plate, if you want to lose weight. Lower your personal expectations of yourself, so you don't beat yourself up.

[majestyjo]

L is for Laughter. What surprised me the most when I walked into the rooms of recovery, was the laughter. I didn't think I was an alcoholic, but I heard that laughter and I wanted what they had. I would go to meetings and say, "I have a desire not to drink today." I truly didn't because I didn't want to go back to where I came from and I knew that alcohol was a part of it. I looked at it more from the standpoint of the people around me. Last laugh on me, I qualified and then some. I just had to learn to identify, not compare.

[majestyjo]

Live in today.  Yesterday has gone, tomorrow hasn't got here yet, so  live for the now.  This minute don't  miss out on what is happening in today.

Learn to listen and learn, be in the moment.  Let go of the old tapes and make new ones for today.

[majestyjo]

LIFE IS FOR LIVING ON LIFE'S TERMS. LIFE DOESN'T GET BETTER, I DO!

FIND LOVE IN UNEXPECTED SOURCES!

HOPE THERE AREN'T TOO MANY HARD KNOCKS!

REWARD YOURSELF! MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES!

HOPE IT IS A HOOT!

ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED!

DON'T BITE OFF MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW! THIS IS A ONE DAY AT A TIME PROGRAM.

LOVE THE SKIN YOUR IN!

MAY YOU BE ABLE TO HANDLE EVERYTHING THAT IS DISHED UP TO YOU!

BEFORE YOU KNOW IT -- TIME WILL BE GONE AND YOU WON'T KNOW WHERE IT WENT!

[majestyjo]

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

LIVE AND LET LTVE

No matter how it feels, we’re moving forward. No matter how good it gets, the best is yet to come.

~ Anonymous ~

It is hard to live more than one life at a time. Try as we did to organize everyone’s life according to our plan, it just didn’t work. We learned in our First Step that we were not masters of the universe, that our very best efforts got us into the Program. We had to file away the little manager in our heads that found it necessary to bark out all the orders to God.

Once we did, and took our rightful place as just a fellow traveler on the road to recovery, we finally began to live and allow others the opportunity to live.

Live and let live is a simple idea that, when practiced, produces lasting results, more serenity, and peace of mind. It permits us to turn over our self-assumed responsibility for other people's lives to our Higher Power. And what a relief that is!

Live and let live is the 12 Step way of life. When I live my own life and let others live theirs, I am letting go and letting God be in charge.

[majestyjo]

LIVE AND LET LTVE

No matter how it feels, we’re moving forward. No matter how good it gets, the best is yet to come.

~ Anonymous ~

It is hard to live more than one life at a time. Try as we did to organize everyone’s life according to our plan, it just didn’t work. We learned in our First Step that we were not masters of the universe, that our very best efforts got us into the Program. We had to file away the little manager in our heads that found it necessary to bark out all the orders to God.

Once we did, and took our rightful place as just a fellow traveler on the road to recovery, we finally began to live and allow others the opportunity to live.

Live and let live is a simple idea that, when practiced, produces lasting results, more serenity, and peace of mind. It permits us to turn over our self-assumed responsibility for other people's lives to our Higher Power. And what a relief that is!

Live and let live is the 12 Step way of life. When I live my own life and let others live theirs, I am letting go and letting God be in charge.

[majestyjo]

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Nothing Is Insurmountable

When our next best course of action seems unclear, any dilemmas we face can appear insurmountable. Yet there is nothing we cannot overcome with time, persistence, focused thought, help, and faith. Whatever the situation or problem, there is always a solution. And if you remember to look within, even as you search around you for the “right” course of action, you will be able to center yourself, clear your mind, and see that nothing has to be impossible.

The first step in overcoming any obstacle is to believe that it can be overcome. Doing so will give you the strength and courage to move through any crisis. The second step is to make a resolution that you can prevail over any chaos. Enlist your support network of family and friends if necessary. The more minds there are to consider a problem, the more solutions can be found. Don’t discount ideas just because they seem impractical or “unrealistic,” and don’t keep searching for the “best” alternative. Often there is no “best” choice, there is only a choice to make so we can begin moving beyond whatever is obstructing our path. At the very least, making a choice, even if isn’t the ideal one, can give you a sense of peace before you have to figure out what your next course of action will be.



If you feel overwhelmed by the scope of your troubles, you may want to think of other people who have turned adversity into triumph. We often gain a fresh perspective when we remember others who have overcome larger obstacles. It can be inspiring to hear of their victories, helping us remember that there is always light at the end of every tunnel. It is during our darkest hours that we sometimes need to remind ourselves that we don’t have to feel helpless. You have within and around you the resources to find a solution to any problem. And remember that if a solution or choice you make doesn’t work, you are always free to try another. Believe that you can get through anything, and you will always prevail. Published with permission from Daily OM

There is always a solution.  I like to refer to it as the Light unto my Path, my God shows me the way.

[majestyjo]

You are reading from the book Today's Gift.

November 14

People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges. --Joseph Fort Newton

Communication is much more than words. Words are merely fingers pointing the direction to understanding--they are not understanding itself. To really communicate with someone, we have to allow ourselves, just for a moment, to become that other person. When we do this, we begin to be able to see beyond the masks that hide what another person is really feeling.

When we take the time to really see others, we may discover they are frightened, timid people longing for understanding. When we get beyond reacting to their outward behavior and move toward viewing their inner selves, it is much easier to extend a hand of friendship, to say we care, and truly mean it.

Who can I see as they really are today?

When I feel lonely, I need to pick up the phone and connect with someone or go to a meeting.  We can feel lonely in a crowded room.  Remember in recovery, the people have been where you have been.  They will understand and know where you are coming from.

[majestyjo]

Keep It Simple

Let me listen to me and not to them. ---Gertrude Stein

Often we try to please everyone around us. But this may not make us happy, and so we get angry.

We feel taken advantage of.

We may be kind to others, but first we must love ourselves. How? By learning to listen to ourselves. To our dreams. To our higher power. By doing this we’ll be more happy. And those around us will probably be more happy too.

As our AA medallions say, “To Thine Own Self Be True.”

Prayer for the Day: I pray that I’ll listen to that gentle, loving voice inside me. Higher Power, help me make me make my “conscious contact” with You better.

Action for the Day: I will write down why I need to be true to myself.

It took a long time to trust that inner voice.  For so many years I was discounted and told I was stupid.  As my ex-husband said, "Who are you to know?  What makes you think your opinion counts."  My sponsor told me, "If you doubt yourself, you are doubting your God."

[majestyjo]

This reminds me that my God can see all things. So many times I look at things and find myself judgmental, or letting something go, when I should hang onto it, or I turn a blind eye to something I want to ignore and pretend that it isn't there because I don't feel like dealing with it.

My God knows, but loves me any way. He is caring and forgiving, and loves me inspite of my many flaws. I am a spiritual being who often stumbles on this earthly walk.

[majestyjo]

More Language Of Letting Go

Let go of the past

I was sitting outside on the patio one morning. A foggy mist gently covered the peaks of the Ortega Mountain Range. The birds were singing. My mind wandered back to ten years ago and my life in Minnesota with my children, Shane and Nichole.

Shane was still alive then. Nichole was still living at home. Our love, our family bond, was so strong. “We’ll always get together for birthdays,” we had vowed. “Our bond, our love, will live on.” It had been the best year, the happiest year, of my life. I wanted that time back again. If I could just see him again, for one minute. If the three of us could just be together again, for one day, I yearned, life would be so good.

Later that morning I picked up an Osho Zen meditation card– not to tell the future, but to get insights into now.

My card talked about “clinging to the past.”

It said, “It’s time to face up to the fact that the past is gone, and any effort to repeat it is a sure way to stay stuck in old blueprints that you would have already outgrown if you hadn’t been so busy clinging to what you have already been through.”

“Silly me,” I thought, coming back to the patio and to the Ortega Mountain Range. “Even though life is different and I miss the children, life is pretty good now.”

Let yourself have all your emotions and feelings about losing people and moments you loved and cherished. Feel as sad as you need to. Grieve. Then let the feelings and the past go. Don’t let your memories stop you from seeing how beautiful and precious each moment in your life is now.

God, help me let go of yesterday so I can open my heart to the gifts of today.

[caressa222]

January 1

Living today

The beginning of the New Year will often bring back sad memories. This has been the big day for hangovers, coming down, remorse, guilt, and shame. But if we stay with our new purpose - staying clean and staying close to our Higher Power - we don't have to fear the New Year. God has forgiven our past mistakes and tomorrow is not yet here. If we do what we know is right today, all else will be taken care of.

It's not always easy to do what is necessary today, but it's impossible to change yesterday or to guarantee what tomorrow will bring. Our year will unfold better by living each day as it comes instead of regretting the past or anticipating the future.

Am I learning to live one day at a time?

I pray for the willingness to deal with today, instead of being obsessed with the past or the future.

You are reading from the book:

Day by Day - Second Edition by Anonymous

[caressa222]

January 6

A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he gets to know something.
--Wilson Mizner

A good salesperson is usually a good listener. Being a good listener also helps in being a good parent or spouse, neighbor or friend. When we are truly able to hear what others are trying to say, we are better able to enter their world, and let them into ours.

Listening to the collective wisdom of others helps us gain understanding and perspective on the world around us. When it comes to recovery from a life-threatening illness like addiction, listening to others who are in recovery is like receiving a gift of ideas.

It is not always easy to listen, because it's often our nature to want to be the center of attention. But listening is an art worth developing. It enriches our lives, improves our relationships, and helps us feel better about ourselves.

Today may I enrich my spiritual life by listening to others.

You are reading from the book:

Body, Mind, and Spirit by Anonymous

[caressa222]

January 11

Live big!
--Brady Michaels

Sometimes, that's the best advice we can hear. Win or lose succeed or fail, go for it, and go all the way. As my flight instructor told me on the first day of flying lessons, "Keep one hand on the throttle and one hand on the yoke." "Aahhhhh!" I would say during my early lessons as the plane lifted into the air, but I kept the throttle pushed all the way in.

There are times when it's wise to be cautious. And there are times when the best thing we can do - the only thing we can do - is go for it by living big. Ask her out. Request the raise. Say no - and mean it. Learn to drive a racecar or climb a tall hill. Learn to snorkel or surf. Dreams remain dreams until you act upon them. Then they become real life.

Will you throw a few coins into the beggar's cup, or will you bring him a hamburger and fries from the local fast-food place? Will you do an average job at work, or will you look for ways to go big - really give it your best - in the everyday areas of your job? Will you put your all - your heart and emotions - into the relationship with the people you love? Will you wait for another, more convenient time to pray, or will you start genuinely trusting God?

You don't have to get a life. You've already got one. Live it, and live big.

God, help me let go of my fear and timidity, and learn to live big.

You are reading from the book:

More Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

[majestyjo]

L is for Less. As we work the Steps and connect to our Higher Power, we find ourselves less obsessive about our drug of choice which we didn't think we could live without. It wasn't a case of less is more, it was about less means none. I can't use my drug of choice or substitute another substance, because I release my addiction all over again. It all leads to the same soul sickness.

[caressa222]

One More Day

Leisure is the most challenging responsibility a man can be offered.
– William Russell

We are a work-oriented society. As children, we were taught to do our homework and the chores. We may have “played house” or pretended we were “going to work.”

Play, therefor, can be a real challenge, especially for adults. Keyed up from a day in the work force or a day coping with the rigors of illness or pain, we can hardly settle down when busy thoughts crowd our consciousness. Leisure time can be a burden to us if we don’t’ know how to creatively fill it.

Regardless of what our job is, at home or away, we can learn to set it aside when work is over. Playtime should become sacred, for it’s a special time when we feed our need to be carefree and spontaneous.

Using my leisure time for play will keep me healthier, mentally and physically.



Jamie Sams' Medicine Animal book say that the Turtle represents Mother Earth.