Topic of the week, words beginning with the letter 'O'

[majestyjo]

O is for Open. Open your mind, open your mouth, and open your heart. We need to be open to new teachings an how can we know if we don't ask. The longest journey is from the head to the heart. It is a road less traveled.

[majestyjo]

Just For Today
April 9
Acting Out

“We learn to experience feelings and realize they can do us no harm unless we act on them.”
IP No. 16, “For the Newcomer”

Many of us came to Narcotics Anonymous with something less than an overwhelming desire to stop using. Sure, the drugs were causing us problems, and we wanted to be rid of the problems, but we didn’t want to stop getting high. Eventually, though, we saw that we couldn’t have one without the other Even though we really wanted to get loaded, we didn’t use; we weren’t willing to pay the price anymore. The longer we stayed clean and worked the program, the more freedom we experienced. Sooner or later, the compulsion to use was lifted from us completely, and we stayed clean because we wanted to live clean.

The same principles apply to other negative impulses that may plague us. We may feel like doing something destructive, just because we want to. We’ve done it before, and sometimes we think we’ve gotten away with it, but sometimes we haven’t. If we’re not willing to pay the price for acting on such feelings, we don’t have to act on them.

It may be hard, maybe even as hard as it was to stay clean in the beginning. But others have felt the same way and have found the freedom not to act on their negative impulses. By sharing about it and seeking the help of other recovering people and a Power greater than ourselves, we can find the direction, the support, and the strength we need to abstain from any destructive compulsion.

Just for today: It’s okay to feel my feelings. With the help of my sponsor, my NA friends, and my Higher Power, I am free not to act out my negative feelings.

For me, this is about working Steps 6 and 7 into my daily life. When I apply the principles of the program into my life, I don't have to continue acting out in my disease. Recovery is not about just abstinence from drugs, but about changing me and the person I became as a result of using those drug. I took the drug and the drug took me to a place I didn't want to go and became a person I didn't like and didn't want to face in the mirror. I no longer have to act out in my disease. I am not my disease.

[majestyjo]

Over-Serious Anonymous 12-Step Program

1. We admitted that we were powerless over seriousness -- that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that only by lightening up could we achieve a state of non-seriousness.

3. Made a decision to turn our constant self-criticism over to our sense of humor and learn to "lovingly and wholeheartedly" laugh at ourselves.

4. Decided to give ourselves a break once in a while, instead of constantly doing searching and fearless moral inventories of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being that our wrongs were often in our heads.

6. Were entirely ready to accept that our characters were as good as anybody else's and possibly better than most.

7. Quit harping on our shortcomings.

8. Made of list of all persons we thought we had harmed and saw that they'd forgotten all the crap we'd blown out of proportion.

9. Quit making amends for breathing air and taking up a few square feet of the planet's surface.

10. Resigned ourselves to the fact we were going to criticize ourselves at times, but would try to stick to our guns when we knew we were right.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to calm down and realize we're not responsible for everything.

12. Having experienced immense relief from these steps, we would try to carry this message to other over-serious people and to practice these principles in all of our affairs.

Author unknown.

[majestyjo]

Default Over-Serious Anonymous
Quote:
Over-Serious Anonymous 12-Step Program

1. We admitted that we were powerless over seriousness -- that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that only by lightening up could we achieve a state of non-seriousness.

3. Made a decision to turn our constant self-criticism over to our sense of humor and learn to "lovingly and wholeheartedly" laugh at ourselves.

4. Decided to give ourselves a break once in a while, instead of constantly doing searching and fearless moral inventories of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being that our wrongs were often in our heads.

6. Were entirely ready to accept that our characters were as good as anybody else's and possibly better than most.

7. Quit harping on our shortcomings.

8. Made of list of all persons we thought we had harmed and saw that they'd forgotten all the crap we'd blown out of proportion.

9. Quit making amends for breathing air and taking up a few square feet of the planet's surface.

10. Resigned ourselves to the fact we were going to criticize ourselves at times, but would try to stick to our guns when we knew we were right.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to calm down and realize we're not responsible for everything.

12. Having experienced immense relief from these steps, we would try to carry this message to other over-serious people and to practice these principles in all of our affairs.

Author unknown.
Perhaps this should be called Rule 62. Don't take your life so darn serious. It has been a long time since I read it, but I believe it is found in Tradition Four in the 12 & 12.

Recovery is serious. I had to learn to laugh at myself. I had to learn to enjoy life. If you are not enjoying life, what are you doing wrong? It was amazing to me that I could get up and dance without taking a drink. I took up line dancing. Then I found that it wasn't for me, I wanted to zig when I was suppose to zag. I do not do discipline and structure well. I am a free spirit.

It was amazing that my brain cells were restored and I was able to play bridge again. I always loved to play cribbage, euchre, darts, snooker. Before when I played it was life and death and I was out to win. Today I enjoy the game, I like to be competitive, but it isn't the win, win situation like it was before.

[majestyjo]

“Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.”
Alcoholics Anonymous p. 77

“In the morning we think of the hours to come. Perhaps we think of our day’s work and the chances it may afford us to be useful and helpful, or of some special problem that it may bring. Possibly today will see a continuation of a serious and as yet unresolved problem left over from yesterday. Our immediate temptation will be to ask for specific solutions to specific problems, and for the ability to help other people as we have already thought they should be helped. In that case, we are asking God to do it our way. Therefore, we ought to consider each request carefully to see what its real merit is. Even so, when making specific requests, it will be well to add to each one of them this qualification: “…if it be Thy will.” We ask simply that throughout the day God place in us the best understanding of His will that we can have for that day, and that we be given the grace by which we may carry it out.”

-Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions p. 102

[caressa222]

In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give
out completes the circle and comes back to us.
--Flora Edwards

There are only three possible outcomes for alcoholics: locked up,
covered up, or sobered up.
--unknown

Seven days without a meeting makes one weak.
--Herb B.

"Speak when you are angry and you will make the best speech you will
ever regret."
--Ambrose Bierce

If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time
with them, and half as much money on them.
--Abigail Van Buren

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred
days of sorrow.
--Cited in The Best of...BITS & PIECES

Opportunities open up to us if we are willing to open our mind and heart. You just never know where it may come from, it may not be this, but somewhere on this board, there is something you need to hear.

[majestyjo]

Journey To The Heart

Open Your Heart As Often As You Need

Opening our hearts is not something we do once or twice. It is a way of life. How quickly life does things that make us want to close off, wall off, shut down, go away. But our commitment to staying open has little to do with what life does to us. It has to do with how we decide we want to live. Open. Loving. Safe. We’re safe because we know our ability and our willingness to love comes from within us. It is the ultimate form of learning to embrace our power.

A long time ago when we were young, you may have told yourself it was risky to love, to trust, to feel. You told yourself that everyone you trusted would in the end betray your trust. Your belief has many times been proven true. But it’s time now to believe something else. It’s time to believe that the opposite is true. It’s time to believe that the opposite is true. It is risky to not love, not trust, not feel.

Your security doesn’t come from trusting others. Your security comes from trusting and cherishing your own heart. Don’t let life shut you down. Open your heart as often as you need.

[majestyjo]

Daily Reflections

OVERCOMING SELF-WILL

So our troubles, we think, are basically of our
own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the
alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run
riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above
everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this
selfishness. We must, or it kills us!
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 62

For so many years my life revolved solely around
myself. I was consumed with self in all forms--
self-centeredness, self-pity, self-seeking, all
of which stemmed from pride. Today I have been
given the gift, through the Fellowship of Alcoholics
Anonymous, of practicing the Steps and Traditions
in my daily life, of my group and sponsor, and the
capacity--if I so choose--to put my pride aside in
all situations which arise in my life. Until I could
honestly look at myself and see that I was the problem
in many situations and react appropriately inside and
out; until I could discard my expectations and
understand that my serenity was directly proportional
to them, I could not experience serenity and sound
sobriety.

[majestyjo]

O is for Open. Open your heart and allow yourself to become vulnerable. The longest journey we make in recovery is from our head to our heart. Our God is loving and caring, we need to pass His Gift onto others.

[caressa222]

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

And fire is seen in the eye of the young, but it is light we see in the old man’s eyes.

~ Victor Hugo ~

Growing old is not something most people look forward to, and unfortunately prejudice against older people seems to be common in our society. Beautiful young adults have often been used as models of the ideal human form. Older people are left out entirely, or shown as clumsy, slow, and unable to think or act with grace and dignity.

Yet, when we study history and current events, many of the leaders in the political, business, and artistic communities were older. There is wisdom and experience in age that can be gained no other way, as well as a perspective on life most younger people don’t even know about.

We don’t need to deny our aging process. We don’t need to lie or joke about our age. Respect of self and others who are older is a sign of spiritual maturity.

We may not be able to do all the things we could when we were younger, but with age comes growing wisdom, perspective, and serenity that can be a blessing if only we look for it and appreciate it in ourselves and others.

Today help me give thanks for the blessings of age, and appreciate those whose years are many.

[caressa222]

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Overreacting

Those of us with chemical dependency have often shown just how damaging it can be to get too hungry, angry, lonely, or tired. Ironically, what we tend to get upset about aren’t the essentials.

Perhaps we can learn not to panic over simple misfortune, ungrounded fears, and emotional turmoil. If we can open ourselves up to a Higher Power and a spiritual practice, we can settle down. We’ll feel a lot better about ourselves and the world.

Have I stopped overreacting?

May I welcome a Higher Power to help me keep perspective and stay calm.

Today I will deal constructively with negative emotions by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

[caressa222]

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Our great triumph was not because of our victory over alcohol but because of our complete defeat. It was only when we were beaten to our knees that we sought the only help that could save us.

So we came into AA, not as boastful conquerors but as cringing and bloody casualties of an unequal fight. We were whipped; we knew it; we gave not a **** who else knew it. For us it was unconditional surrender. There were and could be no reservations.

[majestyjo]

Thought for the Day

Wednesday, AUGUST 8

From the book: Touchstones

I got the blues thinking of the future, so I left off and made some marmalade. It's amazing how it cheers one up to 'shred oranges and scrub the floor.

—D. H. Lawrence

Focusing on pain or having difficulties can put us in a rut, and we neglect the other things in our lives. A simple task like making marmalade can be a brief vacation. We change our thought patterns when we change activities. The simple action of doing something pleasant might inject a new feeling into our outlook. Sharing a problem with a friend may be all we need to see it more clearly or let it go. Moving from busy physical activity to a few moments of quiet contemplation creates an inner balance. A problem that seems overwhelming at night may be met with new insight and new energy after a night's rest.

We don't have to continue feeling like victims of circumstance or remain stuck with a nagging problem. Just like changing the subject of a conversation, we can change the subject of our attention for a time. When we do, we regain our sense of hope and change our responses.

Today, I will give myself a break when I become caught or obsessed with a problem.

Osho says that doing dishes is a form of meditation. He also says that housework is too. I am yet to agree with him, I let my son do them.