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Post by caressa on Nov 19, 2007 10:54:51 GMT -5
A is for Apples. They say an apple away keeps the doctor away. When I was using, I didn't have a healthy diet. Between money to use there wasn't much left over for rent, let alone food. Certainly not the luxury of good foods like apples. I had to change my old patterns. My sponsor use to say, "Suit up and show up for the day. If you have recovery show it. Clean up your bad habits, your mouth, your clothes, your personal habits, your thoughts. and your actions.
My sponsor was diagnosed with cancer in 1981 and is still living and celebrated 46 years sober in August.
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Post by caressa on Nov 20, 2007 11:50:33 GMT -5
B is for Bring. Bring the body to the meetings and the rest will follow. Bring your troubles to your Higher Power, ask for help and you will find a solution. Bring your painful emotions, trials and tribulations, apply the 12 Steps and Traditions, and you will find peace and acceptance.
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Post by caressa on Nov 22, 2007 17:27:58 GMT -5
C is for Chaos. There was so much chaos and clutter in my life. If it wasn't happening, I seemed to create it. The slogan "Keep It Simple" was so important to me. Along with "How important is it" and "Easy does it....but do it!" Today I don't have to live on the edge. I enjoy peace and serenity. I didn't know what it was. I phoned my sponsor and said, "Something doesn't seem right. Nothng is happening!" She said, "Perhaps you found some serenity?"
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Post by caressa on Nov 23, 2007 8:48:50 GMT -5
D is for Denial. Melody Beattie says it is a tool we use to make reality tolerable. She also calls it a defense, a survival device and a coping behavior.
For me today, it is not a friend, it is an enemy. Denial keeps me sick.
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Post by Lin on Nov 23, 2007 13:58:14 GMT -5
E is for EASY DOES IT. When i use this slogan, I can slow down and enjoy my li alot more.
LIN
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Post by caressa on Nov 25, 2007 3:11:32 GMT -5
F is for Fun. Remember to have fun and enjoy your sobriety. Just because you are sober doesn't mean you can't do things you thought you could only do when you were using. I took up line dancing and playing bridge in recovery. I was able to read and remember what I read. It was a real gift to be able to appreciate nature and have fun just being alive and breathing smog.
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Post by caressa on Nov 27, 2007 10:39:43 GMT -5
G is for Grace. God's grace kept me alive to get here. His grace keeps me here.
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Post by caressa on Nov 28, 2007 13:02:21 GMT -5
H is for Honest. Being honest with myself can sometimes be difficult. I tend to want to draw on the 'blanket of denial' and not address the issue that I need to look at in the moment.
When I am not honest with me, I can't be honest with you.
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Post by caressa on Nov 30, 2007 6:35:06 GMT -5
I is for Introspection. Taking timed to look at myself and see what direction I am going and what I need to change. Am I where I want to be? Do I need to find new direction and purpose in my life? Is what served me in the past, still working for me in today? What habits have I developed to replace those of alcohol, drugs and cigarettes? Are they healthy choices and are they affecting my life and my attitude toward others?
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Post by caressa on Dec 4, 2007 13:17:09 GMT -5
J is for Joy. Wishing everyone a joyous and sober holiday. May the spirit of the program be with you and bring you peace and happiness.
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Post by caressa on Dec 6, 2007 17:59:48 GMT -5
K is for Key. We need to pick up the key of willingness. The Steps are a key that opens the door to a new way of life. The program was the key to opening my heart.
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Post by caressa on Dec 8, 2007 18:33:01 GMT -5
L is for Love. More importantly, it is important to like yourself. In order to truly love others, I feel that it must start with me. I didn't have much love in my heart today. A gentleman ordered me to move my walker so he could get by on the bus, so I moved farther down and he followed me and sat on the other side of me. He spoke in German but I am sure he cussed me. My thought was "Up your nose with a rubber hose!" I didn't say it, the old me would have. I did say a little prayer and asked forgiveness of my HP for having the thought. My HP loves me inspite of myself. I don't like me when I act out like that.
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Post by caressa on Dec 10, 2007 8:18:48 GMT -5
M is for Motives. My sponsor always told me to examine my motives and my intent. To make it OK with my HP, examine my motives for doing, and look at whether it was for the good of all. If it was self-serviing, then I needed to reexamine my thinking before I followed it with action. Self care is good, self-centeredness and selfishness was not. It wasn't always about me!
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Post by caressa on Dec 11, 2007 17:30:44 GMT -5
N is for Now. Living in the now, instead of projecting into the future and dragging along the past, makes for a healthy and peaceful today. All I have is now. What I did this morning is old news. What I decide to do tonight hasn't got here yet.
As a woman said to me in early recovery, "It is alright to just be. Do what is in front of you as it comes along."
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Post by caressa on Dec 14, 2007 18:42:03 GMT -5
O is for Open. Open your mind to new things. Open your heart to new feelings. Open your mouth to share with others. Open your eyes so you can see the whole picture. Open your ears to hear what you don't want to hear.
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Post by caressa on Dec 15, 2007 23:21:52 GMT -5
P is for Patience. I have much more patience for others than I have for myself. I think the main reason is that I set my expectation too high. I have learned that I can't expect somethng from someone who is incapable of being there for me or doing something I may expect them to do, but I don't have the compassion when it comes to myself.  P is also for Penguin, I just love this little guy. |
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Post by caressa on Dec 16, 2007 10:47:43 GMT -5
Q is for Quit. We only quit using one day at a time. We can become obsessive about quitting as much as we did about using. |
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Post by caressa on Dec 18, 2007 10:50:27 GMT -5
R is for Restitution. Making restitution for harm done by getting involved in service. I couldn't contact all the people I needed to make amends too, but I could make indirect amends by helping others. The amend I could make to myself and others was not continuing do what I was doing. Not drinking and drugging, but more importantly the behaviors and patterns that went with them.
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Post by caressa on Dec 19, 2007 14:29:08 GMT -5
S is for Share. It is important to share my recovery with others, in order to keep my sobriety, I must give it away. I share because I care.
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Post by caressa on Dec 21, 2007 1:50:20 GMT -5
T is for Time. It was important for me to learn to take time for myself. It was also important to realize that time is a great gift and one that I could share iwith others. It is a commodity that I could exchange with others because I learned that I couldn't always take from this program, I had to give back too.
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. I will be back looking for Lin and others.