Today's Thought - July

[bluidkiti]

July 1

Seeing the good.

The beauty of our souls shines in many ways. The greatest of these is love.

In the spirit of loving kindness, every day a little ugliness is removed; our perspective on life grows broader and deeper.

In the spirit of love, our lives become fresher, our souls humbler; evil seems to disappear, and we learn to distinguish sinner from the sin.

Do I see the good in people?

Higher Power, let me walk in your love and see the good in all things.

You are reading from the book:

Day by Day - Second Edition by Anonymous

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July 2

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.
-- Seneca

When we reach a stressful time in our lives, our vision gets narrow. We fail to see the options and possibilities we have. If we give ourselves over to our worries and fears, our sight closes down even further. Finally, we reach the point of blindness to reality and to all the support around us. In our fearful blindness we say with conviction, "This is too difficult! There is nothing I can do."

Spiritual people strive to keep one eye on the horizon, even in a worrisome situation. They breathe deeply so they do not tighten up or close off their exchange with the world. They return to the relationship they have with their Higher Power, trusting the process to carry them through - and they open their eyes to quietly take in the possibilities before them.

Close to my Higher Power, I have a place of calm in the midst of difficulty and see the possibilities and dare to act upon them.

You are reading from the book:

Touchstones by Anonymous

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July 3

. . . I was taught that the way of progress is neither swift nor easy.
--Marie Curie

We are looking for progress, not perfection; however, we sometimes get lost or confused between the two. Expecting ourselves to be perfect at something we are only now learning is a familiar affliction. As we accept our humanness, we'll allow the mistakes that are a normal part of the process of living and learning - a process we call progress.

Our need to be perfect will lessen with time. And we can help ourselves break the old habits. Perfection and self-worth are not symbiotic, except in our minds. And it's a symbiosis that has done us a grave injustice. Breaking the old thought patterns takes a commitment. We must first decide and believe that we are worthwhile, simply because we are. There is only one of us; we have a particular gift to offer this world. And our being is perfect as is. Affirming this, repeatedly, is our beginning. But with this, too, progress will be slow; perfection need only be worked for, not achieved.

The patterns I am weaving with my life are complex, full of intricate detail and knots. I need to go slow, taking only one stitch at a time. With hindsight I will see that whatever the progress, it was the perfect fit to the overall design.

You are reading from the book:

Each Day a New Beginning by Karen Casey

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July 4

Celebrate your freedom

Today in the United States; we celebrate our nation's independence. Why not take a moment to celebrate your independence as well? Whether you've found freedom from an addiction or from codependency, or you've discovered the freedom to live your life as fully as possible, take a moment to honor and acknowledge how much that freedom means to you.

It's good to identify our problems. Through the awareness of what's wrong and what's broken, we learn what to repair and fix. It's good to focus on the health and the goodness in our lives, too. Becoming aware of what's right and what's working is how we discover joy.

Look back along the winding road of the path of your life. See how far you've come? It looks good to me. How does it look to you?

Hurray! We're finally free!

God, thank You for setting me free.

You are reading from the book:

More Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie

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July 5

Stop Fixing Others

Dear Higher Power,

When I am overly dependent on others, I try to fix them. I have a real talent in pinpointing what is wrong with other people. But the very thing that enables me to see their defects most often blinds me to the same, sometimes even worse, shortcomings in myself.

Help me stop fretting about others and instead focus on correcting my own character defects.

You are reading from the book:

The 12 Step Prayer Book Volume 2 by Bill P. and Lisa D.

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July 6

There is nothing permanent except change.
--Heraclitus

Most of us don't like change very much. Getting sober is like stepping into a rushing river of change that will take us to new places in our lives. We sense that. We are learning to trust it more each day. But even though life keeps getting better for us, we still keep some of that fear inside us about what will happen if we keep working our recovery program and life keeps changing for us.

Maybe we get a good job, and we are afraid we will louse it up. Maybe we make new friends, and we are afraid they will find out what a jerk we really are. Maybe our kids are speaking to us again and want to have a better relationship, and we are afraid of the responsibility.

You know what? It'll be okay. It's okay to have good things happen. It's okay to trust ourselves to handle responsibility. Nobody knows how to do life perfectly - that's why we need our Higher Power to guide us.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, Help me listen for Your directions today as I walk through a new day in sobriety. Together we can handle any surprises and changes the day may bring.

Today's Action

Today I will write down three ways fear of change is holding me back, and I will talk with my sponsor about these things. What do I need to do to be ready for these changes?

You are reading from the book:

God Grant Me... by Anonymous

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July 7

Formula for failure; trying to please everyone.
--Anonymous

It has done us no good to set standards we could not reach. On many occasions, we adopted goals that couldn't be reached from the beginning. We allowed our identities to become tied in with pleasing people. If we suffered rejection, we collapsed into a quivering heap. Each time we wrapped ourselves up in a package for someone to pass judgment on, we set ourselves up for failure.

We know we are not God. We must realize no other human being is God, either. We can't ask any person to judge us. We can't judge anyone else. The foundation of our Program is the decision we made in Step Three to turn our wills and lives over to the care of God. This is the formula for success. Try pleasing God, not other people.

I can't build my life and recovery on always trying to please others. My road to success is pleasing my Higher Power.

You are reading from the book:

Easy Does It by Anonymous

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July 8

Remember always that you have not only the right to be an individual; you have an obligation to be one.
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

When we were using alcohol and other drugs, we often thought that we were different from others. We secretly thought that no one could understand us. Maybe we tried to be one of the group, but we were lonely.

Now we know for sure - we are different from others. Everyone's unique. We all have this in common. Being like others helps us feel safe and normal. But we need to feel good about the ways we're different from others too. We think a little different, act a little different, and look a little different from anyone else. We each have our own way to make life better for others.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me be an individual. Help me use my special gifts, not hide them.

Action for the Day

Today, I'll make a list of the things I'm good at. I'll think about how I can use these gifts.

You are reading from the book:

Keep It Simple by Anonymous

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July 9

As one goes through life, one learns that if you don't paddle your own canoe, you don't move.
--Katharine Hepburn

Newcomer

I appreciate the fact that you remain friendly and even-tempered even though I don't always follow your advice.

Sponsor

Friends can disagree without having to end their relationship. I might have trouble sponsoring someone who never attends meetings, someone who has frequent relapses, or someone who complains about his or her problems without ever being willing to attempt the Steps. But occasional disagreements are a part of life.

A sponsor's suggestions aren't commands, any more than the Twelve Steps are. As a sponsor, I only make suggestions; even though they're based on my experience, I'm not always right about what will work for another person. And I may misjudge what another person's timetable is. I'm not infallible. I try not to let my ego get in the way, to feel hurt or angry when you need to try something on your own. Learning to make your own decisions is necessary to growth.

Each of us makes his or her own way through the process of recovery. We learn more from our own experiences, good and bad, than from anything we read in a book or hear at a meeting.

Today, I learn from my experience.

You are reading from the book:

If You Want What We Have by Joan Larkin

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July 10

To give and to receive are one in truth.
--A Course in Miracles

Giving our love away, honoring someone in need by giving our full attention, will usually bring kindness and concern in return. And unkindness and neglect on our part are likely to result in the same from others. We will usually elicit that which we've so thoughtfully or thoughtlessly given.

Not many elements in our life are so fully in our control as how we choose to treat other people. There are few among us who aren't moved by another's expression of pure, unconditional love. We are humbled by it and feel valued. We can honor the existence of our fellow travelers by our open, willing love for them too.

We need to feel appreciated. And yet, to express appreciation is such a simple act, one that has profound effects for all concerned. Acts of kindness multiply very quickly; we contribute to a world favoring our true humanity when we give out loving thoughts even as we receive them.

I will extend the hand of love to a friend today and thus help to make a better world.

You are reading from the book:

In God's Care by Karen Casey

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July 11

Counting our blessings

We have passed from death into life. We know that a powerful life force flows through us and a new and beautiful serenity is ours. What we once despised, we now cherish. We cease to find the world of drugs attractive.

This is a blessing and a miracle, for at one point we were among those considered to be the hopeless ones. Let's thank our Higher Power for our spiritual understanding and for the blessings of a clean and sober life.

Do I count my blessings each day?

Higher Power, I give thanks from the depths of my heart and soul for the blessing of my new life.

You are reading from the book:

Day by Day - Second Edition by Anonymous

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July 12

Why admitting we're wrong is right.

Sometimes it's painful or almost impossible to admit that we've been wrong. This means we'll probably go on making the same mistakes until we're finally forced to face the truth. Why does this happen?

The problem lies with what we call the ego in our Twelve Step discussions. We commit ourselves to defending this ego at all times, especially around people who seem to put us down. Far from being a minor correction, any admission of wrong feels like total defeat, at least in our warped way of looking at things.

We can release ourselves from this bondage simply by coming to see that admitting and facing our wrongs is essential to growth. A store manager who overstocks a certain item "admits" the mistake by putting the goods on a clearance sale and getting rid of them. We can cut any loss in the same way by admitting a mistake and going on to a better course of action.

I'll not plan to make any mistakes today. But I'll hold myself in readiness to admit them if they occur. This is no threat to my ego. I am much more than my mistakes.

You are reading from the book:

Walk in Dry Places by Mel B.

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July 13

Is there any stab as deep as wondering where and how much you failed those you loved?
--Florida Scott Maxwell

Treating our loved ones as we hope to be treated is our assurance against failing them. And if we listen to our inner voice, we'll never falter in our actions toward others. There is always a right behavior, a thoughtful response, and a respectful posture.

Let us be mindful that we're sharing our experiences with others who need the talents we have to offer. It's not by coincidence but by design that we're given opportunities to treat those close at hand in some manner. We'd do well to let the choice be loving.

How we treat another invites like treatment. Actions from our heart will soften our own struggles. Also, spiteful, critical treatment of others will hamper our steps. We teach others how to treat us by our gestures and words.

The inner voice can be heard if I choose to listen. It will never guide me wrongly.

You are reading from the book:

The Promise of a New Day by Karen Casey and Martha Vanceburg

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July 14

Daily Surrender - No Regrets

This I pray, Higher Power: I will surrender to Your will today, which brings me peace and joy that makes all things new. I no longer have that trampled look of someone forced to remember every mistake he or she has made. I no longer hide under that blanket of regrets.

My daily surrender to You and the Fellowship that surrounds me leads me away from darkness and into the wonderful light of Your wisdom.

You are reading from the book:

The 12 Step Prayer Book Volume 2 by Bill P. and Lisa D.

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July 15

We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world and the best that we can find in our travels is an honest friend.
--Robert Louis Stevenson

Addiction destroyed many of our relationships. It took away our ability to get close to others. The above quotation reminds us that real friends are more important than the people we hung around with while using alcohol or drugs.

Recovery is all about bettering our relationships. Our lives depend upon this. We find honest friends in recovery. We are not alone anymore. We are honest with each other about character defects and work to help each other have better, ever-closer relationships. Our lives also depend upon this. We work to help each other find a way out of the wilderness or at times just survive in the wilderness. Over time, we see that, even though people can be a pain at times, friendships and relationships are the best things in life.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, teach me how to be a good, honest friend. Comfort me as I travel in the wilderness of life.

Today’s Action

Today I will think about what makes a good friend. Then I will do an honest inventory of what type of friend I am. Am I there for others in the bad times as well as the good times?

You are reading from the book:

God Grant Me... by Anonymous