Today's Thought - July

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July 1

Recovery sets us free.

Freedom is what recovery is all about. Not only are we free from addictive behavior, but we are free to become who we are and enjoy all that life has to offer. We may not hear bands playing and see fireworks every day, but we will know a new dimension of peace and serenity.

Although recovery does not guarantee freedom from pain and distress, it promises us greater resources for coping with trouble. With the help of abstinence and the Twelve Steps, we become free to work toward resolving our difficulties instead of escaping into false solutions.

We must remain strong and guard the freedom that comes with abstinence. Whatever threatens abstinence should be avoided: we don't want to transfer one obsession to something else, such as compulsive shopping, or addictive relationships. To remain free, we stay in touch with others who are also recovering and with the Higher Power that guides and supports us.

I will celebrate my freedom today and every day.

You are reading from the book:

Inner Harvest by Elisabeth L.

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July 2

Hurts do heal.

Time has a wonderful way of erasing bad feelings and leaving us with good ones. Our memories are selective, and fortunately, the pleasant ones seem to have more staying power. Whatever has been real and meaningful for us tends to remain with us - the rest gradually fades away. We can assist this selective process of memory by consciously letting go of the thoughts and feelings that disturb our serenity.

You might imagine yourself making a package out of a disappointment, your hostility, some hurt feelings, or whatever is hampering your spirit. Wrap the package tightly and ship it off to a Higher Power. Send it airmail, if you like.

Refusing to dwell on our wounds allows them to heal more quickly. In our program, there is no place for self-pity. The reprieve we have from our eating disorder is a daily one, and it depends on our spiritual condition. Gratitude for all the good fortune that comes our way keeps us healthy.

I will remember that what hurts today will pass in time. I can speed its departure by refusing to indulge in self-pity.

You are reading from the book:

Inner Harvest by Elisabeth L.

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July 3

To enjoy freedom we have to control ourselves.
--Virginia Woolf

Freedom is a funny thing. In a way, it makes life harder. We are free to do what we want, but every choice makes a difference in our lives. Some choices make us happy, and some bring trouble.

We can make good choices. We can control our actions. We can start by having control in little ways - follow the law, pay the rent, make the bed every day. These choices put order in our lives. Eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep. These choices make us strong enough to live each day to the fullest. These kinds of choices set us free.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, when I was drinking and drugging, I couldn't enjoy my freedom. I had no control over the little things in my life. Help me stay sober today.

Action for the Day

Today, I'll be grateful for having some control. I will list five ways I am more free because I can control my actions.

You are reading from the book:

Keep It Simple by Anonymous

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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

Other people can't meet our needs if we don't tell them what our needs are.

We need tenderness and caring from our families and friends. We need their acceptance, understanding, and support. Sometimes we need their criticism and forgiveness.

Whatever our needs are, other people will probably be involved in getting them met. If we expect those close to us to read our minds and know exactly what we want without being told, we will probably be disappointed. Being honest and candid about our needs and feelings is an important goal of recovery. True, the other person may say no, but being able to make a reasonable request raises our self-esteem and opens the door to communication.

Today, I will take the risk of asking someone directly for something I want.

You are reading from the book:

Inner Harvest by Elisabeth L.

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July 6

Reflection for the Day

The Program and my friends in the fellowship have provided me with a whole new set of tools for living. Even the slogans that once seemed so trite and corny are now becoming an important part of my daily life: Easy Does It; First Things First; This, Too, Will Pass. If I use all of my tools regularly and well, they'll also help rid me of such negative feelings as guilt, anxiety, rebellion and pride. When I'm feeling depressed, do I use the tools that have been proven effective? Or do I grit my teeth and suffer in painful silence?

Today I Pray

I praise my wonder-working Higher Power for giving me the tools for recovery, once I admitted I was powerless and gave myself over to the will of God as I understand God. I give thanks for the Twelve Steps and for the fellowship of the group, which can help me see myself honestly. I give thanks for those words and phrases which become, as we understand them more completely, banners in our celebration of sobriety.

Today I Will Remember

Pass on the passwords to recovery.

You are reading from the book:

A Day at a Time (Softcover) by Anonymous

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July 7

A.A. Thought for the Day

How big a part of our lives is AA? Is it just one of our activities and a small one at that? Do we only go to AA meetings now and then and sometimes never go at all? Do we think of AA only occasionally? Are we reticent about mentioning the subject of AA to people who might need help? Or does AA fill a large part of our lives? Is AA the foundation on which I build my life?

Meditation for the Day

I lay upon God my failures and mistakes and shortcomings. I do not dwell upon my failures, upon the fact that in the past I have been nearer a beast than an angel. I have a mediator between me and God -- my growing faith.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not let the beast in me hold me back from my spiritual destiny.

You are reading from the book:

Twenty-four Hours a Day for Teens by Anonymous

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July 8

"AndthankyouforkeepingmestraightyesterdayAmen. "

Sometimes I can almost hear God saying, "What did she just say?"

Are you rushing through or skipping prayer and meditation time? Are people in your life asking where you are, even though you're in the room with them when they ask? Are you so focused on an outcome that you've forgotten to enjoy each step along the way? Do you have so many things to do that you're doing them all at once and not getting anything done?

We receive from life what we put in, unless we're pouring our energy into a black hole. Are you getting what you want out of your relationships, work, and leisure time?

How much of you are you investing?

You are reading from the book:

52 Weeks of Conscious Contact by Melody Beattie

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July 9

I get a massage almost every week no matter where I am, eat a healthy diet, schedule time alone, and if I get to a point where I feel I need a block of time...I'll cancel.
-- Anne Wilson Schaef

Do we love and care for our body as well as we love and care for our home and car? Do we feel our body deserves full attention and a loving maintenance plan?

Taking our body for granted is easy because of its remarkable durability and regenerative power. We may get lulled into a false sense of "nine lives" body security, believing our physical being will fix itself no matter what.

Self-care takes time and priority planning to be successful. We may find we put off our exercise and nutritional needs saying, "Tomorrow I'll start taking better care of myself." But sooner or later tomorrow comes, and our body produces symptoms that demand attention.

Learning to love and nurture our body brings rewards without measure. We deserve to reap the benefits starting today.

Today let me realize that respect for my body builds a healing temple in which the rest of my life can grow.

You are reading from the book:

Body, Mind, and Spirit by Anonymous

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July 10

Example is the lesson that all men can read.
-- Gilbert West

Patterning our lives after others is familiar. Maybe as kids we emulated "toughies" or the teacher's pet. As we grew, the criteria changed, but we sought role models, nonetheless. The career we chose and the family relationships we developed may have been inspired by the example of another. Today may be no different. Seeing our friends and acquaintances pursue paths unlike our own gives us ideas to explore. How lucky we are that teaching is never done and learning is merely a decision.

The only thing that has actually changed is our age. The opportunities for growth continue to flow. Our purpose for being here remains the same. Our responsibility to ourselves never abates. It's comforting to count on these things. It makes our choices simpler.

There's always the right step to take, the right response to make, the right attitude to foster. But if ever we're in doubt, the impulse to forgive and to love will never be wrong.

My action today may be an important example for a friend. I pray to choose my steps and words wisely.

You are reading from the book:

Keepers of the Wisdom by Karen Casey

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July 11

A.A. Thought for the Day

In Alcoholics Anonymous there is no thought of individual profit. No greed or gain. No membership fees, no dues. All that we hope for is sobriety and regeneration, so that we can live normal, respectable lives. These things we accomplish by the help of each other, by following the Twelve Steps, and by the grace of God. Am I willing to work for AA without material gain to myself?

Meditation for the Day

What is sometimes called a conversion by religion is often only the discovery of God as a friend in need. What is sometimes called religion is often only the experiencing of the help and strength of God's power. What is sometimes called holiness is often only the invitation of God to be a Friend.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may think of God as a Great Friend in need.

You are reading from the book:

Twenty-four Hours a Day for Teens by Anonymous

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July 12

A holiday is a permitted – or rather a prescribed – excess, a solemn violation of a prohibition.
--Sigmund Freud

Breaking our own small rules is a luxury that we sometimes forget to indulge. How pleasant it can be to stay in bed late on a Sunday, not get dressed or shaved, to let clutter accumulate. On our days off, we can get a thrill from such "solemn violations" as going to a film in the afternoon, eating an unscheduled treat, jogging twice around the track.

It's probably important to give ourselves these little extravagances, especially if our usual lives involve a highly organized routine. Just breaking up the day differently – reversing daytime and nighttime activities, for example – can give a special flavor to a day off.

Routine is consoling for many of us. We feel good about ourselves as long as we keep to the schedule, obey the rules. But we need to break some rules to get a different kind of good feeling about ourselves; above all, to know that we can choose to return to our former law-abiding selves. Sometimes we fear that if we step out of line once, we'll never get our lives together again. We need to know that we can renew ourselves on a holiday.

Giving myself a holiday by breaking my routine can make it stronger – because I choose to resume it.

You are reading from the book:

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

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July 13

A.A. Thought for the Day

AA is like a dike, holding back the ocean of liquor. If we take one glass of liquor, it is like making a small hole in the dike, and once such a hole has been made, the whole ocean of alcohol may rush in upon us. By practicing the AA principles we keep the dike strong and in repair.

Meditation for the Day

I keep as close as I can to my Higher Power. I try to think, act, and live as though I am always in God's presence. Keeping close to a Power greater than myself is the solution to most of earth's problems. I try to practice the presence of God in the things I think and do. That is the secret of personal power.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may keep close to the mind of God.

You are reading from the book:

Twenty-four Hours a Day for Teens by Anonymous

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July 14

Reflection for the Day

Now that I know I can't use bottled courage, I seek and pray for 24-hour courage to change the things I can. Obviously, this isn't the kind of courage that will make me a strong and brave person for life, able to handle any and all situations courageously. Rather, what I need is a persistent and intelligent courage, continuing each day into the next one - but doing today only what can be done today and avoiding all fear and worry with regard to the final result. What does courage mean to me today?

Today I Pray

May I tackle only those things which I have a chance of changing. And change must start with me, a day at a time. May I know that acceptance often is a form of courage. I pray not for super-bravery, but just for persistence to meet what life brings to me without being overcome by it.

Today I Will Remember

Courage is meeting a day at a time.

You are reading from the book:

A Day at a Time (Softcover) by Anonymous

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July 15

I want somehow to tell the story of how the dispossessed become possessed of their own history without losing sight, without forgetting the meaning or the nature of their journey.
-Sherley Anne Williams

To use the past without being controlled by it - that is our responsibility to history. Because the past is irrecoverably vanished, it's sometimes tempting to forget it or to falsify it. But being true to ourselves means being true to our history.

Past cruelties can remain powerful in our lives - yet to take possession of our history means to free ourselves of bondage to past events. Nothing can ever change them. If we are to make the future good, we'll learn what the past can teach us. But our freedom requires us to make choices based on the needs of the present, not the past.

I can act at every moment in such a way as to honor the past and enhance the future.

You are reading from the book:

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