Wisdom Of The Rooms - 2017

[bluidkiti]

June 19

Quote of the Week

“Humility is our acceptance of ourselves.”

I used to think that humility was for the weak. In school, in business, and in life, I was taught to be competitive and to always strive to win. When I drank, I took this to the next level and became aggressive and looked for ways to dominate others – even if that meant cheating, stealing, or lying. Money, property, and prestige – regardless of how I got it – were my goals, and humility was not something I had any interest in. This relentless pursuit of “outside” stuff, fueled by the disease of alcoholism, brought me to my knees and drove me into the rooms of recovery.

When I got sober, there was a lot of talk about surrender, willingness, and humility. My ego fought against it all, and as I tried to acquire these character traits, rebellion dogged my every step. Thankfully, I learned new ways of framing these concepts. I was taught that when one surrenders, they “stop fighting, lay down their arms and join the winning side.” And that’s when I learned the true definition of humility.
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I was taught that humility isn’t thinking less about yourself, but rather thinking about yourself less. As I worked the Steps, helped others, and got closer to my Higher Power, I began feeling better about myself. By doing a Fourth Step inventory, and then working my Eight and Ninth Steps, I finally forgave myself my past transgressions. I was given the gift of empathy and acceptance of myself. Today I feel comfortable in my own skin, and I appreciate the gift that humility truly is.