By: Marilyn L. Davis “If you have discovered a truth, tell it first to a parrot! Every new truth needs insistent repetition!” ~ Mehmet Murat ildan ____ ____ Don’t You Know the Slogan? ____ The other night there was a new man in our group. When I asked him why he chose to come […]
I know it’s hard to accept responsibility for our life choices. I spent years blaming my parents, bosses, husbands, lovers, and even my children for whatever was wrong. And when we’re not blaming, we’re trying to get everyone to focus only on our positive aspects.
How convenient and dishonest to say that all the harmful things I did to people were in my use. Then I could blame my behaviors, attitudes and actions on a substance, not the shadow aspects of myself or my character defects. Although my use distorted my thinking, behaviors, and attitudes, it was the shadow aspects or myself and my character defects that fueled my actions as much as my use.
An easy way to get acquainted with people in any recovery support meeting is to ask questions. You might be surprised at the answers. However, don’t just ask questions just to appear interested. Instead, use the suggestions and directions.
For many addicts and alcoholics coming to terms with the puzzle of addiction – knowing they need to change and doing the complete opposite is frustrating and scary. However, the good news is that the barriers and objections are within you and that means you have the ability to change them. It’s just a matter of isolating them, examining them and then changing what doesn’t work or fit anymore.
We have all manipulated people. But most of us have a preferred method of manipulation. When you learn to spot yours, then you can decide if your manipulation comes at too great a cost and change the behaviors.
Like my Dad, I carry his Around Tuit, but I also carry my newest recovery medallion in my purse. One keeps me focused on my everyday life, and the other keeps me mindful of my recovery and the lessons I’ve learned.
By: Alison Smela “The ripple effect. You throw a pebble into the water and it creates ripples. Your action was to throw the pebble—the representation of your choice. That’s all that you can control. But not the ripples—those are the consequences of your choice. And that you cannot control.” ― Michele Bardsley Spiritual […]
When we are new in recovery, it’s imperative that we find people who respect and can work with our differences. Whether this is a sponsor, accountability partner, or therapist doesn’t matter.
“It was not the feeling of completeness I so needed, but the feeling of not being empty.” ― Jonathan Safran Foer, Everything Is Illuminated
Today, I’d like to be one of those people who tell you, “If I can do this, so can you.” Recovery works.
By Whitney McKendree Moore “When I first stopped trying to fix other people, I turned my attention to ‘curing’ myself. I was in a hurry to get this healing process over… I looked forward to the day I would graduate from Al-Anon and get on with my life. As year two and year three […]
Learning to Walk in Our Recovery
I then asked them if they would criticize a toddler who stumbled while learning to walk, or if when their children did stumble and fall, did they think, ‘Boy this kid will never walk.’
These questions usually get me some perplexed looks and the standard, “Of course not. Kids have to learn that stuff, and they’re going to fall. They just get back up.”
It’s the same for our recovery.
The more I read, the more similarities that I found between three of the world’s major religions: Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism, with what I believe to be the fundamentals of recovery.
