Daily Reflections & Daily Readings

[MandiH]

August 5~NA Just For Today

The Shape Of Our Thoughts

“By shaping our thoughts with spiritual ideals, we are freed to become who we want to be.”
Basic Text, p.101

Addiction shaped our thoughts in its own way. Whatever their shape may once have been, they became misshapen once our disease took full sway over our lives. Our obsession with drugs and self molded our moods, our actions, and the very shape of our lives.

Each of the spiritual ideals of our program serves to straighten out one or another of the kinks in our
thinking that developed in our active addiction. Denial is counteracted by admission, secretiveness by honesty, isolation by fellowship, and despair by faith in a loving Higher Power.

The spiritual ideals we find in recovery are restoring the shape of our thoughts and our lives to their natural condition.

And what is that “natural condition”? It is the condition we truly seek for ourselves, a reflection of our highest dreams. How do we know this? Because our thoughts are being shaped in recovery by the
spiritual ideals we find in our developing relationship with the God we’ve come to understand in NA.

No longer does addiction shape our thoughts. Today, our lives are being shaped by our recovery and our
Higher Power.

Just for today: I will allow spiritual ideals to shape my thoughts. In that design, I will find the shape of my own Higher Power.

[MandiH]

August 6~DRIVEN

Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. -ALCOHOLIC ANONYMOUS , p. 62

My selfishness was the driving force behind my drinking. I drank to celebrate success and I drank to drown my sorrows. Humility is the answer. I learn to turn my will and my life over to the care of God. My sponsor tells me that service keeps me sober.

Today I ask myself: Have I sought knowledge of God’s will for me? Have I done service for my A. A. group?

[MandiH]

August 6~Language Of Letting Go

Solving Problems

Problems are made to be solved!

Some of us spend more time reacting to the fact that we have a problem than we do solving the problem. “Why is this happening to me?”. . . “Isn’t life awful?”. . . “How come this had to happen?”. . . “Oh, dear. This is terrible.”. . . “Why is God (the Universe, an agency, a person, or life) picking on me?”

Problems are inevitable. Some problems can be anticipated. Some are surprises. But the idea that problems occur regularly need never be a surprise.

The good news is that for every problem, there’s a solution. Sometimes the solution is immediate. Sometimes, it takes awhile to discover. Sometimes, the solution involves letting go. Sometimes, the problem is ours to solve; sometimes it isn’t. Sometimes, there is something we can clearly do to solve the problem; other times, we need to struggle, flounder, do our part, then trust our Higher Power for help.

Sometimes, the problem is just part of life. Sometimes, the problem is important because we are learning something through the problem and its solution. Sometimes, problems end up working out for good in our life. They get us headed in a direction that is superior to one we may otherwise have taken.

Sometimes, problems just are; sometimes they are a warning sign that we are on the wrong track.

We can learn to accept problems as an inevitable part of life. We can learn to solve problems. We can learn to trust our ability to solve problems. We can learn to identify which problems are trying to lead us in a new direction, and which simply ask for solving.

We can learn to focus on the solution rather than on the problem, and maintain a positive attitude toward life and the inevitable flow of problems and solutions.

Today, I will learn to trust solutions, rather than be victimized by problems. I will not use problems to prove I am helpless, picked on, or martyred. I will not point to my problems to prove how awful life is. I will learn to trust the flow of problems and solutions. God, help me solve the problems I can solve today. Help me let go of the rest. Help me believe in my ability to tackle and solve problems. Help me trust the flow. For each problem, there is a solution.

[MandiH]

August 6~Keep It Simple

Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave you. . . Alcoholics Anonymous

We don’t have to fear people. They can’t wreck our spirit.

We don’t have to fear money problems. We
won’t have to starve to death.

Our Higher Power will lead us on a safe path through life.

Our Higher power wants us to be safe, happy, and wise.

Our Higher power wants us to feel loved.

We’ll learn to trust our Higher Power. And we’ll learn to trust the happiness we find in our new way of
life.

People may still hurt us, but there will be much more love to carry us through.

Prayer For the Day: Higher Power, I know You protect me and care for me. Help me stop worrying.

Action for the Day: Today, I’ll list four fears I have. I will talk with my sponsor about how to turn these
over to my Higher Power.

[MandiH]

August 6~Each Day a New Beginning

They sicken of the calm, who knew the storm. --Dorothy Parker

Variety in experiences is necessary for our continued growth. We mistakenly think that the “untroubled” life would be forever welcome.

It’s the deep waves of life that teach us to be better swimmers.

We don’t know how to appreciate the calm without the occasional storm that pushes us to new limits of
ourselves. The calm following the storm offers us the time we need to become comfortable with our new
growth.

We are ever changing, refining our values, stepping gingerly into uncharted territories. We are
forever in partnership in these new territories, let us not forget.

We long for challenge even in the midst of the calm that blesses us. Our inner selves understand the
journey; a journey destined to carry us to new horizons; a journey that promises many stormy seasons.

For to reach our destination, we must be willing to weather the storms. They are challenges, handpicked
for us, designed to help us become all that we need to be in this earthly life.

The mixture of the calm with the storm is not haphazard. Quite the contrary. My growth is at the center of
each.

I will trust its message.

[MandiH]

August 6~NA Just For Today

The Joy Within

“Since the beginning of our recovery, we have found that joy doesn’t come from material things but from
within ourselves.” Basic Text, p.103

Some of us came to Narcotics Anonymous impoverished by our disease. Everything we’d owned had been lost to our addiction. Once we got clean, we put all our energy into recovering our material
possessions, only to feel even more dissatisfied with our lives than before.

Other members have sought to ease their emotional pain with material things. A potential date has
rejected us? Let’s buy something. The dog has died? Let’s go to the mall. Problem is, emotional
fulfillment can’t be bought, not even on an easy installment plan.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with material things. They can make life more convenient or more
luxurious, but they can’t fix us. Where, then, can true joy be found? We know; the answer is within
ourselves.

When have we found joy? When we’ve offered ourselves in service to others, without expectation of
reward. We’ve found true warmth in the fellowship of others-not only in NA, but in our families, our
relationships, and our communities. And we’ve found the surest source of satisfaction in our conscious contact with our God.

Inner peace, a sure sense of direction, and emotional security do not come from material things, but from within.

Just for today: True joy can’t be bought. I will seek my joy in service, in fellowship, in my Higher Power I will seek within.

[MandiH]

August 6~Today’s Gift

What matters?..Only the flicker of light within the darkness, the feeling of warmth within the cold, the
knowledge of love within the void. --Joan Walsh Anglund

If we were lost at sea, surrounded by darkness pierced only by one distant blinking light, we would follow that light. As we followed it, it would become clearer and brighter until it brought us safely to land.

Sometimes when we’re depressed, we feel as though we’re lost on a dark sea. But there is always a flicker of light for us. It may be prayer, or the love of a special friend. When we see that light, we need to move toward it. Whatever brings us hope is like that flicker of light. The more we seek it, the clearer and brighter the light will become.

When we are cold and our bodies begin to numb, we must keep moving. Movement will keep us alive.
When our emotions are numb, we need people or things or places that will warm our hearts. When no one else is around, hot baths or a favorite treat can bring the warmth of our own self-love into our lives when we need it the most.

How can I brighten my inner light today

[MandiH]

August 7~Daily Reflections

A “DESIGN FOR LIVING”

We in our turn, sought the same escape with all the desperation of drowning men. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be the loving and powerful hand of God. A new life has been given us or, if you prefer, “a design for living” that really works.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 28

I try each day to raise my heart and hands in thanks to God for showing me a “design for living” that really works through our beautiful Fellowship. But what, exactly, is this “design for living” that “really works”? For me, it is the practice of the Twelve Steps to the best of my ability, the continued awareness of a God who loves me unconditionally, and the hope that, in each new day, there is a purpose for my being. I am truly, truly blessed in the Fellowship.

From the book Daily Reflections.
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

[MandiH]

August 7~Language Of Letting Go

Saying No

For many of us, the most difficult word to say is one of the shortest and easiest in the vocabulary: No. Go ahead, say it aloud: No.

No—simple to pronounce, hard to say. We’re afraid people won’t like us, or we feel guilty. We may believe that a “good” employee, child, parent, spouse, or Christian never says no.

The problem is, if we don’t learn to say no, we stop liking ourselves and the people we always try to please. We may even punish others out of resentment.

When do we say no? When no is what we really mean.

When we learn to say no, we stop lying. People can trust us, and we can trust ourselves. All sorts of good things happen when we start saying what we mean.

If we’re scared to say no, we can buy some time. We can take a break, rehearse the word, and go back and say no. We don’t have to offer long explanations for our decisions.

When we can say no, we can say yes to the good. Our no’s and our yes’s begin to be taken seriously. We gain control of ourselves. And we learn a secret: “No” isn’t really that hard to say.

Today, I will say no if that is what I mean.

[MandiH]

August 7~Keep It Simple

True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body.—Humboldt

In recovery, we work at taking better care of ourselves. We care for our mind and our body.

Often, during our drinking and drugging, we ignored our mind and body. We probably ate poorly, and we
pushed our body to the limit.

But now, we are to recover. . .totally! We are to care for our mind and body as we care for our spirit. Our
illness is an illness of mind, body, and spirit. So let’s care for all three. In recovery, we learn to care for
and love all of who we are.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me care for my mind and body as I recover. You love all of me.
Help me to respect and care for all of me.

Action for the Day: I will write down how much time I’ve spent caring for my mind and body in the past
two weeks. Is it enough?

[MandiH]

August 7~Each Day A New Beginning

Each Day a New Beginning

To have one’s individuality completely ignored is like being pushed quite out of life. Like being blown
out as one blows out a light. --Evelyn Scott

We need to know that we matter in this life. We need evidence that others are aware of our presence. And
thus, we can be certain that others need the same attention from us. When we give it, we get it. So the
giving of attention to another searching soul meets our own need for attention as well.

Respectful recognition of another’s presence blesses her, God, and ourselves. And we help one another
grow, in important ways, each time we pay the compliment of acknowledgment.

We’re not sure, on occasion, just what we have to offer our friends, families, co-workers. Why we are in
certain circumstances may have us baffled, but it’s quite probably that the people we associate with
regularly need something we can give them; the reverse is just as likely. So we can begin with close
attention to people in our path. It takes careful listening and close observation to sense the message another soul may be sending to our own.

I will be conscious of the people around me. I shall acknowledge them and be thankful for all they are
offering me.

[MandiH]

August 7~NA Just For Today

The Gratitude List

"We focus on anything that isn’t going our way and ignore all the beauty in our lives."Basic Text, p.77

It’s easy to be grateful when everything runs smoothly. If we get a raise at work, we’re grateful. If we get married, we’re grateful. If someone surprises us with a nice present or an unasked favor, we’re grateful.

But if we get fired, divorced, or disappointed, gratitude flies out the window. We find ourselves becoming obsessed with the things that are wrong, even though everything else may be wonderful.

This is where we can use a gratitude list. We sit down with a pen and paper and list the people for whom we are grateful. We all have people who’ve supported us through life’s upheavals. We list the spiritual assets we have attained, for we know we could never make it through our present circumstances without them. Last, but not least, we list our recovery itself.

Whatever we have that we are grateful for goes on thelist.

We’re sure to find that we have literally hundreds of things in our lives that inspire our gratitude. Even
those of us who are suffering from an illness or who have lost all material wealth will find blessings of a
spiritual nature for which we can be thankful. An awakening of the spirit is the most valuable gift an
addict can receive.

Just for today: I will write a list of things, both material and spiritual, for which I am grateful.

[MandiH]

August 7~Today’s Gift

Love consists in this, that two solitudes protect and touch and greet each other. --Rainer Maria Rilke

For a relationship to be healthy and fulfilling, each of us must respect the other. “Two solitudes” is exactly what we are, and we will never be one, no matter how close we become. It may feel like that at times, but we always remain separate persons with our own thoughts, feelings, dreams, and interests.

When we love one another, we allow each other to be who we are, to have our own lives, for it is out of
those separate lives that we bring strength and energy and life into our relationships.

We are meant to honor the differences between us. Often these differences lead to squabbles, but when
we recognize that each of us is necessary to the union we have created, we create a better one, far superior to the sum of its parts.

What differences between us make our lives together better?

[MandiH]

August 7~Touchstones

We love because it’s the only true adventure. --Nikki Giovanni

In loving, we meet ourselves. As we have become more honest, we no longer make excuses about our
relationship problems. We can’t blame our troubles on our partner. Our problems with love were often
because we didn’t know how to be close or we didn’t dare to be.

When we let ourselves engage in this adventure, we meet many obstacles - things we can’t control, and
sometimes we want to quit right there. We have arguments and disappointments as well as good feelings.

But what adventure is without difficulty or surprises? Part of the reason for choosing new experiences is
to confront forces outside our control. A relationship is a dialogue. Only if we stay with it through the
frustrations, express our deepest feelings openly, and listen to our partner, do we achieve a new level of understanding and confidence in the relationship. Then deeper levels also open within ourselves.

Today, I will let honesty guide me in this adventure of my love dialogue

[MandiH]

August 7~Morning Light/Night Light

God brings men into deep waters, not to drown them, but to cleanse them. —John Aughey

A woman who had great faith rented a boat with the intent of crossing a lake. “Be back within the hour,” the boat rental owner advised. “A storm is coming.” The woman smiled, “God will protect me.”

When she was partway across the lake, the storm rolled in and her boat capsized. Soon she saw the boat rental owner steering a boat toward her. “Get in,” he shouted, but the woman said, “God will save me.”

Sometime later, the woman heard a helicopter and saw a long cable extending down toward her. “Climb up,” the pilot shouted, but she refused. “God will take care of me.”

It was not long before the woman was standing, dripping wet, before God. “Why did you let me drown?” she asked. “I have faith in you. I thought you would save me.”

“Who do you think sent the boat and the helicopter?” God asked.

Remember that your Higher Power can be a lifesaver, but only when you can grab hold and take action on your own. Reach out to God whenever you are in need, but also take responsibility for finding what you are looking for.

Today I have faith in a Higher Power and also in myself.

Quoted from the app Morning Light/Night Light.

[Aussie_Tiger]

[tailee17]

No! NO! I said no! Thanks for allowing me to freely say no!

[MandiH]

August 8~Daily Reflections

“MADE A LIST . . .”

Made a list of all persons we had harmed, . . .
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 77

When I approached the Eighth Step, I wondered how I could list all the things that I have done to other people since there were so many people, and some of them weren’t alive anymore. Some of the hurts I inflicted weren’t bad, but they really bothered me. The main thing to see in this Step was to become willing to do whatever I had to do to make these amends to the best of my ability at that particular time. Where there is a will, there’s a way, so if I want to feel better, I need to unload the guilt feelings I have. A peaceful mind has no room for feelings of guilt. With the help of my Higher Power, if I am honest with myself, I can cleanse my mind of these feelings.

From the book Daily Reflections.
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

[MandiH]

August 8~Language Of Letting Go

Saying Yes

Yesterday we talked about learning to say no. Today let’s discuss another important word: Yes.

We can learn to say yes to things that feel good, to what we want—for ourselves and others.

We can learn to say yes to fun. Yes to meetings, to calling a friend, asking for help.

We can learn to say yes to healthy relationships, to people and activities that are good for us.

We can learn to say yes to ourselves, what we want and need, our instincts, and the leading of our Higher Power.

We can learn to say yes when it feels right to help someone. We can learn to say yes to our feelings. We can learn to identify when we need to take a walk, take a nap, have our back rubbed, or buy ourselves flowers.

We can learn to say yes to work that is right for us.

We can learn to say yes to all that will nurture and nourish us. We can learn to say yes to the best life and love have to offer.

Today, I will say yes to all that feels good and right.

[MandiH]

August 8~Walk in Dry Places

No self-deception

Honesty

Most of the time, other people don’t really deceive us. We deceive ourselves by refusing to face life
realistically. We often believe false information simply because we want to believe it.

Living on a 12 Step basis should enable us to face reality without becoming cynical or pessimistic. If a
friend appears to be lying to us, for example, we can accept this as a single lie, not as a complete betrayal.

In addition, we learn not to lie to ourselves. This helps us avoid shaky business schemes and unrealistic hopes.

At the same time, we can still retain our capacity for believing in wonders and miracles. We have
experienced enough miracles to prove that they really happen.

I’ll use my head as much as possible today to help keep my heart from getting me into trouble, but I’ll
remember that it’s what’s in my heart that counts.