Daily Reflections & Daily Readings

[MandiH]

November 6~Walk In Dry Places

Dealing with worry

Dealing with feelings

There’s nothing like a siege of worry to spoil our day. It matters little whether the worry is about a real
problem or something we’re imagining. In either case, worry makes us unhappy, depressed, and even
fatigued.

It doesn’t help to be urged not to worry. We may even know worry is harmful, yet be unable to stop it.

In fact, one of the things we may have sought in the bottle was an easing of worry.

The best answer to worry is in the 12 Step program. If we have turned our will and lives over to our
Higher Power, the real direction of our lives is out of our hands.

We must think of ourselves as passengers in a divinely guided vehicle.

Some will think this philosophy is preposterous and irresponsible, but in reality we are taking right actions in an orderly way, as our guidance continues.

We need only prove to ourselves that our program
works. Worry is merely a signal that we need to work our program.

If I catch myself worrying, I’ll remind myself that my Higher Power is in charge of all outcomes. I’ll do
my best and expect the best.

[MrMoustache]

Thank you for this, much needed! In Higher Power we trust.

[MandiH]

Amen! I thought this one was perfectly timed!

[MandiH]

November 7~Daily Reflections

LET GO AND LET GOD

. . . praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 96

When I “Let Go and Let God,” I think more clearly and wisely. Without having to think about it, I quickly let go of things that cause me immediate pain and discomfort. Because I find it hard to let go of the kind of worrisome thoughts and attitudes that cause me immense anguish, all I need do during those times is allow God, as I understand Him, to release them for me, and then and there, I let go of the thoughts, memories and attitudes that are troubling me.

When I receive help from God, as I understand Him, I can live my life one day at a time and handle whatever challenges come my way. Only then can I live a life of victory over alcohol, in comfortable sobriety.

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

[MandiH]

November 7~Language Of Letting Go

Relationships

There is a gift for us in each relationship that comes our way.

Sometimes the gift is a behavior we’re learning to acquire: detachment, self-esteem, becoming confident enough to set a boundary, or owning our power in another way.

Some relationships trigger healing in us—healing from issues of the past or an issue we’re facing today.

Sometimes we find ourselves learning the most important lessons from the people we least expect to help us. Relationships may teach us about loving ourselves or someone else. Or maybe we’ll learn to let others love us.

Sometimes, we aren’t certain what lesson we’re learning, especially while we’re in the midst of the process. But we can trust that the lesson and the gift are there. We don’t have to control this process. We’ll understand, when it’s time. We can also trust that the gift is precisely what we need.

Today, I’ll be grateful for all my relationships. I will open myself to the lesson and the gift from each person in my life. I will trust that I, too, am a gift in other people’s lives.

[MandiH]

November 7~Keep It Simple

Telling the truth is a pretty hard thing~ThomasWolfe

Often, we get scared to tell the truth.

We wonder, “What will happen? Will I get in trouble? Will someone be mad at me?'” These things could happen. But good things could happen too.

Sometimes we want to lie.

We don’t want anyone mad at us or unhappy with us.

We want people off our back. So we lie. And it
comes back to haunt us.

We must believe that the best will happen in the long run if we tell the truth.

Our program tells us that we can stay sober if we’re honest. Telling the truth takes faith. We must have faith in the program. We must be honest. Our sobriety and our life depend on it.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me remember that I’m doing things Your way when I tell the
truth.

Action for the Day: I will think about what I say today. I will be as honest as I can be.

[MandiH]

November 8~Daily Reflections

AN INDIVIDUAL ADVENTURE

Meditation is something which can always be further developed. It has no boundaries, either of width or height. Aided by such instruction and example as we can find, it is essentially an individual adventure, something which each one of us works out in his own way.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 101

My spiritual growth is with God as I understand Him. With Him I find my true inner self. Daily meditation and prayer strengthen and renew my source of well-being. I receive then the openness to accept all that He has to offer. With God I have the reassurance that my journey will be as He wants for me, and for that I am grateful to have God in my life.

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

[MandiH]

November 8~Language Of Letting Go

True to Ourselves

This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou ‘canst not then be false to any man.

— WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

To thine own self be true. A grounding statement for those of us who get caught up in the storm of needs and feelings of others.

Listen to the self. What do we need? Are those needs getting met? What do we feel? What do we need to do to take care of our feelings? What are our feelings telling us about ourselves and the direction we need to go?

What do we want to do or say? What are our instincts telling us? Trust them—even if they don’t make sense or meet other people’s rules and expectations.

Sometimes, the demands of other people and our confused expectations of ourselves—the messages about our responsibilities toward others—can create a tremendous, complicated mess.

We can even convince ourselves that people-pleasing, going against our nature and not being honest, is the kind, honest thing to do!

Not true. Simplify. Back to basics. Let go of the confusion. By honoring and respecting ourselves, we will be true to those around us, even if we displease them momentarily.

To thine own self be true. Simple words describing a powerful task that can put us back on track.

Today, I will honor, cherish, and love myself. When confused about what to do, I will be true to myself. I will break free of the hold others, and their expectations, have on me.

[MandiH]

November 8~Keep It Simple

Any man may make a mistake; none but a fool will persist in it.—Cicero.

The way we face life’s challenges is what gives meaning to our lives. If we run from our mistakes, they follow us.

If we stand up and work with them, we learn. Facing our mistakes teaches us wisdom and courage. Our self-respect grows. Spiritual growth means asking, “How would my Higher Power want me
to deal with this mistake?” Then we listen for the answer and do what is needed.

The better we get at facing our mistakes, the better we become at learning from them. Native American culture teaches us that all mistakes in life are gifts. The gift is that we are given a chance to learn.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me face the mistakes of life and find the lessons that lie within
them.

Action for the Day: When I make a mistake, I’ll stop and ask, "What does my Higher Power want me to
learn from this?”

[MandiH]

Reflections on this reading:

Lately my days are taking off as soon as my feet hit the floor. I do connect with my HP, but I’m not getting my readings in until later in the day. I’m still doing them, but it’s on a different timeline than I’d prefer…however that’s kind of how my whole life is rolling at this time lol.

It’s for a purpose. My HP wants me to do things differently. I’ve been running from myself and my mistakes a long time. And it takes some shit to make me see it on a new level.

I’ve been diagnosed totally unexpectedly, from my first physical in decades, with stage 2 kidney disease.

Since then, I’ve realized how much I’ve continued to likely contribute to that. Dying my hair. Going on extreme diets to try to lose weight-I did keto for 6 months and when you have kidney issues, that’s basically the LAST diet you should be doing lol. I didn’t know…but now I do.

I’m being given an opportunity to SEE my mistakes. How I still run from myself. How I don’t love myself where I am. So I’ve been sitting with this, especially since a big group meditation I attended last week. I was shown in that meditation that I don’t trust myself and this holds me back and can get me off course when I listen to the noise of the outside world of what’s “best” for me.

My HP has asked me to step back and clean house. In connecting with myself and loving who I am more, I am trusting myself more to do the next right thing. And right now that’s just being. Healing so I can move into a new phase of helping others. But I have to step back to help myself first sometimes so I can stop repeating these mistakes.

Sobriety and these lessons are a gift! I’m always amazed at how much my HP continues to unravel layer by layer, what keeps me from myself and God. I’m freaking blessed.

I hope you all have a beautiful day!

[Lisa07]

@MandiH

I’ve been diagnosed totally unexpectedly, from my first physical in decades, with stage 2 kidney disease.

Oh no! Sorry to hear this. Your lifestyle is no different than mine when it comes to extreme diets and hair dying. I never thought about it affecting my kidneys though. Now that we know better, we can do better.
Thankfully, it was caught at stage 2 and the progression can be stopped. Lifestyle changes are difficult for sure but knowing this now is motivation to do so. Sending you healing vibes.
Oh yeah, I need to schedule a physical. Thanks for the reminder.

[MandiH]

Thank you love! Exactly, as we know better we can do better. I’m actually grateful for it for many reasons! It’s time to make that appointment my love!

[MandiH]

November 9~Daily Reflections

STEPPING INTO THE SUNLIGHT

But first of all we shall want sunlight; nothing much can grow in the dark. Meditation is our step out into the sun.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 10

Sometimes I think I don’t have time for prayer and meditation, forgetting that I always found the time to drink. It is possible to make time for anything I want to do if I want it badly enough. When I start the routine of prayer and meditation, it’s a good idea to plan to devote a small amount of time to it. I read a page from our Fellowship’s books in the morning, and say “Thank You, God,” when I go to bed at night. As prayer becomes a habit, I will increase the time spent on it, without even noticing the foray it makes into my busy day. If I have trouble praying, I just repeat the Lord’s Prayer because it really covers everything. Then I think of what I can be grateful for and say a word of thanks.

I don’t need to shut myself in a closet to pray. It can be done even in a room full of people. I just remove myself mentally for an instant. As the practice of prayer continues, I will find I don’t need words, for God can, and does, hear my thoughts through silence.

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

[MandiH]

November 9~Language Of Letting Go

Accepting Love

Many of us have worked too hard to make relationships work; sometimes those relationships didn’t have a chance because the other person was unavailable or refused to participate.

To compensate for the other person’s unavailability, we worked too hard. We may have done all or most of the work. This may mask the situation for a while, but we usually get tired. Then, when we stop doing all the work, we notice there is no relationship, or we’re so tired we don’t care.

Doing all the work in a relationship is not loving, giving, or caring. It is self-defeating and relationship-defeating. It creates the illusion of a relationship when in fact there may be no relationship. It enables the other person to be irresponsible for his or her share. Because that does not meet our needs, we ultimately feel victimized.

In our best relationships, we all have temporary periods where one person participates more than the other. This is normal. But as a permanent way of participating in relationships, it leaves us feeling tired, worn out, needy, and angry.

We can learn to participate a reasonable amount, then let the relationship find its own life. Are we doing all the calling? Are we doing all the initiating? Are we doing all the giving? Are we the one talking about feelings and striving for intimacy?

Are we doing all the waiting, the hoping, the work?

We can let go. If the relationship is meant to be, it will be, and it will become what it is meant to be. We do not help that process by trying to control it. We do not help ourselves, the other person, or the relationship by trying to force it or by doing all the work.

Let it be. Wait and see. Stop worrying about making it happen. See what happens and strive to understand if that is what you want.

Today, I will stop doing all the work in my relationships. I will give myself and the other person the gift of requiring both people to participate. I will accept the natural level my relationships reach when I do my share and allow the other person to choose what his or her share will be. I can trust my relationships to reach their own level. I do not have to do all the work; I need only do my share.

[MandiH]

November 9~Keep It Simple

He who can take advice is sometimes superior to he who can give it. —Karl von Knebel

In recovery, we learn that we don’t know everything. We had stopped listening.

Most of us had been asked by family, friends, doctors, and employers to stop drinking and using other drugs. But, we didn’t listen. If we had listened, we would’ve been in this program long ago.

Addiction did something to how we listen. We heard only what we wanted to hear.

Do I still hear only what I want?

In recovery, we learn to listen. We listen to our groups. We listen to our sponsor. We listen as we read.

The better we listen, the better our recovery.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, open my ears and eyes to this new way of life. Allow me to hear Your
wisdom in the Twelve Steps. Allow me to be someone who takes advice, not just gives it.

Action for the Day: Today, I’ll try to listen. Today I’ll seek the advice of others. I’ll ask my sponsor how
I may better my program.

[tailee17]

Sorry to hear about your health issues. I am praying for you! Thank you for all the words of wisdom. Self care was something I hardly ever did before sobriety took first place.

[tailee17]

This is so good and hits my bullseye!

[MandiH]

November 10~Daily Reflections

A SENSE OF BELONGING

Perhaps one of the greatest rewards of meditation and prayer is the sense of belonging that comes to us.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105

That’s what it is — belonging! After a session of meditation I knew that the feeling I was experiencing was a sense of belonging because I was so relaxed. I felt quieter inside, more willing to discard little irritations. I appreciated my sense of humor. What I also experience in my daily practice is the sheer pleasure of belonging to the creative flow of God’s world. How propitious for us that prayer and meditation are written right into our A.A. way of life.

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

[MandiH]

November 10~Language Of Letting Go

Beliefs about Money

I was starting a new job for a corporation. I was good at what I did for a living. The personnel manager and I were down to the details of employment, and he asked me how much money I believed I deserved. I thought about it and came up with a figure of $400 a month. This was back in the sixties. I didn’t want to ask for too much, so I decided to ask for the smallest amount I could live with. He hired me and gave me what I asked for. Later on, when I left that job, the personnel manager told me he had been willing to pay me whatever I wanted. Had I asked for $600 or even $700 a month, which was a tremendous salary at that time, I would have gotten it. I had limited myself by what I believed I deserved.

— ANONYMOUS

What are our beliefs about money?

Do we believe that money is evil and wrong? Money is neither. It is a commodity on earth, a necessity. It is what people need to purchase many of their basic needs, as well as luxuries and treats; it is one way they are rewarded for their work. Loving money, however, can be as self-defeating as loving any other commodity. We can become obsessed with money; we can use it as an escape from relationships and feelings; we can use it compulsively to gain a temporary sense of power. Money is simply money.

Do we believe there’s a scarcity of money? Many of us grew up with deprived thinking concerning money: There’s not enough. There will never be enough. If we get a little, we may guard it and hoard it because there’s no more.

Money is not in short supply. We do not have to waste our energy resenting those who have enough. There is plenty of money here on earth.

How much do we believe we deserve? Many of us are limiting ourselves by what we believe we deserve.

Money is not evil. There is no scarcity, except in our mind and attitudes. And what we believe we deserve will be about what we shall receive.

We can change our beliefs through affirmations, by setting goals, by starting where we are, and working slowly forward to where we want to be.

Today, I will examine my beliefs about money. I will begin the process of letting go of any self-defeating beliefs that may be limiting or blocking the financial part of my life.

[MandiH]

November 10~Keep It Simple

Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.—Will Rogers

The greatest adventure ever is recovery, and action is what’s important in recovery. That’s because the
Twelve Steps are full of action.

The whole world has now opened up to us. At times, this will scare us.

But we aren’t alone. Our Higher Power is there to help us. All we have to ask ourselves is, “Would this
action keep me in touch with my Higher Power?” If the answer is yes, then we take action. If the answer
is no, then we don’t.

In recovery, we’ll be busy. We admit our wrongs. We take inventories. We seek answers. We ask for
help. We are to get as much as we can out of life. We can’t sit and watch; we have to get out and live life.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, You gave me a second chance at life. Help me use it and not let my
fear stop.

Action for the Day: Today, I’ll five things I want to do but I’m afraid to try. I’ll talk to someone I trust
about how I can do these things.