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You don’t stumble because you are weak, but because you think yourself strong.

Such all-or-nothing people we are. If we aren’t feeling woefully inadequate and worthless, then we tend to get a bit too full of ourselves and we start to think that we’re bullet-proof. But we’re not. How often and how painfully have we learned that it is our own thinking that is our biggest stumbling block? With some time in the program, it is very easy to get complacent-or over-confident. The increased self-esteem and mastery of living life on life’s terms that recovery fosters can indeed be very heady. But running with that headiness is just the sort of insidious self set-up that has caused more than a few of us to fall.

We have come to believe that haughtiness and humility are both part of the same dimension of human existence. When humans are too haughty, God brings them down low. When they are too humble, God raises them heavenward. Be humble in the presence of God. Yet keep your head upright. Know you are both “dust and ashes” and “a lit­tle lower than the angels.” Live a life reflective of both.

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Often we are led to believe that we all reach the path of spiritual renewal in much the same way. We think that spiritual journeys should be the same for all people ­whether they are in recovery from an addiction or not. As a result, when we see the liberating feeling that it can offer one person-but not us-we are quickly disappoint­ed and disillusioned. There are those among us who even return to active addiction as a consequence. Like most things in life, there is no simple formula for success. Spiritual renewal does not provide us with the way. It helps us to find our way.

But you can’t find your way in the dark. And active alcoholism dims the light in your world. Nor can you find your way if you are not looking for it. And in active alcoholism you are only looking for one thing-your next drink or whatever it is that keeps you from getting anywhere except down. That’s where your Higher Power comes in. God illumines your path so that you can get where you are going.

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Sadly, most people today speak with little or no regard for carrying out the words they say to someone else. It’s incredible just how often someone will say something with which he has absolutely no intention whatsoever of following through. Since the Big Book is a guidebook for living, how does keeping your word lead to having a happy and fulfilling life?

The answer is that when someone keeps his word, he will actually experience a great amount of pleasure. The reason for this is that a person can only feel good about himself when he makes good choices. Making poor choices will inevitably give a person a low self-image, whereby making positive and healthy choices will make him feel great about himself.

When you follow through with the most simplest of declarations, like “I’ll be there at 8:00 PM,” it shows that you value your word and what you say is important to you. But here’s the thing – the only way you’ll care about keeping your word is if you care about yourself. But the reverse is just as true – the more you keep your word, the better you’ll feel about yourself. This is actually self-esteem math; it works every time.

When you honor what you say – no matter what it might be – you’re actually making a bold statement of just how important your word is. And again, the reason keeping your word makes you feel terrific is that only someone who has a high self worth cares about following through with what he says. The more you do what it is that you say you’ll do – even the most simplest of commitments – you’ll increasingly feel better and better about yourself.

So always keep your word. If not for the person to whom you’re speaking, then do it for yourself. Because over time, it will just make you feel amazing.

No Comments

To most people, it’s clear that God gave each of us certain unique strengths and talents whereby certain things just seem to come “naturally” to us. But it is also equally clear that God didn’t give us certain skills and strengths. Whether we’re not good at math, directions, instruction manuals, drawing, or organization — we all have weaknesses. While some of these weaknesses are things we might continually work on to become better people, there are some things that we are just plain not good at, and that’s just how it is!

But those with low self-esteem have a difficult time ever admitting they lack any skill or ability. They wrongly believe that an acknowledgement of a lack of talent in any area would be a direct reflection on their own self-worth.

However, the exact opposite is true. Those who can readily and easily admit that they aren’t “good” at something aren’t showing weakness or incompetence. Rather, it demonstrates honesty, strength and self-confidence. Others will look at this person and see someone who is comfortable with the strengths and talents that they DO have and need not proclaim to all they meet that they’re good at everything.

Telling people you’re not the right person for the job will actually make you shine in their eyes, because it means you have the confidence to say so. It also sends the message that when you do take on a task; you unquestionably believe that you’ll deliver great results.

No Comments

Perhaps the reason why you can find God wherever you go is because God is with you wherever you go. Like it or not, you can’t escape God. I tried to do so, but I soon learned that my journeys-sometimes as far as halfway across the world-came to naught. God was there too.

Some say recovery is a journey to God. Others say that it is a voyage back to the self. However you describe your recovery, just remember that the joy is in the journey.

In active addiction I certainly found my way to hell, and now, in recovery, I am looking for heaven. It’s a long way to travel in one lifetime, sometimes back and forth in a short span of time.

I know that God is with me and only wants me to be safe and joyous.

1 Comment

100 Blessings Every Day

Fear and panic distort our ability to think clearly. Decisions made in haste are often ones that we come to regret. Trouble is trouble enough. We don’t have to make things worse by letting it overwhelm us. Situations that seem so terribly urgent may just be God’s way of telling us that we are too hung up at the moment.

Addicted people tend to be hard on themselves. We were born in a hurry and have an itchy trigger finger when it comes to pushing the panic button. We need to learn that “one step at a time” isn’t just the way to go through the program; it’s a good way to go through life. We live in a hurried society, but we don’t have to buy into that craziness any more than necessary. We are the keepers of our own internal time clock. And if that clock is running too fast, it isn’t working right. If we do the best we can, and have a little faith that things will work out for the best, we might find that they do. Taking a calm, measured approach to life may not come easy to us, but it is possible-and it does work. See for yourself.

1 Comment

No Comments

You don’t stumble because you are weak, but because you think yourself strong.

Such all-or-nothing people we are. If we aren’t feeling woefully inadequate and worthless, then we tend to get a bit too full of ourselves and we start to think that we’re bullet-proof. But we’re not. How often and how painfully have we learned that it is our own thinking that is our biggest stumbling block? With some time in the program, it is very easy to get complacent-or over-confident. The increased self-esteem and mastery of living life on life’s terms that recovery fosters can indeed be very heady. But running with that headiness is just the sort of insidious self set-up that has caused more than a few of us to fall.

We have come to believe that haughtiness and humility are both part of the same dimension of human existence. When humans are too haughty, God brings them down low. When they are too humble, God raises them heavenward. Be humble in the presence of God. Yet keep your head upright. Know you are both “dust and ashes” and “a lit­tle lower than the angels.” Live a life reflective of both.

No Comments

Often we are led to believe that we all reach the path of spiritual renewal in much the same way. We think that spiritual journeys should be the same for all people ­whether they are in recovery from an addiction or not. As a result, when we see the liberating feeling that it can offer one person-but not us-we are quickly disappoint­ed and disillusioned. There are those among us who even return to active addiction as a consequence. Like most things in life, there is no simple formula for success. Spiritual renewal does not provide us with the way. It helps us to find our way.

But you can’t find your way in the dark. And active alcoholism dims the light in your world. Nor can you find your way if you are not looking for it. And in active alcoholism you are only looking for one thing-your next drink or whatever it is that keeps you from getting anywhere except down. That’s where your Higher Power comes in. God illumines your path so that you can get where you are going.

1 Comment

Sadly, most people today speak with little or no regard for carrying out the words they say to someone else. It’s incredible just how often someone will say something with which he has absolutely no intention whatsoever of following through. Since the Big Book is a guidebook for living, how does keeping your word lead to having a happy and fulfilling life?

The answer is that when someone keeps his word, he will actually experience a great amount of pleasure. The reason for this is that a person can only feel good about himself when he makes good choices. Making poor choices will inevitably give a person a low self-image, whereby making positive and healthy choices will make him feel great about himself.

When you follow through with the most simplest of declarations, like “I’ll be there at 8:00 PM,” it shows that you value your word and what you say is important to you. But here’s the thing – the only way you’ll care about keeping your word is if you care about yourself. But the reverse is just as true – the more you keep your word, the better you’ll feel about yourself. This is actually self-esteem math; it works every time.

When you honor what you say – no matter what it might be – you’re actually making a bold statement of just how important your word is. And again, the reason keeping your word makes you feel terrific is that only someone who has a high self worth cares about following through with what he says. The more you do what it is that you say you’ll do – even the most simplest of commitments – you’ll increasingly feel better and better about yourself.

So always keep your word. If not for the person to whom you’re speaking, then do it for yourself. Because over time, it will just make you feel amazing.

No Comments

To most people, it’s clear that God gave each of us certain unique strengths and talents whereby certain things just seem to come “naturally” to us. But it is also equally clear that God didn’t give us certain skills and strengths. Whether we’re not good at math, directions, instruction manuals, drawing, or organization — we all have weaknesses. While some of these weaknesses are things we might continually work on to become better people, there are some things that we are just plain not good at, and that’s just how it is!

But those with low self-esteem have a difficult time ever admitting they lack any skill or ability. They wrongly believe that an acknowledgement of a lack of talent in any area would be a direct reflection on their own self-worth.

However, the exact opposite is true. Those who can readily and easily admit that they aren’t “good” at something aren’t showing weakness or incompetence. Rather, it demonstrates honesty, strength and self-confidence. Others will look at this person and see someone who is comfortable with the strengths and talents that they DO have and need not proclaim to all they meet that they’re good at everything.

Telling people you’re not the right person for the job will actually make you shine in their eyes, because it means you have the confidence to say so. It also sends the message that when you do take on a task; you unquestionably believe that you’ll deliver great results.

No Comments

Perhaps the reason why you can find God wherever you go is because God is with you wherever you go. Like it or not, you can’t escape God. I tried to do so, but I soon learned that my journeys-sometimes as far as halfway across the world-came to naught. God was there too.

Some say recovery is a journey to God. Others say that it is a voyage back to the self. However you describe your recovery, just remember that the joy is in the journey.

In active addiction I certainly found my way to hell, and now, in recovery, I am looking for heaven. It’s a long way to travel in one lifetime, sometimes back and forth in a short span of time.

I know that God is with me and only wants me to be safe and joyous.

1 Comment

100 Blessings Every Day

Fear and panic distort our ability to think clearly. Decisions made in haste are often ones that we come to regret. Trouble is trouble enough. We don’t have to make things worse by letting it overwhelm us. Situations that seem so terribly urgent may just be God’s way of telling us that we are too hung up at the moment.

Addicted people tend to be hard on themselves. We were born in a hurry and have an itchy trigger finger when it comes to pushing the panic button. We need to learn that “one step at a time” isn’t just the way to go through the program; it’s a good way to go through life. We live in a hurried society, but we don’t have to buy into that craziness any more than necessary. We are the keepers of our own internal time clock. And if that clock is running too fast, it isn’t working right. If we do the best we can, and have a little faith that things will work out for the best, we might find that they do. Taking a calm, measured approach to life may not come easy to us, but it is possible-and it does work. See for yourself.

1 Comment