Today's Thought - January

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January 1

Never doubt that a small group of committed people can change the world.

~Margaret Mead

We are on a path of change. None of us has become perfect, but we have made significant progress. We are less the victims of old obsessions and compulsions. We're no longer weighed down by such low self-esteem. We have begun connecting to ourselves and our Higher Power. We've made worthy commitments. We're learning to trust ourselves.

Today, we are freer to rock the boat. We do not have to accept the status quo, either in our own lives or in the community and world around us. We can begin to engage in the revolutionary act of becoming fully ourselves, living our values, accepting our own power to help in the creation of understanding, love, peace, light, and brotherhood and sisterhood in the world. We can cooperate with others who share our ideals.

There is hope for the world as long as each one of us knows that we're capable of continuing to grow and change.

Today, I help to create positive change in myself and in my world.

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January 2

I always have two lists: things I’m happy about and things I'm not. It's my choice which list I focus on.

~Anne Arthur

Why do we all too eagerly see the glass as half empty rather than as half full? It need not be a habit that we are stuck with forever. All of us feel helpless at times to change our vision of life. Discouragement and self-pity become comfortable, and we fear that discarding them will leave us vulnerable.

Seeing the glass as half empty is a sign that our attitude is holding us back. Unfortunately, a bad attitude is seductive. It’s as though we find pleasure, perverse though it may be, in feeling sorry for ourselves. Sometimes we even imagine staying in that place forever. It's then that we need the warmth of loving friends, and it's no accident that we are surrounded by them in this fellowship.

We may, at first, try to ignore those reaching toward us, but we will soon feel their presence. We can thank God for the inspiration to adjust our attitude.

If I reach out lovingly to someone else today, I will not need a nudge from my Higher Power to adjust my attitude.

Today's reading is from the book A Woman's Spirit: More meditations for Women*

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January 3

All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.

~Havelock Ellis

The wisdom that we attempt to develop in recovery is how to balance the letting go and the holding on in our lives. Many of us have sunk into deep holes of crisis and despair by holding on too tightly when we needed to let go. In other ways, perhaps, we have given up too easily when, with faith and trust, we could have held on to opportunities and values that seemed out of reach.

The Serenity Prayer speaks of the "wisdom to know the difference." This power to discern between what we must accept and what we can change creates a deep sense of peace. It brings calm to our intimate partnership, success to our recovery from addiction and codependency, and greater effectiveness in our work life.

Today, I pray for the wisdom to know the difference between what I must accept and what I can change.

Today's reading is from the book Stepping Stones: More Daily Meditations for Men*

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January 4

AA Thought for the Day

Strength comes from coming to believe in a Higher Power that can help you. You can't define this Higher Power, but you can see how it helps other alcoholics. You hear them talk about it and you begin to get the idea yourself. You try praying in a quiet time each morning and you begin to feel stronger, as though your prayers were heard. So you gradually come to believe there must be a Power in the world outside yourself, which is stronger than you and to which you can turn for help. Am I receiving strength from my faith in a Higher Power?
Meditation for the Day

Spiritual development is achieved by daily persistence in living the way you believe God wants you to live. Like the wearing away of a stone by steady drops of water, so will your daily persistence wear away all the difficulties and gain spiritual success for you. Never falter in this daily, steady persistence. Go forward boldly and unafraid. God will help and strengthen you, as long as you are trying to do His will.
Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may persist day by day in gaining spiritual experience. I pray that I may make this a lifetime's work.

Today's reading is from the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day: A Spiritual Resource with Practical Applications for Daily Life*

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January 5

He who distributes the milk of human kindness cannot help but spill a little on himself.

~James Barrie

We like ourselves best when we like those around us. When we smile at them. they smile back; when we ask them, they tell us about themselves. When we scowl at people, they'll frown back; when we ignore them, they'll walk away.

It's true that we get back what we put into things, whether it's work, play, love, or gardening. We decide by the extent of our commitment how valuable or enjoyable or depressing an experience can be for us.

Our actions toward others come right back to us. When we smile at people, they smile back, and we feel good. Sometimes feeling good about ourselves depends on feeling good about others. When we send out that smile of ours, those who get it pass it on, and we have added power to the happiness of this world.

What can I do to show my fondness for others today?

Today's reading is from the book Today's Gift: Daily Meditations for Families*

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January 6

Let go and let God.

~Twelve Step slogan

This is when we need to slow down and take a look at what's going on. We're feeling this way because we’re off our recovery path. We may be back into wanting people to see things our way or do things our way. We want control. Remember, all problems are not our problems. All work is not our work. We can't have everything the way we want it. But we can do our part and let go of the rest. Then we can feel better.
Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me remember my only work today is to do Your will for me. It is not my job to be You.
Action for the Day

I'll talk with my sponsor or a program friend today. I'll talk about how to deal with things that seem to pull me down.

Today's reading is from the book Keep it Simple: Daily Meditations for Twelve Step Beginnings and Renewal*

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January 7

"Why are you rushing so much?" asked the rabbi. "I'm rushing after my livelihood," the man answered.
"And how do you know," said the rabbi, "that your livelihood is running on before you, so that you have to rush after it? Perhaps it's behind you, and all you need to do is stand still."

~Tale about Rabbi Ben Meir of Berdichev

Most of us accept the standard ideas we were taught. "Men should be good providers." "We will get self-esteem from hard work." "It is a virtue to be productive." "It's better not to have too much time to think."

A major crisis can quickly change our perspective. Perhaps someone close to us dies, and we are faced with how temporary life is. Or we have a health crisis, or a relationship crisis, or an addiction crisis. The standard ideas come crashing down.

We look closely at the rush of our lives and ask deeper questions: Are we hurrying to a worthwhile goal? Or are we losing out in our great rush? These doubts can teach us personal things that society can never teach us. Wisdom comes out of pain and the willingness to learn from it.

Today, I will allow some time to stand still and reflect.

Today's reading is from the book Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men*

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January 8

Showing Up in My Recovery

Some days all that I've got to give others in recovery is my presence. Being a mature woman (well, in years anyway) with many decades of recovery behind me, I know that sometimes people expect that when I open my mouth in a recovery meeting or gathering, earth-shattering wisdom will come out.

Although I think I do have some interesting - maybe even important - things to share about recovery occasionally, it's not because I'm older or have been doing things longer; it's because all of us in recovery are interesting and important. We show up for each other so that we can hear what we each have to say, because all of our words have meaning, and our stories are for sharing.

One of my favorite things to do is attend a recovery meeting (like a She Recovers meeting online or an in-person She Recovers Sharing Circle or a Narcotics Anonymous meeting) and say nothing. Not raise my hand. Respond, "Thanks for asking, but I'm just going to listen. Thank you." Then I settle into being present, listening to all the wisdom that others have to share.

Showing up in humility is an indicator of growth in recovery.

Today's reading is from the book She Recovers Every Day: Meditations for Women*

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January 9

Expressing love

As we recover, we come to realize the presence of a Higher Power in our lives. Eventually we realize how much progress in recovery comes through our Higher Power. We realize that we are loved.

Being loved, we can love others, but we cannot love mankind until we love our Higher Power. And we cannot love our Higher Power until we love each other. (And we cannot love each other until we love ourselves.)

When we practice loving our fellows (in thought, word, and deed), we feel the presence of our Higher Power and feel that we, too, are loved.

Do I express my love for others?

Higher Power, help me recognize your presence and power in my life. Help me love others as I am loved.

I will show my love for others today by...

Today's reading is from the book Day by Day: Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts*

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January 10
It Takes a Community

What I discovered about recovery was that there were people willing to help me, support me, and show me how they got sober - how they stayed sober, you know. I was probably a year or two in sobriety, and I was still having nightmares of Vietnam.

It got to the point where I would get up around three times during the night and do perimeter checks - check the windows, the door locks, and look outside in the parking lot. I was afraid to go to sleep, because I knew those demons were waiting for me in my dreams.

After working the Steps of recovery, I've got the peace of mind, and I don't have those dreams anymore.

That’s the miracle of recovery.

I learned to embrace my demons, face my fears, quit running from my past - and I haven't had one of those nightmares in over twenty years.

~Doc D., U.S. Army, 1968–1970

Today's reading is from the book Leave No One Behind: Daily meditations for Military Service Members and Veterans in Recovery*

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January 11

Reflection for the Day

In the past, and sometimes even now, I automatically have thought "Why me?" when I'm trying to learn that my first problem is to accept my present circumstances as they are, myself as I am, and the people around me as they are. Just as I finally accepted my powerlessness over my addiction, so must I accept my powerlessness over people, places, and things. Am I learning to accept life on life's terms?
Today I Pray

May I learn to control my urge to control, my compulsion to manage, neaten, organize, and label the lives of others. May I learn to accept situations and people as they are instead of as I would like them to be. Thus, may I do away with the ongoing frustrations that a controlling person, by nature, faces continually. May I be entirely ready to have my Higher Power remove this defect of character.
Today I Will Remember

Control for the controller (me).

Today's reading is from the book A Day at a Time: Daily Reflections for Recovering People*