The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
The C2C reading for today speaks about competing with others and constantly comparing . It points out that the only valid comparison is to compare myself to, who I am now to the person that I used to be.
I love the slogan" Compare and Despair"as it reminds me of the quote from Malthie Babcock
"Our business in life is not to get ahead of other people, but to get ahead of ourselves."
I do believe that competing with others , evaluating , blaming, criticizing judging others were the most difficult defects that I uncovered and needed to be free of.
When I began examining my motives and going inward, I was amazed to see all the current and ancient resentments that I carried around. These resentments flavored every one of my days in a negative fashion and helped to deplete my self-esteem and self-worth.
Before program I did not have any constructive tools to deal with these reactions.
Since entering program the steps, slogans, meetings, sponsor and sharing helped me to stop the negative thoughts and truly keep the focus on myself so as to ,let go my anger and embrace serenity.
As always, very grateful for your post and your ESH!
Before the program, I did often compare my 'insides to other's outsides'. I always felt I did not measure up. I always thought I was less than. I often felt inferior.
Now that I've got a program, the steps, sponsor, meetings, etc. I am not concerned with other's outsides. My program is about what in me do I love and embrace and what in me can I improve or work on....what a much easier way to live and so much simpler to process.
I have a great sponsor who says that if we deal with our anger as soon as possible, it doesn't have time to become a resentment. Makes sense to me and while I still get sad as to some things in my world that I wish were different, I've learned to turn them over to God and not harbor resentments and to trust his will.
Make it a great evening!
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
