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Post Info TOPIC: Courage to Change Reading 2-10-2016


~*Service Worker*~

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Courage to Change Reading 2-10-2016


The C2C reading for February 10 speaks about one of the many effects of living with the disease of alcoholism is that many of us have denied or devalued our talents, feelings and desires.

 
 In Al-Anon we learn to note, appreciate and expresses our true selves. We do find that creativity is a powerful way to celebrate who we are. It's spiritual energy that nourishes our vitality, and it is a way to replace negative thinking with positive action.

Anything we try to do "in  a new way"  to be creative,  such as building a bookcase, trying a new seasoning   on a vegetable, taking a new approach to handling finances, problem-solving,counts.
 
The most important  fact is that we accept  that  this  "Creative" energy is within us and all around us, so that when we are ready we can tap into it.  . 
 
Our program encourages us to acknowledge our achievements (with asset  and gratitude lists) and to live each day fully.  When we create we plant ourselves firmly in the moment and teach ourselves that what we do matters.

The quote is from Theodore Roosevelt "Do what you can with what you have, where you are." 


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Betty

THE HIGHEST FORM OF WISDOM IS KINDNESS

Talmud


~*Service Worker*~

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Happy Hump Day Betty (and MIP family) - thank you for the daily and your ESH!

As I get older, I find joy in the challenge of doing things differently. The program reminds me that if I want a different outcome or results, I must take different action. I am grateful that in recovery, I can use the tools, consider my part and then take action if/when necessary. No matter what another says or does, I now know that I will be OK and my HP will guide me to peace and joy.

Love the quote - reminds us that we are enough, we should stay present and to find gratitude in what we have vs. sadness for what we have not. Sums it all up for me in so few words.

F2F for me today - so grateful to be getting closer to my normal. Still sadness but healing a bit more each day.

(((Hugs))) to all - happy hump day!!

__________________

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

 

 



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Good morning- I am very new to al-anon. I have been to 4 meeting in the past 4 days and I am feeling much better, much less insane. Today I am at work and con not get to a meeting. I appreciate the courage to change reading today because change is something that I am working very hard at and I am realizing the only person I can change is myself. I had given up all of my interests and talents and hobbies to focus my entire life on the alcoholic in my life. I still find that it is easy to step back in to that routine as a way to ensure that he stays happy.. thinking that if I make him happy he will change. I find myself this morning worrying about what may happen over the next several days instead of just focusing on right now. Anyway, I thought if I posted here I would regain some ability to focus on today



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~*Service Worker*~

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Aloha Gibbs and welcome to the MIP board and the Al-Anon Family Groups...you sound alert and willing to earn your freedom from despair and sadness. The Family Groups exist from the effort of the elder members also coming to understand and know and then support each other to freedom from despair.  That you have found a meeting to attend may lead to it being your home meeting which is a dedication to your recovery and place and people you can join with to seek and get help and also give it to others.  You said, "thinking if I make him happy he will change" is a part of my old self and of the many who are in our program and I came to understand that if my alcoholic/addict wife could not or would not do that for herself I would not be able to do it either and suffer the insanity of failure.   I  am happy you are here and I will keep listening for your successes so I might learn more new things myself.

Keep coming back...this works when you work it.   ((((hugs)))) wink



-- Edited by Jerry F on Wednesday 10th of February 2016 11:46:43 AM

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~*Service Worker*~

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Oh Betty, I love today's reading - thank you so much.

I love creativity and for so many years I forgot to invest in it. Over the past two years I have been reconnecting with things I love, especially textiles and painting. And even when it comes to mealtimes I like to try out things that I haven't done before. I've been learning to bake and am in serious danger of behaving like a 1950's housewife when something new comes out of the oven. It just makes the day feel like an adventure!

Hello Gibbs, welcome to MIP Well done on getting to meetings, they definitely help me and it sounds as if you are feeling the benefits as well. I too focused entirely on my alcoholic husband for a long long time, but reconnecting with my own life has been fun and helpful on so many levels - I feel such an incredible calm when I'm painting for example. It is true, it is soooo easy to try to keep the peace and forget oneself in our situations but being aware of what we are doing is the first step on the learning curve I think. It sounds as if you have some good ideas already, welcome aboard and sending (((((hugs)))))


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~*Service Worker*~

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Hello Gibbs - I too want to welcome you to MIP! Glad you found us and glad you shared....We encourage you to join us at any time you can/want! We are a loving 'family' of Al-Anoners sharing recovery one moment at a time, one day at a time!



__________________

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

 

 



~*Service Worker*~

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HI Gibbs Welcome Thanks IAH, Jerry and Milkwood for your positve shares on this reading I too made my needs invisible in the hopes that he would recover Finally I learned how to validate myself and I am so grateufl to this program .

__________________
Betty

THE HIGHEST FORM OF WISDOM IS KINDNESS

Talmud
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