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.
Today's C2C likens us al-anoners to snowflakes, pointing out that although we come together to face similar common problems, we are all unique.
It goes on to discuss how for many of us, comparing ourselves to other people has been a harmful habit that has left us feeling inadequate, and that we can even bring this skewed way of thinking to al-anon comparing our recovery to other people's and thinking it to be insufficient.
The reading reminds us that we all have special qualities and that we "can't judge our insides by comparing them to people's outsides" (which I love). It further reminds us that we contribute to al-anon (and, I would add, to the world in general) simply by showing up, participating and being ourselves.
It ends with the quote "It is the chiefest point of happiness that a man is willing to be what he is". (Desiderius Erasmus)
This is a very appropriate reading for me to have chosen as com paring myself to everyone else and judging my insides according to their outsides and finding myself inferior is something I have done for a very long time and must make a daily and concerted effort to counter. I'm sure the vast majority of folk here can relate!!
(((everyone)))
-- Edited by missmeliss on Saturday 13th of February 2016 08:19:32 AM
__________________
If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? (Lewis Caroll)
At my ftf meeting Friday we had a great mtg
On pride. All women and one man, we all were the same
Before finding recovery. Pride was the go to feeling/
Emotion.
Its uncomfortable to maybe not being liked, to be
Yourself. Pride kept us stuck in our thinking and
Behaviors. Do not rock the boat.
Recovery is about being you and growing from the
Inside out. Rocking the boat until changes within come
About. Its scary to states your needs or just go about
With your business no matter what anyone else thinks.
I have found it very uncomfortable not to be liked by
People. I am not really a people pleaser i just do not
Like to Rock the boat.
We all said the same thing and there are many newbies too,
It felt good to express yourself, feel your feelings and
Grow. Great fellowship afterward too which is improving
In this group, it is changing with new blood And loving
Acceptance of each other and where we are all at.
It Took changes and growing in our group as a whole it
Had become unhealthy and cliquey. It took attendence
To drop for new changes to come about. We copy a very
Healthy mtg format.
Thank you MissMell for the lovely daily and your ESH! Pride for me is a wall often that I put up and it's rarely at the right time for the right reasons. I too am one that used to compare how I felt on the inside to the outside of others, and time & time again - I felt greatly inadequate. I had to learn that we each have our own journey and nobody's is less than another - everyone's got something....
This program has allowed me to walk through the difficult times and own my truth, good, bad and indifferent. Sadness is a real emotion for me at times, but the tools I've learned can take me away from this and towards the light.
Thankful for all of you and for Al-Anon too! Powerful reminder of being me and finding my contentment in just that, for the present!!
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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
