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 July 18 speaks about our feelings and life prior to arriving at the doors of Al-Anon. It is then that many may have believed that if something works, it will work even better and faster, if we try harder.
Al-Anon involves a long-term process of growth and change and our efforts to speed up this process will interfere with it and will leave us feeling frustrated and depressed. We must learn that "easy does it " works best. We can take our commitment to recovery serious, however we can't expect to recover overnight.
The quote is from One day at a time in Al-Anon; "when we try to absorb too much too quickly in Al-Anon, we may be discouraged. We would be wise to take it slowly concentrating on one idea at a time."
The reading reminds me that haste makes waste so that I can be gentle with myself and accept that life is a process and that "progress not perfection' is the key
Thank you Betty for the daily and your ESH! I always appreciate your service and am inspired by the grace you show us all in this program. Before arriving at Al-Anon, I did wake each day with a new resolve to have/make it better than before. The challenge was I was driven by self-will and kept thinking if I just worked harder, it would get better. I did not have the proper tool set to make a difference, and instead often created, contributed or unintentionally encouraged the insanity to continue.
The Al-Anon program gave me a new set of tools to manage situations that before were unbearable at times, and certainly very crazy often. Redirecting my thinking to my hula-hoop and realizing I do much better when I stay in the moment or in the day really helped me to slow myself - in speaking, acting, reacting and projecting. Being gentle with myself was such a foreign concept - it took me practice, practice, and then even more practice to put myself first and be good to me!
It's a huge relief to realize and accept that I am an imperfect human living in an imperfect world with other imperfect humans. To assume, expect or even try for perfection was a large part of my insanity before I arrived. Breathing easy and resting today and so grateful for recovery!!!
Make it a great 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
