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.
Good morning MIP Family! Today's reading discusses change being inevitable and joy. Many of us rarely felt joy before recovery. The program often leads us to find it more frequently. For many, we become too busy trying to avoid change to enjoy the gifts we have for fear of loosing them. What we come to learn and understand is by clutching at what we most want to keep, we lose it all the more rapidly.
When we instead become willing to accept change, we make room for a loving higher power. When we let go of our efforts to influence the future, we become freer to experience the here and now and to feel all of our feelings while they are happening. We also more fully enjoy those moments when joy visits and realize we are blessed.
Today's reminder - Today I will try to open myself to receive the abundance God holds out to me by experiencing what is and allowing God to decide what will be.
Today's quote -- "The harder we try to catch hold of the moment, to seize a pleasant sensation. . . the more elusive it becomes . . . It is like trying to clutch water in one's hands -- the harder one grips, the faster it slips through one's fingers." from Alan Watts
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I remember before recovery if someone asks me what I enjoyed or what made me happy, I struggled to answer. Questions about me, my feelings and my wants/needs were difficult at best as I was rarely in the moment and I had my esteem and worth wrapped up in what I did vs. who I am.
Working the steps as best I could helped me to peel back layers of life that had suffocated the me within. I've since learned that joy for me comes in many ways when I stay spiritual fit, and align with this program one day/one moment at a time. Accepting life on life's terms and realizing that things aren't always happening to me but are happening in spite of me helped me to roll with life as it happens, and anticipating change with excitement instead of dread.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to be free of what held me back for so, so long and am most joyful when I can stay present. Make it a great day all - off to the eye doctor, court this afternoon, company for dinner again and softball later tonight - a busy, full day! We also have extreme heat in our area, so hydrate is the word for the day!!!
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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
When I read today's reading, I thought about all the times that I have dreaded the end of something (The end of a trip, the end of a course, the end of a season, the end of something else). I have tried to bring myself back to the present, to enjoy what is happening, and it has been a challenge. Staying focused on right now, what is happening right now? What am I doing right now? What am I feeling right now? has really helped me to enjoy moments to their fullest.
I think what is holding me back now is a lack of love for myself - I do not take care of myself first, and I am feeling the impact of that. I appreciate AlAnon and MIP, because through work in the program, I have the opportunity to get better at allowing myself to experience joy and engage in activities that I like.
Big storms by us last night, just rain today. Getting 3 dogs and 6 cats to stay together in the back of the basement last night while the storms went by was funny, now that we are all safe!
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Skorpi
If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. - Lao Tzu
Thank you IAH for your service.
I too struggled to identify what makes me happy or what I wanted. I didn't have time to pause and really enjoy a moment because I was too busy worrying about "things" and if I wasn't worried I worried that I hadn't been worrying lol. Now I feel a whole lot freer to enjoy something. I don't need an excuse or justification to do something I enjoy anymore I just allow myself to experience the joy. And the more joy I notice the more I see all around me in my every day life.
I am learning not to force things to happen. My ability to experience joy and happiness used to be so focused on other people "if he would only do this, or she would only do that" then I could be happy. Now I know that I don't have to rely on other's actions to be happy. Instead I can seek out some joy, some fun all on my own.
This reading brought to mind two things for me - it reminded me that I have been known to say "oh, if you're happy then I'll be happy" (yikes, never again!!!). The other thing, which I love, was that someone I've only know for three months told me last week that I seemed to epitomised the joy of play!! There's progress (would that it was always so btw! )
Today's reminder - Today I will try to open myself to receive the abundance God holds out to me by experiencing what is and allowing God to decide what will be.
Dread used to be my constant companion. I could not see it for a long time. I thought is was normal.
Until I got into a group I could not 'compare notes' with other people. It was not just what I thought- it was the sense i had. The rooms were place where i could learn to trust my surroundings.
The reminder is en expansion of "Let Go And Let God'.... I was locked up in a world of my own. I was too scared to act- in case I did the wrong thing. In my way of thinking everything I did was wrong. I was wrong.
But joy is the outcome of letting go. Spring cleaning my head took time. Cobwebs veiled the sun's rays.
But coming to a sharing times makes me realise that things have changed. I can smile- I can weep. I can laugh. Joy is my friend now.
Thank you all for your ESH too - I can so relate to parts of each. What I love best about recovery and sharing is everyone working it usually speaks to me even if/when they are completely unaware. I seriously always get what I need when I work to listen.
(((Hugs)))
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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
...thanks Iam and y'all... 
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