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Greetings MIP family. Today's Courage to Change reading speaks of awareness bought to the authors' attention through attending meetings. The action to change includes the use of the slogans, and todays reading features a beautiful example of "Easy does it" as a new response to frustration previously expressed through anger.
I really love this reading because it shows how pausing to think about something, (Awareness) can bring both Acceptance and Action. The writer explains how in a meeting it occured to them that shouting and slamming doors were not the best way of handling an already difficult situation and that shouting can become a destructive habit.
I so identify with this. There are times when I open my mouth and shock my own ears. Who is the shrieking creature, so out of control? Like the writer, I have come to realise that such a reaction does nothing to ease the situation and merely disrupts my serenity. I'm sure many if us can relate to the horrible feeling in the aftermath of these emotional explosions and I like the writer frames it as blocking off hope for a peaceful solution.
Our reading from C2C today suggests that using the slogan " Easy does it" in these moments of frustration can help us to quiet the inside, thus making it easier to quiet the outside as well.
Today's reminder is: " I am seeking a saner approach to everything I encounter. The slogans can be valuable sources of sanity in chaotic situations. Today if I am tempted to act out of anger or frustration, I will remember, "Easy does it".
Good Morning A41 . " Seeking a saner appoach to living life" is what I found in the rooms of alanon .
The slogans, especially "Easy does it" and "Let go and let God", really helped me to achieve my intended goal . I am still a work in progress and need to keep coming back to be reminded of the importance of these tools to my everyday life
Thanks for the reminder today and for your service
I am a work in progress, and find that I can more often than not lean into these slogans for support. Funny, since in the beginning I thought they were such flimsy things... but they work if you allow them to!
I appreciate your service, a4l, b/c these daily check-ins help me to stay on my path!
Raining today! Oh joy of joys!!!
Off to enjoy Disneyland in the rain... my son's overdue 18th bday present in his most favorite type of weather!!
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"The wolf that thrives, is the one you feed." - Cherokee legend
"Hello, sun in my face. Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields... Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness." Mary Oliver
Thank you all above me for your ESH and shares. Thanks a4l for your service and the daily. I was a huge reactor before recovery and my tongue and words were sharper than a knife. Often/always, it was way overboard, too emotional, not thought out and certainly not productive at all. I should be photographed next to the saying, "like throwing gasoline on a fire"...
What Al-Anon has taught me through the ESH of others and practice is pausing can bring about a much saner, graceful response. It's not always easy to practice pausing but it certainly leaves me feeling much better than the emotional hangovers of before. I too am a work in progress and when I can just pause before responding, opening my mouth or taking any ill-thought out action, it does seem to be a better, more adult-like approach.
I love easy does it - it gives me the freedom to consider simple answers even to complex issues. Combined with One Day at a Time, I have a better way to consider what this day (only) brings and what my part in it is. Any sanity I apply to life today is an improvement over how I used to be. I also will select my serenity and joy any day over being right - I used to be a huge right-fighter!! Not so any more - content to be imperfectly perfect me!
Happy Saturday all - did my morning run and walked my spiritual friend/dog! Then went to a meeting and I'm doing some cooking for the weekend and food prep for next week. The changing weather gives me a bit more time to consider 'cold-weather' meals - love soups, stews and crock-pot meals!!
Make it a great 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
I really loved today's C2C.
I'm currently taking it easy after a long week and I got up early to go get supper and now I'm gonna watch some shows until I can go to church later. I spent the morning cooking breakfast with my husband and doing my reading. I was having a hard think about what today's reading was saying and I know for myself that its never easy to just Easy Does It. Especially when someone is just trying to rile you up, I found just stepping back and walking away is the best for me. Its not that I don't have anything to say but I have to be calm about it before I can say what I mean without having to say it mean. Getting your point across in a calm and non-challenging manner(especially when you have found the right words) is better than just trying to throw attitude around. It's a part of my wellness that I have been working on because I still react a different way sometimes but I realize that it's because I don't live that life anymore and when it does happen I get thrown for a loop lol. So its a process but a good process :)
Easy Does it and HALT are amazing tools.
Thank you for your service a4l and great shares. Today I'm feeling wobbly and am grateful for this reminder to lean into the slogans... especially "easy does it". Offering my mixed bag of emotions to HP.
Thanks for this reminder to me that yes, the keyword here is the word pause, stop and think, stop and breathe, then I have a clearer mind and I can become aware and then accept. Then I can do right action
So many times, I catch myself shooting first and asking questions later. The old knee-jerk reaction, I am practicing pausing and stopping even just so I can breathe and let the upper portions of my brain get in sync with the lower portions and I can respond rather than react
Even with the many slips and slides, I do see progress
