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.
Todays reading is about our perception and how it may change over time and through our work in the program. The writer describes how having grown up in an alcoholic family contributed to seeing the negative in situations first. Even the slogans had a negative connotation: how important is it made the writer think of the futility in investing energy rather than seeing the many important things that are worthy of time and energy. This too shall pass was applied only to a painful situation, rather than seeing it can also be applied to something joyous that ought not be taken for granted.
The power of the slogans, for me, is that within a simple statement are so many ways to apply it to our individual lives and whatever situations we are living with. Just as our personal recovery begins when we are ready, seeing the slogans through glass have full perspective may happen over time in our willingness to see the positive. I would add that the strength in our slogans is that they helped me to distill some of the feelings of being overwhelmed. When I have days that seem daunting, I can put my focus on a slogan and things become more manageable.
Good morning Mary and happy Sunday to you too! Thank you for your service, the daily and your ESH. I arrived with a bleak attitude and outlook and was full of negative energy. I was one who focused often/always on all that was wrong - with people, places, things, institutions, etc. Al-Anon helped me find a different set of 'eyes' to see things through and it made and makes a world of difference in all things earthly for me.
I no longer feel the need to blame/shame myself or anyone else for what is or what is not. Instead, I can take my worries and turn them over to a power greater than I who will ensure I get exactly what I need. For me, the slogan help me to replace obsessing about so many different things and instead realize that what matters more than anything in my life is the present moment - not the future or the past, but what is right here/now!
I am grateful we have the slogans and others tools to help us find/keep/treasure serenity. We had a bit more ice/snow fall last night, so I am opting out of my meeting (again) as we're being advised to stay in and off the roads. Because of recovery and our tools, I can easily accept this and explore other recovery tools today and be grateful for what I do have vs. what I can't do.
Make it a great day MIP!
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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 reflect that our kids and grandkids are in a much better space than I was. Five years ago my daughter challenged me about her childhood. After watching Dr Phil episodes. She felt that me and her mum would have been much better off separated and divorced.
I had challenged my own family and background bigtime. With anger and a sense of betrayal. So I am still in conversation with our daughter.
I am so glad I took the steps early on. It did not seem to make a difference in the early years- but it was setting a trend away from chaos and despair.
I grew up seeing the world through the glass of a brown liquid. I was told- 'that will put hairs on your chest'. And I believed that initially, in a naive way.
I see the value in drinking- for the majority of people. And I missed not being 'in the swim'.
For a minority- drinking, and sometimes drugging, is a poison.
As a kid I believed, really that people around me were actually drinking poison. Because I observed the end result! And in three cases it led to death through suicide. Two uncles and a pastor/vicar.
Hmmm... I am not sure where I am going with this share. A good sign that i am beginning to cover new ground!
Thank you IAH and David for your shares. Mary, I like your choice of topics today! Thank you for being here and helping me keep my morning ritual!
Our perceptions definitely change over time. What we may find to be hopeless one month, we find a path around later on. I must admit, at first, I found the slogans to be quite silly. Yeah, sure, there were a couple really "strong" ones I felt, but I used to laugh about that Al-Anon has a slogan for everything! I used to love creating funny, fake slogans! LOL!
Now I find myself turning to, and really believing in the slogans! I attribute this to having a more open mind in my life. But also I have come out of the "Fog of Negativity" for myself, and I no longer look at life in such a negative way. Mary, I really can identify with your statement that the Slogans helped you the most when you were feeling overwhelmed... I found that to be true in my case as well.
I hope everyone enjoys their Sunday! Off to do some service!
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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
Hi everyone, I too have come to love the slogans (including the "funny fake ones" that some of us come up with) after not appreciating most of them at first.
I have been thinking lately that the slogans are so useful because they are easy to remember when in a crisis. I learned in elementary school that if your clothes are on fire, you "Stop, Drop, and Roll." And here in California -- earthquake country -- I learned "Duck, Cover, and Hold." When our life is on fire and we are shaking with emotion, it is good to have a few words to grab on to.
One Day At A Time. How Important Is It. Keep It Simple. These words have saved my sanity many times.
thank you Mary for illustrating the slogans...my SECOND best friends after the steps...yea, I've been in a crappy place of late with inability to find just ONE more client to help me support me better...I get the calls, but either they want me to work from home (do NOT want to do that and then try to collect for my services) OR they want me to drive 50 mi away when my ad CLEARLY says what areas are best for me....so yea, I've been fighting off the fear and the desire to just give up by working my program with folks whom I trust, face2face and on phone AND working the slogans...I'm in life's "hallway" and I'm getting really stressed and frustrated....every night when i do my metaphysical meditations, I do a slogan, chant it over and over and also casting the burdens of any negative energy i am drawing to me....so yea, lately its been Keep it simple and just ONE DAY AT A TIME....really focusing on the 2nd one..as life, one day at a time is more doable at this point.....also keeping my spending habits "keep it simple" ...yep..this "drought" HAS TO PASS
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A good sign that i am beginning to cover new ground!