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.
In today's reading, the author shares about how hard it was to talk about themselves in meetings initially, and how hard it was to focus on themselves, their feelings, their wants, and their needs. With the help of their sponsor, the author realized that they were overly interested in others because they had such a low opinion of themselves. With time, the author realized that their opinions, feelings, achievements, and concerns were valid and important, and that they were harming themselves when they acted as though someone else was more important than the author themselves.
Todays Reminder Today, if Im tempted to gossip or to create a drama around someone elses life, I will ask myself, What is going on with me?
Today's Quote: We talk about the part we played in our problems and how we change our attitudes and actions by applying the Al-Anon program to our lives. Al-Anon Spoken Here
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Although I am aware of my thoughts, feelings, wants and needs, I often find myself putting them on the back burner. With the help of the program, I am learning to prioritize myself and decide what is and is not a crisis. I've also started to understand that prioritizing the needs of others over my own robs them of the opportunity to meet their needs without my involvement. I am fortunate to have the program and my Al-Anon friends to help me remember to care for myself first, and put my needs first.
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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
I tend to cycle between over-focusing on others to the point of obsession and over-focusing on myself and coming off as rude, selfish and self centered.
I've not quite yet got the hang of remembering that putting myself first doesn't have to be forceful and is supposed to be a "normal ' thing that I don't need to explain or justify. I'm learning as I go along though.
Thank you Skorpi for your service /ESH and all shares. Pre-MIP/Al-Anon, I sincerely believed my stresses, negativity, fears, doubts and drama in my life were caused by my husband. Since he was the root of my problems, what else was there to discuss? I'm grateful seasoned members gently guided me to shift the focus to myself. I have difficulty risking being vulnerable and members' ESH, make it safe to open up. As I progress, reading/listening to others articulate my truth, inspires me to do more work to heal. When I get consumed about another's problems, it's a sign that I'm not living in the solution- program principles, tools, slogans etc.
