March 6

”The harder you fight to hold on to specific assumptions, the more likely there's gold in letting go of them.” John Seely Brown

I beginning to understand that many of my decisions and paths in my life have stemmed from false beliefs learned in childhood. Things like kids should be seen and not heard. That boys don’t cry or show emotion. That yelling is acceptable when someone doesn’t listen. There are many things I am beginning to realize had more of an impact on my life than I suspected. In analyzing my past I can see patterns emerging that make it evident why my life went the way it did. I was programmed to react in these ways without my knowledge. It’s a matter of me being a product of my environment, and having learned the lessons I did, good or bad, from my parents and others who influence me at a young age. So the next step after identifying these incorrect assumptions that I have lived by is to replace them with proper ones. So kids have the right to be heard and I teach my own children this rule. Boys can cry and have emotions, and therefore so can I as an adult. Yelling at someone who doesn’t listen does not encourage them to be more attentive but the opposite. Keeping my calm is much more effective. This is the work of the 7th Step, letting go of my defects of character. And it is teaching me a better way to live.

Affirmation In recognizing those parts of me that are built on an improper understanding, I can choose to replace them with better ideals and improve my own character.

March 5

”Sometimes there is sadness in our journey, but there is also beauty. We must keep putting one foot in front of the other even when we are hurting or we will never know what is waiting for us around the bend.” Brigitte Nicole

So recovery teaches me to take things a step at a time. To get up each day and work my program. To work through all my issues one by one. To focus on the next day, hour, or minute as the case may be. The importance is the journey, that I continue to focus on Progress Not Perfection. This takes a great deal of trust and faith in my Higher Power. I have to surrender to His will, and accept that He will guide me in the right direction. In following the plans of the God of my understanding, I believe that there are great things waiting for me around the bend. I believe that it is through my suffering that I am encouraged to grow. It is from the pain that I learn to experience greater joy and beauty in the world around me. I know that taking the steps, sometimes blindly, is the right thing to do when I let myself be led by my Source. I will continue my journey no matter what it takes.

Affirmation The path that I have be given to have follow have many surprises along the way. I trust that my Higher Power knows what is best for me and has reasons for all that I experience.

March 4

”Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength.” Charles Spurgeon

I cannot control what is going to happen tomorrow. I don’t know what events will take place, good, bad or indifferent. So therefore, worrying about what may or may not happen really does not serve any purpose. If there are things about tomorrow that I can do something about today, well that is something within my control. All that worrying about the future does is take away from today, spending my energy on speculation. It’s personal effort that I can put to better use taking care of matters before me, or in preparing for things I expect to happen tomorrow. But being anxious is only wasting time today. So, back again to the moral of the Serenity Prayer, to focus on the things I can change. That means living in the present moment, and leaving the past behind and the future before me. All this worry about what may happen is a form of procrastination that serves no real purpose, unless I am planning and making concrete actions to avoid risks and pitfalls.

Affirmation I will focus on the tasks before me, living in the moment and letting the past and future where they are.