October 3

” A bump in the road is either an obstacle to be fought or an opportunity to be enjoyed... it is all up to you.” Anonymous

I wish I could get to the point where things are just bumps in the road. Lately it seems my obstacles are either road blocks or sinkholes that come seemingly out of nowhere. The rest of the quote does have a lot of merit though. I still have the choice to fight, or to find the opportunity in the situation. Both are always there, but not necessarily easy to find. I am grateful that, by the grace of my Higher Power, I have a more solid foundation under my feet and I am able to evaluate these tough times. There are obstacles I need to fight, to defend my values and morals or to protect those close to me. And there are others that I need to dig through all the bad parts to find the opportunity. Thankfully I feel confident that I can take the time, seek advice or whatever else I need to move through the situation. Attitude is a big part of my recovery. I have consciously made choices to stick to the high road in dealing with conflicts that have arisen with people I hurt through my past actions who have reacted in anger or from pain. I have found other ways to let go of my own frustrations through writing, meditation, prayer and regular contact with my sponsor and fellow members. I am a changed person and am glad to be able to live this new life each day.

Affirmation It’s true that this too will pass, and I will gain the tools to help me make it through and hopefully learn something along the way by working my program.

November 1 (93)

”Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” Sun Tzu

Regaining my self-confidence and trust in my ability to make healthier decisions is enabling me to take better advantage of life events. Certainly just the simple fact of being sober and not consumed by the thoughts of my addiction allows me to recognize more opportunities in the first place. The new awareness of my surroundings has penetrated all aspects of my life. It is a bit like realizing I have been living in a fog for years, only being able to see a short distance ahead as my addiction controlled what was acceptable to recognize. Now that the haze is lifting, I am aware that there is so much more to life. Life is funny sometimes, and things happen that are more than coincidental. It has happened more than once when I have been at a low point in my recovery, where I should have been reaching out, that instead I have had others reach out to me. It is these blessings in disguise that remind me that my Higher Power is always watching and looking out for me. I am grateful that I recognize that in helping others I often get help that I may not even have been aware I needed.

Affirmation Opportunities come in many forms. May I recognize them today, accept them, and see where they will lead me.

October 20

”A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” Sir Francis Bacon

One thing my addict was good at was making opportunities to act out. This is a skill that I need to apply in my recovery - to utilize as much or more time as I used to put into planning to play in my middle and inner circles to now focus on my outer circle. This means doing things like creating a recovery routine, having SAA literature readily available at home, at work, or on the go. It can be as simple as replacing a phone number of an acting out partner with a number from someone in the program. Installing a cyber-blocking program on my PC and entrusting the password to someone like my sponsor is also a good idea. I can and have made many excuses to not get to a meeting, not do some work in my recovery books or to call a friend. When I reflect on the lengths I used to go to so I could act out, it is usually pretty easy to find the motivation that is lacking to be able to make a better choice. I need to be committed to put in at least half, if not all, of the effort that I spent on acting out to be working my program if I truly expect to move forward, ever mindful that I am seeking progress and not perfection.

Affirmation I gain time in letting go of my addiction and need to be conscious about choosing outer circle activities to fill it with.