Today's thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is: Anticipate the good so that you may enjoy it. --Ethiopian Proverb Newcomer I'm getting closer to 90 days - I'm in the 80s now. I'm excited. It's a miracle that I've been able to stay in recovery without interruption for this long. But I feel worried, too - or maybe I'm scared. I don't know what I'm feeling! Sponsor "Anniversary anxiety" is something many of us experience in recovery. For the preceding days or weeks, we're aware of the upcoming anniversary and its implications. We may anticipate speaking at a meeting or celebrating with recovering friends. Will we measure up to their expectation? To our own? Perhaps we've been sharing our day count and enjoying the applause. As we approach 90 days, we may be afraid we'll become "invisible" at meetings. Depending on local program and group customs, we may be eligible to chair meetings. Are we going to have to handle more responsibilities than we feel ready for? The day of the anniversary itself, and the days following it, may be a setup for feeling as if we've graduated or won an athletic event. We may be afraid that recovery will disappoint us, once the cheering dies down. It helps to know that this phenomenon is a common one. If you're experiencing it, one of the best antidotes is to share your concerns, both at meetings and with a sponsor. We've been there. Today, I use the same tools of recovery that worked in the very beginning: meetings, sharing, reading recovery literature, and prayer. They work. You are reading from the book: If You Want What We Have by Joan Larkin If You Want What We Have © 1998 by Joan Larkin. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the permission of Hazelden. Online daily inspirations Read a Thought for the Day from six of our most popular daily meditations books. They're posted online, every day, at hazeldenbettyford.org. Are you or a loved one struggling with alcohol or other drugs? Help starts here. Call us at: 1-866-755-3221 Managing your email subscriptions Have an account on hazelden.org? Sign in now to manage your preferences. Can't sign in? Send us an email to Change your email address. Unsubscribe from Today's Gift. Stop all Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation email. To send us feedback, please email todaysgift@hazeldenbettyford.org Hazelden Betty Ford Foundtion, 15251 Pleant Valley Rd., P.O. Box 11, RW3, Center City, MN 55012-0011, 1-866-755-3221 Please feel free to forward this email to a friend.
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Thursday, March 8, 2018
Wednesday, March 7, 2018
New Post on The Official Blog of The Way Out Podcast! Today's Gift - 3/7/2018
Today's thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is: As a child, I walked through the world with wonder and awe. Each day started with a question and ended with a question. I had the mind of a beginner. --Anonymous Did you ever notice that children ask the best questions? Why are things the way they are? How do they work? How did we get here? Who made us? Why? These are the most important questions in life. Most of us never really get our questions answered. We just learn to stop asking people. We act like the things they tell us answer the questions, but they really don't. Such questions are questions of the spirit. We can ask our Higher Power to help us learn the answers. We can talk with other people who are also interested in these questions and share our thoughts and ideas. Now that we are sober we can even read books that explore these questions. The truth is, we may never understand the answers because we are only human beings. But thinking about these things is good because it helps us be thankful for the mystery of life. Prayer for the Day Higher Power, I know I'll never understand everything, but will You please teach me something interesting today? Thank You. Today's Action What have I done lately to learn more about the mystery of life? What is one thing I can do today? You are reading from the book: God Grant Me... by Anonymous God Grant Me. . . © 2005 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the permission of Hazelden. Online daily inspirations Read a Thought for the Day from six of our most popular daily meditations books. They're posted online, every day, at hazeldenbettyford.org. Are you or a loved one struggling with alcohol or other drugs? Help starts here. Call us at: 1-866-755-3221 Managing your email subscriptions Have an account on hazelden.org? Sign in now to manage your preferences. Can't sign in? Send us an email to Change your email address. Unsubscribe from Today's Gift. Stop all Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation email. To send us feedback, please email todaysgift@hazeldenbettyford.org Hazelden Betty Ford Foundtion, 15251 Pleant Valley Rd., P.O. Box 11, RW3, Center City, MN 55012-0011, 1-866-755-3221 Please feel free to forward this email to a friend.
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Tuesday, March 6, 2018
The 12 Steps: Judge the Outcome - not the Methodology
The 12 Steps: Judge the Outcome - not the Methodology
The 12 Steps are, in there very essence a methodology designed to produce a very specific outcome. The program as outlined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is not the least bit; theoretical, academic, or hypothetical in terms of the outcome produced by working through 12 Steps as instructed. That’s right, the Big Book’s first 164 pages are an instruction manual on how to achieve a change within ourselves sufficient enough to arrest our addiction and/or alcoholism. The methodology of the 12 Steps don’t appear to make a whole hell of a lot of sense at first blush. Admitting powerlessness and unmanageability doesn’t appear to be incredibly helpful if we’re trying to overcome addiction. Trusting in a higher power to restore sanity around our disease sounds more like religious voodoo than a solid plan to eradicate the obsession to drink and use. Moral inventories and removal of character defects might be swell, but what does that have to do with the fact that I don’t sober well? Making amends sounds a lot like apologizing, and I’m pretty sure nobody I know wants to hear another empty apology. Steps 11 and 12 seem like lofty goals to aspire to, but somehow not pertinent to the fact that all I ever want to do is get out of my own skin – to smash that eject button in the form of whatever substance or behavior that able to convince myself that it’s okay to use.
The 12 Steps are a methodology that must be worked thoroughly in order to produce the desired outcome – a spiritual awakening sufficient to recover; that is that the obsession is arrested provided we do what is asked of us. Our job then, is to judge the results of working the steps – not to pre-judge the methodology prior to working through it. I believe this has to be true for other recovery programs as well; that they must be worked as directed in order to achieve the desired result. Simply attending recovery meetings and fellowship is likely not going to be an effective long-term solution. We must do the work; and be observant of the results. For me; when I worked Step One I realized the result was I made way for a power greater than myself to operate within me. Steps two and three allowed me to tap into that God of my Understanding which has proven to be the absolute difference maker in my Recovery – despite how skeptical I was of thinking that creating my own Higher Power would provide any meaningful relief of my condition. But I prayed anyhow – and something I still can’t explain happens when I continue to pray to a God I absolutely did not understand in the beginning. Steps four and five gave me necessary insight to my behavior patterns and what was the root cause of these destructive behaviors; as well as essential shame shedding by virtue of sharing my inner most demons with the God of My Understanding and another person. Steps eight and nine allowed me to get right with the people I had harmed as a result of my destructive default programming; the behavior patterns I was operating with because it was the only way I knew how to get through life. Steps 10 & 11 allow me to continue to be mindful of the principles I learned in Steps 1-9 on a daily basis; so my disease continues to be arrested; one day at a time. Step 12; having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. I learned that in order to keep what I have, I MUST give it away to anyone who’ll have it.
Reading these steps and trying to apply our current experience in order to predict the efficacy will not produce the vital change needed to recover. We MUST work each and every step with honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness.
© 2018 The Way Out Podcast www.wayoutcast.com
New Post on The Official Blog of The Way Out Podcast! Today's Gift - 3/6/2018
Today's thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is: When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do not know it: this is knowledge. -- Confucius How is it we can hear so much better after we have worked our Steps? Does someone clean the wax out of our ears at night? We find ourselves able to listen to what people are actually saying, not just what we think they are saying. Our Program teaches us not to judge words before or after they are spoken. We leave judging to God. We try to learn from everybody, for each person we meet has knowledge. Knowledge has become available to us as never before. We no longer fear new ideas and opinions which are not our own. Our recovery becomes deeper each moment we open our minds to new ideas. Knowledge is freely offered. In turn, I keep myself growing and accepting the knowledge that comes my way. When I don't know something, I admit it. Knowing that I don't know is also knowledge. You are reading from the book: Easy Does It by Anonymous Easy Does It © 1999 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the permission of Hazelden. Online daily inspirations Read a Thought for the Day from six of our most popular daily meditations books. They're posted online, every day, at hazeldenbettyford.org. Are you or a loved one struggling with alcohol or other drugs? Help starts here. Call us at: 1-866-755-3221 Managing your email subscriptions Have an account on hazelden.org? Sign in now to manage your preferences. Can't sign in? Send us an email to Change your email address. Unsubscribe from Today's Gift. Stop all Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation email. To send us feedback, please email todaysgift@hazeldenbettyford.org Hazelden Betty Ford Foundtion, 15251 Pleant Valley Rd., P.O. Box 11, RW3, Center City, MN 55012-0011, 1-866-755-3221 Please feel free to forward this email to a friend.
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Monday, March 5, 2018
New Post on The Official Blog of The Way Out Podcast! Today's Gift - 3/5/2018
Today's thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is: Defeat may serve as well as victory To shake the soul and let the glory out. --Edwin Markham So life has given us some dents. So what? Dents are necessary, besides being unavoidable and painful. Each dent is a part of the process that enables us to embrace life as a creative experience and to see the world in a new way, a way of compassion and understanding. Recovery is not a matter of escaping further blows or of disguising the dents we already have. It's a matter of understanding what the dents mean and how we can work with them. Dents are neither soft spots in our characters that should make us ashamed nor saber scars that should make us proud. They are simply evidence that we have been alive for a while. Recovery offers us the chance to learn from our dents, to accept them as new spaces for growth. When we decide to see our dents as opportunities gained rather than opportunities lost, we stand much taller in our own eyes and in the eyes of others. Today, I will look on my difficult life experiences in a new light. Today, I will plant some seeds. You are reading from the book: Days of Healing, Days of Joy by Earnie Larsen and Carol Larsen Hegarty Days of Healing, Days of Joy by Earnie Larsen and Carol Larsen Hegarty. © 1987, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the permission of Hazelden. Online daily inspirations Read a Thought for the Day from six of our most popular daily meditations books. They're posted online, every day, at hazeldenbettyford.org. Are you or a loved one struggling with alcohol or other drugs? Help starts here. Call us at: 1-866-755-3221 Managing your email subscriptions Have an account on hazelden.org? Sign in now to manage your preferences. Can't sign in? Send us an email to Change your email address. Unsubscribe from Today's Gift. Stop all Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation email. To send us feedback, please email todaysgift@hazeldenbettyford.org Hazelden Betty Ford Foundtion, 15251 Pleant Valley Rd., P.O. Box 11, RW3, Center City, MN 55012-0011, 1-866-755-3221 Please feel free to forward this email to a friend.
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Friday, March 2, 2018
New Post on The Official Blog of The Way Out Podcast! Today's Gift - 3/2/2018
Today's thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is: When we do for other people what they should do for themselves, we both stay stuck. Perhaps it's human nature to grow and change only when we have to. Unrelenting pain can serve as a motivator. Sometimes ultimatums are effective too. But making excuses for others or taking over their responsibilities, even when it's for their benefit, never inspires change. We're learning that the only change we can be certain of is one we make in ourselves. One of the first changes we can make is to let go of others: their opinions, their behavior, and their responsibilities. Our need for them to fulfill our expectations is related to our insecurity, not theirs. Every time we preach or take on others' duties, we must recognize that we are preventing much-needed growth, ours and theirs. Our intentions might always have been good. But the time has come to let others live their own lives. It's quite enough to take care of ourselves. I will not do someone else's task today. Growth comes from each of us being responsible for ourselves. You are reading from the book: A Life of My Own by Karen Casey A Life of My Own by Karen Casey. © 1993 by Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the permission of Hazelden. Online daily inspirations Read a Thought for the Day from six of our most popular daily meditations books. They're posted online, every day, at hazeldenbettyford.org. Are you or a loved one struggling with alcohol or other drugs? Help starts here. Call us at: 1-866-755-3221 Managing your email subscriptions Have an account on hazelden.org? Sign in now to manage your preferences. Can't sign in? Send us an email to Change your email address. Unsubscribe from Today's Gift. Stop all Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation email. To send us feedback, please email todaysgift@hazeldenbettyford.org Hazelden Betty Ford Foundtion, 15251 Pleant Valley Rd., P.O. Box 11, RW3, Center City, MN 55012-0011, 1-866-755-3221 Please feel free to forward this email to a friend.
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Thursday, March 1, 2018
New Post on The Official Blog of The Way Out Podcast! Today's Gift - 3/1/2018
Today's thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is: It's an esteemable act to stop and smell the roses. For years I diligently and faithfully read my daily meditations. I worked them into my routine activities, just as I shower, brush my teeth, and press my clothes. After each reading, I'd stop and digest the material, allowing myself to mentally interpret each passage's meaning. It was a great way to begin my day. But over the years, I became careless in my reading and rushed through my daily meditations. As a result, I missed the essence of what keeps me grounded. Do you really take the time to understand the meaning of your daily readings? On average, I'd imagine too few of us do. When we skim through our readings, we miss the real benefit of these powerful, inspirational, mind-altering tools. There is a richness in our reading that has the power to change a day, avert a disaster, calm a nerve, or untwist a mind wrought with anger. Think of a time when you needed help in making sense of an experience and you opened your book to just the right page, seemingly by accident. When we don't process what we read, how can it help us? Yet if we invest the time, we will experience more abundance and a greater sense of serenity. We'll discover tools for living that previously eluded us. We'll feel better equipped to handle situations that used to baffle us because we're participating in our solution. We'll know a new freedom and a new happiness because we'll know we are not alone. You're invited to take time to read, understand, and really digest your daily inspirational readings. The more you practice reading for understanding, the easier it becomes and the more you will benefit. You are reading from the book: 52 Weeks of Esteemable Acts by Francine Ward 52 Weeks of Esteemable Acts © 2005 by Francine Ward. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the permission of Hazelden. Online daily inspirations Read a Thought for the Day from six of our most popular daily meditations books. They're posted online, every day, at hazeldenbettyford.org. Are you or a loved one struggling with alcohol or other drugs? Help starts here. Call us at: 1-866-755-3221 Managing your email subscriptions Have an account on hazelden.org? Sign in now to manage your preferences. Can't sign in? Send us an email to Change your email address. Unsubscribe from Today's Gift. Stop all Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation email. To send us feedback, please email todaysgift@hazeldenbettyford.org Hazelden Betty Ford Foundtion, 15251 Pleant Valley Rd., P.O. Box 11, RW3, Center City, MN 55012-0011, 1-866-755-3221 Please feel free to forward this email to a friend.
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