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REFLECTION FOR THE DAY
There is no advantage, no profits and certainly no growth when I deceive myself merely to escape the consequences of my own mistakes. When I realize this, I know I'll be making progress. "We must be true inside, true to ourselves, before we can know a truth that is outside us," wrote Thomas Merton in No Man Is and Island. "But we make ourselves true inside by manifesting the truth as we see it." Am I true to myself?
TODAY I PRAY
May I count on my Higher Power to help me carry out the truth as I see it. May I never duck a consequence again. Consequence-ducking became a parlor game for chemically addictive persons like me, until we lost all sense of relationship between action and outcome. Now that I am healing, please God, restore my balance.
TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Match the act with the consequence.
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. ~Ursula K. LeGuin
REFLECTION FOR THE DAY
We may not know any specifics about the activities of today; we may not know whether we'll be alone or with others. We may feel the day contains too much time -- or not enough. We may be facing tasks we've eager to complete, or tasks we've been resisting. Though the details of each person's day differ, each person's day does hold one similarity: We each have the opportunity to choose to think positive thoughts. The choice depends less on our outside activities than on our inner commitment. Can I accept that I alone have the power to control my attitude?
TODAY I PRAY
May I keep the fire of inner commitment alive throught this whole, glorious day, whether my activites are a succession of workaday tasks or free-form and creative. May I choose to make this a good day for me, and for those around me.
TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Keep the commitment.
God,
Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I can not change.
The Courage to change the things I can.
And the Wisdom to know the difference.
~Amen
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. ~Ursula K. LeGuin
Yes, it is a big step toadmit one has a problem that cannot be tackled or dealt with alone. Now the work has to be done to get back to some sort of normalcy, what ever that might be. I really like coming to the OH site, as there are a lot of folks going through the same stuff we are and it is good we can offer support.
Thank you for being there. Bless you.
Sheila
I do like the OH site, as everyone on here has been there and done that! A lot of great folks going through a lot of the same stuff we are going through. A great support system.
Good luck and best wishes on your success!
Again thank you for your support. Sheila
REFLECTION FOR THE DAY
Why don't I spend part of today thinking abut my assets, rather than my liabilities? Why not think about victories, instead of defeats -- about the ways in which I am gentle and kind? It's always been my tendency to fall into a sort of cynical self-hypnosis, putting derogatory labels on practically everything I've done, said or felt. Just for today, I'll spend a quiet half hour trying to gain a more positive perspective on my life. Do I have the courage to change the things I can?
TODAY I PRAY
Through quietness and a reassessment of myself, may I develop a more positive attitude. If I am a child of God, created in His image, there must be goodness in me. I will think about that goodness, and the ways it manifests itself. I will stop putting myself down, even in my secret thoughts. I will respect what is God's. I will respect myself.
TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
Self-respect is respect of God.
God,
Grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
The Courage to change the things I can.
And the wisdom to know the difference.
~Amen
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. ~Ursula K. LeGuin
REFLECTION FOR THE DAY
Now that we're free and no longer chemically-dependent, we have so much more control over our thinking. More than anything, we're able to alter our attitudes. Some member of Alcoholics Anonymous, in fact, choose to think of the letters AA as and abbreviation for "Altered Attitudes." In the bad old days, I almost always responded to any optimistic or positive statement with "Yes, but.." Today, in contrast, I'm learning to eliminate that negative phrase from my vocabulary. Am I working to change my attitude? Am I determined to "accentuate the positive..." ?
TODAY I PRAY
May I find that healing and strength which God provides to those who stay near Him. May I keep to the spiritual guidelines of The Program, considering the Steps, taking the Steps --- one by one -- then practicing them again and again. In this is my salvation.
TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
To practice at least one Step.
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. ~Ursula K. LeGuin
Seeing a psychologist is a great start. Ask that psychologist if you should have a psychiatric evaluation for meds. Also, how is your exercise program? Rigorous exercise releases endorphins, which help us feel good. That also helps suppress the appetite. Finally, do you participate in a support group, like at the hospital where you had your surgery? That is also an excellent resource, of which I also need to get back to.
Keep posting whenever you need to.
Big Hugs,
Trish
Albert Schweitzer
REFLECTION FOR THE DAY
We're taught in The Program and the Twelve Steps that the chief activator of our defects has been self-centered fear -- mainly fear that we would lose something we already possessed or that we would fail to get something we demanded. Living on the basis of unsatisfied demands, we obviously were in a state of continual disturbance and frustration. Therefore, we are taught, no peace will be ours unless we find a means of reducing these demands. Have I become entirely ready to have God remove all my defects of character?
TODAY I PRAY
May I make no unrealistic demands on life, which because of their grandiosity, cannot be met. May I place no excessive demands on other which, when they are not fulfilled, leave me disappointed and let down.
TODAY I WILL REMEMBER
The set-up for a let-down.
It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end. ~Ursula K. LeGuin
Second, it is important to have realistic expectations of yourself. Too often I see people put way too much pressure on themselves. That's different from taking ownership - e.g. "I know I eat emotionally", "I've been sabatoging my own process". Celebrate the 58 pounds and be proud you've gotten that far! I'd encourage you to check in with your surgeon or have another consult, to make sure the band is still doing right.
Do you think it's entirely emotional problems that are hindering your goals? Do you feel like you're keeping up on diet/exercise? Sometimes it's a vicious cycle - feel bad b/c of life situations, then slip on the diet/physical, then feel worse about slipping... Sitting back on feeling bad isn't going to break you out of that cycle. When we slip up, question "what did I learn from this? what will I do going forward?".
Thoughts create feelings. If you want to feel more hopeful & positive, be aware of the trend of your thoughts and subsitute negative or unrealistic thoughts for positive & action-oriented thoughts. I'm sure you'll hear this from your therapist, but just putting this out to you via support.
Good luck & keep your head held high!
First ultra: Stone Mill 50 miler 11/15/14 13:44:38, First Full Marathon: Marine Corps 10/27/13 4:57:11, Half Marathon PR 2:04:43 at Shamrock VA Beach Half-Marathon, 12/2/12 First Half-Marathon 2:32:47, 5K PR Run Under the Lights 5K 27:23 on 11/23/13, 10K PR 52:53 Pike's Peek 10K 4/21/13, (1st timed run) Accumen 8K 51:09 10/14/12.
