Monthly Archives: December 2024

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 4th by Chris B

Posted on by
Reply

View VIDEO on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=A100094027278120

Follow on TikTok Videos at Tiktok.com/@recoverydays

Remember Mindfulness – review expectations


Zen


Zen is a form of being and a type of meditation. It has been described as experiencing the ultimate reality while remaining grounded in ordinary everyday existence. Zen teaches that wisdom is to be found in the ordinary – that is, in oneself, in other people and in nature. It appeals to many people, including those in recovery from addiction because it emphasises simplicity and peace of mind. All forms of meditation and mindfulness seem to appear more and more attractive as the stress and apparent chaos of everyday life increases remorselessly, year by year. Making time each day for peace and meditation is an excellent habit to adopt. Am I remembering the need for self-care that comes through daily meditation?

Meditation can be as simple as finding a quiet place to sit and become aware of my surroundings while I empty my mind of everyday concerns.
It was with awe
That I beheld
Fresh leaves, green leaves
Bright in the sun (Basho)
Today I give thanks for the peace of mind that comes through meditation of all kinds.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 3rd by Chris B

Posted on by
Reply

View VIDEO on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=A100094027278120

Follow on TikTok Videos at Tiktok.com/@recoverydays

Remember Mindfulness – relax each muscle from neck to toe


Yes to change

There was a time in our addicted lives when change seemed terrifying. Many of us hid from it in comfort zones that may not have made us happy but at least were places where we could somehow function, provided we could continue our addiction. Stepping out of this zone seemed just too much of a challenge, because people would judge us and expect us to be different. Self-esteem in recovery has given us positivity, so that now we welcome change as an exciting new challenge. Life is no longer threatening but a time of growth where we look each day for the opportunity to try new things that will help us progress. Do I now welcome challenges as opportunities for self-improvement?

Willingness to change applies to myself. A lot of addicted people think that other things need to change. But the world will not change to suit me. The important thing is my attitude. It may be a little alarming to introduce oneself to a stranger, or volunteer to speak at a meeting, but if I fail take a risk, I will never know what I missed. There are few second chances in life, and we should make the very most of what we have been given – our recovery. Today I ask to respond to every opportunity or challenge that comes.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 2nd by Chris B

Posted on by
Reply

View VIDEO on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=A100094027278120

Follow on TikTok Videos at Tiktok.com/@recoverydays

Remember Mindfulness – breathe slowly


Self-knowledge


What is Man? That is one of the deep questions. Is he (or she) condemned to be free, as the existentialist writer Jean-Paul Sartre thought, or born free and is everywhere in chains, as fellow Frenchman Jean-Jacques Rousseau said? Addiction certainly feels like bondage and punishment, but we are free to start a new life if we choose, by following the Twelve Step programme. Perhaps we can say that Man is what he chooses to be. Do I understand that no matter what happens to me in my life, I have a choice as to how I respond?

In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, psychiatrist Viktor Frankel recounted his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War Two. His message is that man always retains that final choice, which cannot be removed – the choice of attitude towards the circumstances presented to him, no matter how dire or restrictive those circumstances may be. Over the centuries, thousands of ordinary people have borne witness to this truth even though it may have cost them their lives. I am grateful for their sacrifice which gives me courage to hold on to my beliefs.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days December 1st by Chris B

Posted on by
Reply

View VIDEO on Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=A100094027278120

Follow on TikTok Videos at Tiktok.com/@recoverydays

Remember Mindfulness – sit comfortably
Step Twelve
Step Twelve is about service and carrying the message.
This demonstrates the paradox at the heart of the
Twelve Steps – that you must give recovery away in
order to keep it. But doing so would be difficult if
one did not have gratitude. Genuine gratitude only
comes when we feel that something good has
happened. And like enthusiasm, when others see it,
they are inspired. The power of example is there
once again. An attitude of gratitude helps to keep
me being a giver instead of a taker. Do I have an
attitude of true gratitude today?
One major point about the Twelve Steps is that they
are all about taking personal responsibility for our
lives. We have to throw out the negativity that
enveloped us – the anger, blaming, victimhood,
selfishness and low self-esteem and replace it with
positive attitudes and actions. Gratitude,
determination, helping others, forgiveness and so on,
are much more comfortable to live with and so much
more inspiring for others to see. Today I ask to do
my best in everything that I attempt because that is
part of my mission in life.