Tag Archives: Recovery Journey

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 23rd by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – relax your whole body gradually

Today matters


Nothing is worth more than this day.
Wolfgang Von Goethe.
Sometimes we allow a day to pass when we are so
preoccupied with trivial worries that we never
consider what a wonderful gift we have. We should
seize every day as if it is our last, but seize it gently.
A lot of the time we are held back from doing what
we really want to do through fear – of failure or fear
of the unknown. It’s time to reconsider – life really is
short. Will I enjoy every day that is given to me?


We live in a flash of light; evening comes and it’s
night forever. Spiritual teacher Anthony de Mello’s
writing also points out that all mystics, whatever
their religion or theological views, are united in
telling us: All is well, and all will be well. They say
this in spite of the apparent mess that the world is
in. It is up to me to have faith in creation and the
Higher Power that gives me today. Sometimes it
seems hard to be optimistic but if I hand things over
to my Higher Power, then it is showing lack of faith
to imagine that disaster might follow. Today I ask
God for the gift of faith.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 22nd by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – send positive thoughts

Potential for growth

If you found yourself in a wonderful museum or art
gallery but you only had time to see inside one
room, then you would come away feeling
unfulfilled and disappointed. You wish you had
been able to explore more of what was in there.
Going through life without finding out everything
you are capable of, is a similar wasted opportunity.
Recovery from addiction gives us time to reassess
ourselves. How excited would you be to discover
that you can sing, paint or write a book? Am I
exploring the full extent of my talents?


I wasted so much of my life in the mad maze of
addiction. Do I really want to settle for the wellworn
bits of me that I already know? Why not treat
my recovery as the previously unnoticed doorway
through which I can reach the secret garden that is
the undiscovered me? My own self-realisation is
good for me and for the world. I only have this life
and every moment is precious. What holds me back
from starting this exercise of discovery? Today I ask
God to help me find all aspects of myself.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 21st by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – close eyes briefly

Empathy

A person with a big ego will struggle to find the
empathy needed to offer true kindness. Addicted
people are sick people, not bad people. They
deserve to be treated the same as anyone in need of
health care. When the day comes that they ask for
help, it is important that they receive a good
response. Most people in recovery never forget the
welcome and the kindness that they received at their
first meeting. The memory remains, because people
remember how they felt at times of great stress. Will
I show kindness and empathy when I offer help to
an addicted person?

The first stages of recovery are a time of great
vulnerability. Is is a common experience that unites
us in fellowship. The kindness and support that we
all receive is a precious thing that we must keep
alive by passing it on like an Olympic torch. In
doing so, we are passing on our power – Higher
Power. Today I ask God that I will always pass on
what I receive.
……………………………………………………….

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 20th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – enjoy the moment

Humility

If you want to learn humility, perhaps you could
start by looking at your past behaviour. Reviewing
character defects in the cold light of sobriety is a
humbling experience. How arrogant were you? Do
you see evidence of that deadly combination of huge
ego and low self-esteem that so many addicted
people have? Step Six is the Step of Humility. If I am
truly honest with myself, there will be much that
is humbling as I progress through Steps Four
to Nine. Humility can be painful, but it is an
indication of spiritual progress. Do I feel true
humility when I look at my past actions?


There is little to be gained from passively looking
backwards, unless we learn from our mistakes.
Remember Lot’s wife. True humility opens me
me to receiving help from my Higher Power
because it takes away my ego, the main barrier
that stops me asking for help. Today I pray for
humility to admit my mistakes honestly and can ask

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 17th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – close eyes briefly

Kindness

Kindness and compassion are important factors for
people with addiction problems. The word
‘kindness’ originates from the old English word
‘kin’ for ‘family’ and ‘connection’. Showing
kindness to another is sharing their trouble and
pain, as we would do in any relationship we care
about. Kindness is consideration and respect, not
only to others but to ourselves. Am I ready today to
show kindness to anyone that I see in need?

Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.
The Dalai Lama.
Kindness is what binds a healthy society together. It
should never be given selectively; it should be
shared amongst everyone. I cannot expect to receive
kindness from strangers if I am not prepared to
show kindness myself. When I work the Steps and
have some experience of sober living, it is then my
responsibility to extend the hand of friendship and
kindness to others. That is what is meant by Step
Twelve. Today I ask to be ready to extend the hand
of friendship and kindness to anyone in need.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 15th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – send positive thoughts

Better than well

One way of getting ‘better than well’ is simply to do your best in everything you try. Then,you will go to sleep each night with peace of mind. Whatever your view creation and your place in the world, it seems implausible that we are here just to sit around in a half-hearted way. You may or may not expect a day of divine judgement to come, but for the sake of your own self-respect it is surely better to try your best in all your daily tasks. By doing so, you give yourself the opportunity to get the most out of everything – your health, intellect, spiritual life, relationships and work. ‘The more you put in, the more you get out’ is one of those self-evident truths that should immediately spur us into action. Am I ready to do my best in all my affairs?


Other well-tried ways of becoming ‘better than well’ include connecting, exercising, learning, getting involved and giving. All can be found in a Twelve Step programme. Today I ask to do my best in all things.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 14th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – review expectations


Behavioural addiction

Gambling, gaming, shopping, pornography and
workaholism are examples of behavioural addictions
that are on the increase. A few years ago, these
activities would have been mostly performed in
public. Today, thanks to the home computer and the
mobile phone they are largely unobserved, mostly
happening ‘behind lace curtains’. There is a danger
for people in recovery that one addiction can replace
another or lead a person back to their original
addiction because activities are linked.
Gambling and drinking is one example of this. Am
I aware of the dangers of cross addiction
and the need to stop all addictive behaviour?

Addiction never gives up. Complacency leads to
disaster. The alcoholic who thinks that an
occasional joint won’t matter, or a gambler who
sees no problem with a few drinks, are both
playing with fire. I cannot fully embrace a new life
of sobriety if I am still experiencing the
escapism of even a small amount of addictive
behaviour. Today I give thanks for my sobriety
but remind myself of the dangers in any kind of
addictive behaviour.

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 13th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – close eyes briefly

Listening

If we really listen, we inform ourselves. Too often,
we rely on assumptions instead. The trouble with
that is that we then believe they are the truth. Soon
we have created a whole mountain of problems for
ourselves. If we had simply listened and asked
questions, we could have avoided most of the
problems. We make assumptions usually because
we are too afraid or too lazy to ask questions.
Choosing the softer, easier way can become a habit.
Am I willing to stop making assumptions and to ask
questions instead?

When I ask questions, I receive answers that
increase my understanding, and I may also help
others learn at the same time. That doesn’t happen
when I make assumptions instead. If my goal is
spiritual growth, then questions will help me to
achieve this a lot quicker than assumptions. Today,
I ask God for the wisdom

Daily Reading from Recovery Days June 12th by Chris B

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Remember Mindfulness – relax your whole body gradually


Humour

American writer Kurt Vonnegut said that we should
stop being so serious: Jokes help a lot. And get a
dog, if you don’t already have one. Vonnegut
certainly knew a thing or two about recovery from
difficult situations – he survived the Dresden firebombing
during WWII because he was locked up
as a prisoner inside an insulated slaughterhouse. As
a professed ‘Christ-loving atheist’, his view of life
was to help each other as much as possible. Can I
keep an open mind and not take myself too
seriously?

There is not much to laugh about in the aftermath of
addiction, but in our grimmest moments we
sometimes turn to dark comedy, because horror and
humour are often two sides of the same coin. It is a
bizarre experience to recount one’s appalling secrets
to AA members who react with a nod of empathy
instead of a shriek of dismay. But how else should
we react to life’s great challenges? Absurdist
philosopher Albert Camus’ response was said to be:
Should I kill myself or have a cup of coffee? I’ll settle
for the coffee. Today I will take recovery seriously,
but not overlook humour.

Daily reading from Recovery Days June 10th by Chris B

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Step Six

Step Six is part of removing what doesn’t work for
us, to make room for new attitudes and ideas. It
follows on from Steps Four and Five where we
identify the defects we need to get rid of. It may all
sound quite neat but in reality, we are often reluctant
to remove bad habits. The softer, easier way may not
have worked but ‘softer and easier’ was a comfort
zone – it was a coping mechanism, albeit a
maladaptive one. We turn to our Higher Power at
this important moment because there must be no
compromises and we need guidance. Am I entirely
ready to go through with Step Six?

The French writer and critic Charles du Bos said:
The important thing is this: to be able, at any
moment, to sacrifice what we are for what we could
become. His use of the word ‘sacrifice’ is important
here, because it recognises how difficult it can be to
give up our old ways. To use another phrase that du
Bos would have recognised, ‘nostalgie de la
boue’ (the attraction of degradation) is hard to
remove. It is a process that may take time, but it will
be time well spent – another new experience for
some of us. Today I ask God for guidance as I work
to remove all my shortcomings.