Most people living in one day at a time recovery know that when we are living in active addiction we don’t go unscathed through such realities and very often wind up holding the bag of addiction’s consequences which often leaves us in a state of dismay. We lose jobs and destroy relationships because of our impaired behaviors. Our irresponsible reality often frustrates our loved ones because they often have to rescue us from financial ruin because we spend everything we have with no thought about rent, groceries, and the other necessities of life. If we are lucky the desperation of our situation will open our eyes enough that we seek help. Those of us who are living in recovery remember this. Active addiction hurts everyone. Our desperation taught us this. Everyone who finds recovery didn’t do so unscathed. It’s a cold hard reality. Reach out. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand that the practice of abstinence creates a total shift in being. We become people who were at one time lonely and alone but when we found abstinence we started to feel the connection that we were developing with other recovering people. Another reality we began to feel was we were also beginning to develop a sense of belonging with not just other recovering people but somehow someway we were becoming people who were experiencing a sense of grace form God, the spirit, or the universe and that this grace had kept us safe and alive under its watchful eye and its loving power. We had gone from desperate to grateful in a few blinks of this loving power’s eye. We call this a one day at a time modern day miracle under the reality of freedom. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand the reality of silence. Silence, followed by listening, are two of the greatest tools that we can use to help us navigate reality. What we can learn in navigating reality is that forever we will always be learning. What we will learn is we will find ourselves in the stories and the experiences of others. When we do this one day at a time belonging becomes the reality of recovery. We don’t have to fit in because we simply belong. This is the beauty of being akin to other recovering people. When we become silent the noise will stop. We become open to ideas like God, the spirit, or the universe is what holds the noise at bay. We are gifted with grace and we become grateful. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know the reality of good ideas. The best idea that any recovering person ever had was to reach out for help to find abstinence from whatever it was that impaired our judgement and made us captive to the chains of active addiction. Those of us who reached out were always a bit more successful than those of us who initially tried to find abstinence with no help whatsoever. Those of us who reached out to professionals for help and then turned to our peers for support had opportunities to find recovery. Some of us found one day at a time recovery immediately but some of us didn’t. Those of us who didn’t reached out again. Eventually something stuck we too became abstinent. We realized reaching out is a good idea. It works. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know what it is like to feel like natural underdogs. Should we subscribe to such thinking we are thinking of life and recovery as being a sports game or event and we are missing the whole idea of living in one day at a time recovery. We are not in any type of competition with others. We are trying to support each other in navigating recovery and reality in a humble and grateful fashion while knowing the importance of being abstinent from active addiction. When abstinent we understand how to be reasonable and reasonably happy. We also understand the joy and freedom of one day at a time living. This is all we want and it’s all we need. It’s about a clean and sober journey which in all reality is a gift. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery can get caught up in the non-reality of unfair comparisons. In these unfair comparisons we often might see ourselves as less than other people. When we think of ourselves as less than we are often comparing apples to oranges. Even though others have more money and appear to get through life easier than we do this in reality is not always true. When we have been put down by others because our abilities are sometimes limited it is wrong. And should we practice such comparisons we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. In one day at a time recovery we learn we are no better of no worse than anyone else. This is the reality recovery. We often learn self-compassion, love and self-care in the rooms of recovery. We need to stop comparing and live in grace. Peace.
Those of us who are living in one day at a time recovery who frequently visit the rooms of recovery eventually develop the art of paying attention. We learn to pay attention to the wise and listen to those who are just starting to get their feet wet in early recovery. We pay attention to the long winded and the preachers. When we develop the art of paying attention we are developing the ability to learn and live in recovery one day at a time. As we grow in paying attention we are learning the reality of identification. As we learn the art of paying attention we discover one thing. That one thing is the gift of belonging. When we do this we are gifted with the reality of the other. We finally discover everything is not always about me. We feed each other’s recovery We all belong. Peace.
Many of us living in one day at a time recovery know that healthy reality will outlast our inconsistencies as long as we we remain abstinent from actively using. If we stop things like our morning prayer or our morning reading we can still remain abstinent, responsible, and healthy. In doing so we might struggle but nonetheless healthy reality will outlast what we call a walk with our inconsistencies. Few people have the discipline to be perfect, or should we say completely constant in all of our tasks. In truth though we need to remain abstinent and we do need healthy routine. Desire and the memory of what works will bring us back to reality’s consistency. It is a calling for gratitude and gratitude inspires us to do what we have always needed to to be well. That is being consistent. Not perfect but consistent. It’s our healthy reality. Peace
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand that when they need help it is absolutely necessary that they become brave enough to reach out. Often we did so by signing into hospitals, rehabs, and detox facilities. In doing so we will learn the patterns we are forming and in desperation we become teachable. We reach out for help. We learn that without abstinence recovery is impossible. Without abstinence we will not be healthy. And without abstinence we will not find freedom from active addiction. Hospitals, rehabs, and detox facilities can only keep us safe while we are there. We know this and knowing this we join others in the rooms of recovery where continuing abstinence and one day at a time recovery become a possibility. We become brave souls with a willingness to learn. We have found the gift of hope. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know where nothingness exist. Where does nothingness exist? It exist no-where. Why would we say this? We say this because every place means something and every moment leading up to now means a whole lot. It is all a precursor to one day at a time recovery, freedom, reasonability, and reasonable happiness. Even moments of heartbreak have taught us something. It teaches us that we can love and in that love we are vulnerable. It also teaches us resilience. So do our bottoms. They teach us to reach out and to find the gift of desperation. We discover grace in everywhere we go. We learn to listen; we listen to learn. It is in the rooms of recovery that most of us find ourselves. Join us. In this we find hope. Peace.