When we become focused on one thought, or one point of view, we become participants of tunnel vision. When this happens differing thoughts, or conflicting points of view, are considered to be opponents. Many of us believe that contempt prior to investigation is the worst kind of prejudice. While wrapped up in tunnel vision most of us do this. Reality is many of us have difficulty admitting when we are wrong. As we grow, many of us can step out of tunnel vision. We learn to see, hear, and experience. When we learn to do this, we become more flexible recovering human beings. We become human beings who are living with humility one day at a time. Thank you for reading.
Waiting for the outcome of an endeavor, or a goal, can teach us that time takes time. Perhaps we have done what we can, and the completion of this endeavor is up to another person, or other people. At times we grow weary, or discouraged, because our endeavors have not come to fulfillment when we had hoped them to be. This can be difficult for us if we are ego driven people. In reality we are learning one day at a time recovery which is time takes time. In this we find humility. Sometimes we have simple essential goals such as becoming gainfully employed. We have completed the necessary requirements to work in a career we hope to be employed at but perhaps there is an open competition for one month. We cannot expect to be offered the job on the first day of this competition. Reality is time takes time. It’s life. Thanks for reading.
When we have the ability to live in the present moment we can experience a sense of awe which can give us the gift of joy. Often, when trying to follow direction from another person, poor concentration clouds my ability to be present in that moment. I recall a day when I found myself living in the present moment. We were attending an outdoor church service. We were directed to sit in silence and be aware. While in the present moment our surroundings were simply awesome. Serenity and joy revealed the present moment. I was experiencing a living picture. The whispering breeze made the leaves of the trees dance. The birds sang. The sun glowed. A young child played in the earth. As God brought this picture to life the world was grand. This is living in the present moment. Thank you for reading.
Sometimes living in recovery requires us to do the next right thing. Often, when lacking motivation, we don’t know what we should do. Sometimes we call this depression. Sometimes we call this confusion. Hopefully we can rely on our living routines to let us know what we can do next. This is doing the next right thing. Perhaps the next right thing for us to do is as simple as getting out of bed. Perhaps then breakfast. Perhaps then doing our morning hygiene. Perhaps prayer and meditation. Often our routines let us know what the next right thing is. We participate in our one day at a time recovery. Doing the next right thing can really help us when we are feeling anxious. When we are depressed, confused, or anxious we can be ok. Thank you for reading.
The motivational factor, that many people living in recovery find, is freedom and independence. The freedom I am writing about is the ability to make choices in our lives. One day at a time we can become free from the bondage of substance dependency because we have the choice to be this way. The independence I am writing about is the choice to make decisions for ourselves. Some of us may have lost this motivational factor at one point in our lives.
Many people who have this motivational factor do well in living their one day at a time recovery. Many people are living life as responsible productive people. One day at a time recovery is a big step from a detox or a hospital. From such places we learn many tools to live in recovery. The freedom and independence of choice brings motivation to recognize life is good even when adversities arise. Thank you for reading.
Times of uncertainty can be difficult for many people. This could be because uncertainty can bring with it lack of personal control. This could be because the uncertainty of the necessities of life are not really a guarantee to some of us that do not have adequate incomes to provide assurances for us. That is where hope, and eventually faith come in. At least so in areas that have social programs that make provisions to house, feed, and and supply health care for us. And hopefully we will be able to obtain enough employment income to supplement our needs. (This is for those of us who cannot maintain gainful employment). Hopefully those of us who are disabled or under-employed will be okay. If we have the necessities of life, and the opportunity to participate in worthwhile endeavors and recreation, life is good. With this we can breathe and let go of our worries. Just one day at a time. Thank you for reading.
As I think of give and take, and I think of my personal experience, I wonder if I think of myself as being unique. Recovering people I know describe themselves as being happy, joyous, and free. I think of myself as being reasonably happy and content.
I do not believe that I have a monopoly on the true experience of one day at a time recovery. I know that the people I know, who are in one day at a time recovery, have the experience of living happy, joyous and free lives.
I have been asked why do you have to be reasonably happy?
Perhaps my friends think being reasonably happy puts a damper on life.
Addicts and alcoholics have their struggles. Sometimes their struggles are the natural struggles of life such as depression, anxiety, uncertainty, loneliness, and disconnection. In reality, when asked if they are reasonably happy, they can recognize that adversity is a reality of life and that life brings with it reasonable happiness and contentment. This is freedom.
I understand happy, joyous, and free. It feels good. It is not a perpetual life style and it would be unrealistic to think so. Experience tells us this.
I understand reasonable happiness and contentment. It is not a perpetual life style and it would be unrealistic to think so. Experience tells us this.
Nothing is unique in one day at a time living and recovery. No one is unique in one day at a time living and recovery.
Connect with your story. Identify with the common aspects of others.
I have heard from many recovering people that not every day is a bed of roses and it would be unreasonable to think otherwise. Understanding this makes us content, or free, one day at a time. Thank you for reading.
Quite a number of years ago, while talking with a mental health support worker, I was told that we all have similar feelings, and struggles, but it appeared to her that such things in me seemed to be magnified. I don’t know why, but this statement seemed to ruffle my ego. In retrospect, I believe I was offended because I thought I was special. I thought I had this world and recovery figured out. I believed that I had obtained a measure of spirituality that made me important. I thought that I was an inspiration, and l didn’t realize that this serenity I found was a hint of an elevating mood disorder and a slightly inflated ego. I cannot say that it was all bad, but this sense of magnified happiness was slightly unreal. I still had many struggles which were common to the many adversities of life, but I had a good support system. I really didn’t have a grasp on day at a time living. I didn’t know how to be reasonably happy.
I have learned to live with adversity and I have learned to accept what I cannot change. Being reasonably happy is not second rate living. I believe it helps to curb obsessive want. Reasonable happiness has a lot of contentment and joy in it. Usually, when being reasonably happy, my ego has a bit of humility and my moods aren’t so elevated. I have become a recovering person who has a much better understanding of one day at a time living. I guess if you want to understand reasonable happiness it is living with humility and having reasonable expectations of yourself, others, and life in general.
I now know that I am important, that your are important, that all people are important. Recovering friends have taught me that we are no better or no worse than anyone else. In addition to this these people have taught me that we are just as good as others as well.
I know that in this introspective writing that I am quite self-obsessive but this is the way we share our experience and hope as we reach out to others. If you are a person who perhaps feels quite important I believe you are. I, myself, prefer to be reasonable and reasonably happy. It has a wonderful way of helping one to be contented and to face adversity one day at a time. Thank you for reading. Be well today.
Connecting with other people is important for our mental health and our well being as people. I know that some of us might be introverts but that does not mean that we don’t connect with others. There are times that as we are connecting with others that we help both those we are connecting with as well as ourselves. Some call this give and take. Some of us call it friendship. Some call this survival. The experiences of connection let us know that we are not alone and that we are enough. We get through the days, both good and bad, and we stay sober one day at a time. One friend reminded me the other night that one day – one day – one day – can lead to many years of contented sobriety. Another friend reminded me that life can be hard at times. Both of these people have been a big help to me in my years of recovery. Connection really helps.
Around the end of January – February it is a blues time of the year in the area I live (New Brunswick, Canada). A snowstorm has a way of sucking the energy right out of a person. These days feel just like blah.
I have shoveled my driveway and I walked down to shovel the steps of the church I belong to. There is not much to do on a day like this. I did a bunch of housework and I am passing time away writing a blog.
There is no desire in me to get a buzz or wasted. I feel lucky for that. There was a day I would be trying to figure out how I was going to get some pot. If there was someone to get drunk with, while smoking pot, it would be all the better.
Today I know getting out of it would just defeat the purpose. I have heard it said that as soon as a person like me starts to get into the booze the booze would say, “I am going to take you by the hand and you’re going to go where I want you to go and you will do what I tell you to do.” Pot does the same thing to me too.
The plan is to ride out the storm. Just for this day. Perhaps I will make a few calls to some friends. I know to live my recovery one day at a time. Thank you.