Many people living in one day at a time recovery share with us the gift of understanding. The gift of understanding creates empathetic souls who understand the bad times in life that occur either before or after we come into one day at a time recovery. They understand difficulty and adversity and often sit with us in times of sadness and despair. They do this so we won’t feel alone. When this happens we get to understand the gift of understanding and the reality of one day at a time abstinence. This has saved the lives of many. This is not an exaggerated statement. The aloneness caused by mental health disorders complicated with addiction takes way too many of us. Often we are directed to reach out for professional help by those who have the gift of understanding. Understanding people know reality. We reach out and we understand that life will get better one day at a time. And it does. Peace.
People living in one day at a time recovery eventually understand that we don’t know what we don’t know. The sooner we get to learn this the sooner we get to learn that we cannot help everyone. This is a reality of finding recovery in the rooms of recovery. We simply don’t have the experience or the qualifications to be able to help everyone. In such an instance we hope we meet this reality with humility so we will know and understand this reality before we hurt someone. All we have to offer anyone is our experience, our strength and our hope. People in the rooms of recovery teach us this. We are not afraid to tell people we cannot play the roles of doctors, counsellors, or hotels. We’re a kinship of recovering people. That’s our one day at a time recovery and it’s our reality. Peace.
The reality of living in one day at a time recovery is when we are in recovery it requires us to listen to those of us we are in recovery with. Also we need others to listen to us. Listening, really listening, is a tool of recovery. In the beginning what most of us hear is simply noise. The reason for this is because we were in a fog of unmanageability and we were probably in some kind of trouble. Those who had been in recovery for a while heard our stories even if we didn’t say anything. They hoped we heard one simple phrase which was don’t pick up and keep coming back and maybe, just maybe, these words somehow registered in us even if we couldn’t comprehend. This is the reality of attending meetings in the rooms of recovery. More than likely we understand each other but we know we are not doctors or professional counsellors. So we listen, really listen and we find hope. We will be heard and we’ll learn to listen. One day at a time we will be okay. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery learn that difficult is not as difficult when we have been in recovery for a while. We seem to become a bit more resilient to adversity, and we become better equipped to face such adversities should we be able to use the recovery tools that one day at a time living lays at our feet. Such tools are acceptance, patience and surrendering to reality. When we admitted the unmanageability that drinking and using brought to our lives many of us surrendered to the principal of needing help. Often in desperation we reached out and something or someone intervened, and while in hospital, detox or rehab we saw our reality for what it really is. We are people living with addiction. Those of us who accept this get to understand and live recovery. Acceptance and surrender are crucial to healthy living. We also learn patience, as difficult as it may be because one day at a time growth takes time. In time we will learn that difficult is not as difficult as it used to be. We become more resilient and we’re not alone. We become akin and also inextricably connected to others in one day at a time recovery. If we meet in the rooms of recovery with the others we are akin with we experience beyond a doubt the reality of together. Recovery becomes reality. Peace.
Many of us living in one day at a time recovery are grateful for the sound of the dry cereal pouring into the bowl. The sound is tinkering, whimsical and pleasant. It is a musical sound of sobriety’s nutrition and love because we get to choose what we pour into it. It is the reality of a morning’s welcomed recovery. And we wonder – did we forget to mention it’s actually dry as in being dry? If you’re one of us you know how truly appreciated that is. We are facing reality and we are not reaching for the hair of the dog which means we are not starting the day trying to calm our nerves or numb our pain. We have hope today and we no longer want to die. It’s a gift of freedom from active addiction. Today we have a choice. We reach out and participate in our recovery. Gratitude is a gift. Peace.
Some of us living in one day at a time recovery can have difficulty feeling safe in times of change and catastrophic stress. Any of us who have experienced trauma can relate to this to one degree or another. Living through intense shame, extreme fear and deep dark depression can lead to catastrophic events. The shame is we don’t belong, the fear is we can’t belong and the depression is we will never belong. People who live with mental health disorders complicated with addictions understand this. We who survive, emphatically say you do belong, you can belong and you will always belong. We became akin with those who live their lives in one day at a time recovery. We reached out for help and we let the professionals help us. We also found safety in the reassurance that catastrophic stress will pass and life will be okay again. Some of us need medication to live healthy lives. This is not because we are weak. We live with an illness and this illness is treatable. We will feel safe again. It just takes a bit of time. We are all worthy of love and belonging. You too. Peace;
Those of us who have been living in one day at a time recovery for any length of time understand what real recovery is all about. Real recovery is about living life one day at a time because living one day at a time is truthfully about all any of us can navigate and live what we call happy, joyous and free lives. Especially when the chips are down. After a few years of recovery we can look back and remember the times that it was divine intervention that kept us clean and sober and that this intervention was the reality, and the experience, strength and hope of others from the rooms of recovery that kept us alive and abstinent as we followed their lead and tried to imitate their journey. Those of us who remained abstinent realize we might not be so if we hadn’t followed their suggestions. Even today, after years of recovery, such intervention is still paramount and is a gift that instills the continuance of hopeful and real recovery. Especially during hardship and other adversities. We do not have to face life alone unless we so choose to, and even should we so choose to try life often offers to intervene. Accepting such realities often averts tragedy and we learn to be grateful for the reality of life’s happy, joyous and free recovery. We discover this imperfect recovery is a gift. We stop being hard on life, others and ourselves. It’s our humble one day at a time journey. We are not alone. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery realize that we have responsibilities as we awaken to reality. Our awakening is we need not face adversity and emotional upheaval by ourselves. Often we understand we need to turn to friends and family to navigate such difficulties. Another reality is some of us need to take medication to be healthy enough to participate in such an awakening. This is the reality of some of us living with mental health disorders and addiction. We consult our doctor. Some of us need professional counselling. We also awaken to the reality that as we grow more responsible life offers us a reality of happy, functional and doable lives. We understand the joy of not having to face life alone. Those we are akin with show us this. Reality might fluctuate but recovery is the same. We don’t use one day at a time and we need not face life alone. God, the spirit or the universe lets us know this. We are awakening to reality and our inextricable connection to the other. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery came to a point in life that life brought change with the insertion of a semicolon. We were unwell and probably flirting with disaster or perhaps even living in disaster but in its intrusive and welcomed intervention life intervened with a semicolon or an abrupt introduction to one day at a time recovery. We discovered we were sick – not weak. Many of us believe God, the spirit, the universe or whatever our conception of the other to be are the reason we are alive today, and in keeping us alive they inserted the semicolon. We understand this to be grace. Grace is life; life is recovery. Those we are akin with show us this. We have found an inextricable connection with these people. We experienced the semicolon. Not everybody does. Reach out. Life is not perfect but it’s good. It’s the gift of a new reality. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery discover that there are streams we need to cross to live and experience reality and life. Often we do so by using the stepping stones of recovery. What we realize is that these stones can be dry and secure or they can bet wet and difficult. We need to use these stones to be able to participate in reality and life. They’re part of our journey. Those we are akin with, and professional advisers can show us how to navigate these crossings. We don’t need to brave the wilderness without guides. Most of us believe reaching out is the first stone we step on. We are entering a new reality. We are to become well enough to be responsible in life. Even if we get wet we’ll be okay one stone at a time. Welcome to recovery. Welcome to life. Peace.