What most of us learn in living a life of one day at a time recovery is that there will be disappointment. Disappointment is a reality of living in an imperfect world which is inhabited by imperfect people. The reality that we’ve learned to help us through disappointment is that we roll with the punches. We have experienced enough love, care, concern, and grace to understand that things will be alright. When someone disappoints us we try to give grace because we know it will free us of resentment. Some of us will struggle in such situations and wonder when will we feel free from disappointment. All we truly know is it happens in time. Sometimes quickly – sometimes slowly – but it happens. It happens because we don’t want to be bitter, resentful people. Grace and forgiveness – seventy times seven. Sometimes we have to give it to ourselves. Peace.
Those of us living in one day at a time recovery learn the reality of life. Our reality is recovery doesn’t end all our difficulties but we do understand the reality of living well. Living well helps to prevent problems that seem to pile up and pile up. One such prevention tool is we learn to be grateful. Gratitude is a mindset which creates happiness which allows us to be reasonable and realistic. In such we find joy and a semblance of freedom. Then we discover that living well is freedom in itself. More often than not one day at a time recovery creates good and manageable lives for us. Manageable lives and living in recovery enables us to deal with adversity and stress to a much greater degree than before we learned how to live well. In doing so we learn how to have healthy relationships with give and take and we have the ability to trust and be trusted. We learn how to reach out. Living well helps us to understand that we don’t have to experience the joys and difficulties of life alone. No-one is an island. We learn to live well. Please join us. Peace.
Many people living in recovery from concurrent disorders understand that finding reality takes time. There is not really all that much we can do to speed up the living in reality process except for believing in grace and staying abstinent from what it is that would bring on the the non-reality of active addiction. Some of us who have lived in recovery for a fair amount of time tend to believe finding reality is a life long process. The idea is to be gentle, kind, compassionate, and loving to ourselves and to others as we live in the findings of our own realities. Our greatest reality is when we discover, believe, and accept that we are all human and that we are all worthy of love and belonging. This is the simple reality of grace. It’s an absolute truth. We need to keep seeking one day at a time. Peace.
Most of us living in one day at a time recovery learn to understand that grace is not pity. The reason we know this is because grace is nothing but compassion, kindness and love. We eventually awaken to this reality and we learn that if we are to have only pity for someone, we are not committing to the reality of kindness, compassion, and love. Are we really that righteous – (are we really that cold). Would we free a sheep caught in the mud only to leave it to the wolves. Grace doesn’t do that. Neither does God, the spirit, or the universe. Neither do we. When we understand this, we understand that grace isn’t pity. It’s an important reality and a gift found in living one day at a time recovery. It’s something we eventually awaken to. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery know the reality of surviving stress. Often we do so by sharing the difficulties caused by stress when we share such overload with a friend, or friends, over coffee. Some of us do it in a therapist’s office. Some of us do it with our spouse. Our reality is that we need to be heard, especially when we are over-loaded. Sometimes those closest to us are not those we should share our over-load with. They are just too close to us to be able to help. Besides that we might be so wrapped up in stress we are looking for someone to blame and that might just be those who are closest to us. Our reality though is we need to be heard. Troubles shared are troubles lessened. Please do so. It helps. Peace.
Many of us living in one day at a time recovery understand the joy in receiving a text or a call. Both of these have the ability of making our day. Especially when we are feeling alone. The feeling of alone happens to all of us from time to time. Our health is negatively affected by too much loneliness. People were not made to face life in too much alone. The sad thing (for some of us) is that we could be in a crowded room and still feel alone. The rooms of recovery can help put an end to this. It’s reality for many of us. Join us. Peace.
Many of us living in one day at a time recovery understand that these things called feelings can be wonderful human experiences. Although having wonderful feelings can be quite joyful and positive there are some of us who live in imperfect recovery who find some of our feelings can become way too influential becoming perplexing little gremlins that can throw our lives into variating tailspins. Sometimes they are even mistaken. The reality of this is our feelings can have a disabling effect on us and can create circumstances initiating relapse back into addiction. This is reality. We need stand on guard one day at a time. Feelings are the reason many of us have support systems. Many of us join support groups to help us navigate the waters of emotions safely. Some of us reach out for professional help. We need to get out of our own heads and our own hearts from time to time to be well enough to participate in life. It’s our responsibility. Peace
One of the realities of living life in one day at a time recovery is the ability to join in with the joy in celebration. Another reality is that we can do so without participating in the consumption of anything that could alter our thinking thrusting us into an impaired reality. True celebration, for us, is the absolute avoidance of this. When we become part of a celebration (perhaps a wedding) in which we are guest, best wishes are part of this joyous occasion. If anyone so chooses to celebrate with intoxicants our reality is that we do not. It is as simple as that. If we are to make, or join into a toast, we do so with a non-alcoholic drink. This is of paramount importance and doing as such keeps the joy in the joy of celebration. Because of this we share in the happiness of the day. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery learn that recovery is a learned skill. When we learn, and practice this skill for a few years we discover that the beginning is not the end. Some of us who began this journey called recovery found that after a bit of beginning recovery we thought we were at the end of our recovery, and although we wouldn’t say it we believed we had transcended to a point of recovery where we were no longer just living in recovery, we convinced ourselves we had recovered. This is the danger of egocentric thinking. Such thoughts can also threaten those who have lived many years of one day at a time recovery. Those of us who have lived imperfect recovery know this. The journey of one day at a time must continue one day at a time. We know that the thought of believing we are recovered can be a costly delusion. What we do know is we can be free and well one day at a time. That is good enough. It’s our inextricable connection with each other. Peace.
Many people living in one day at a time recovery understand the reality of uncomplicated weariness which often occurs to those of us troubled by worries and our inability to let go of such hindersome thinking. More often than not our minds are occupied with such vagrant thoughts which are living in our heads rent free. Many of us turn to prayer as a way to deal with such fears. Letting go and letting God is a liberating tool of one day at a time recovery. Therapy helps. So can 12 step recovery. In as such we learn we are not alone in our weariness and our worry. They are a common reality. We do what we can and then we let it go. When we do we become content. It’s not complicated. Peace.