Those of us who live in one day at a time recovery know the reality of serenity. We know serenity because we have no other choice but to. Touching moments of this experience of being has a calming effect on not only our minds, but also our bodies. These moments become spiritual experiences of peace. We need these moments to help give us clarity when we have to face struggles. The experience of serenity gives us the courage and the wisdom to realize and understand that adversity will pass. We learn this because serenity helps us to understand that we are loved and that we have love to give. For ourselves, and for others. We also experience the love for creation. In addition to this we can become grateful for the gift of acceptance. We might not know that the moments in which we have experienced serenity we are being given the gifts of humility and awareness. Other people will recognize the peace we are experiencing before us. Most of us are simply surrendering to a healthier life. We learn this one day at a time. We have no other choice. This is the reality of serenity.
Those of us living in one day at a time recovery know the importance of giving ourselves a break. Some of us have a tendency of being particularly hard on ourselves when we don’t measure up to how we think we should. The real reason we need to learn to give ourselves a break is so we can love ourselves enough to enable ourselves to give others a break. This also teaches us how to let go of trying to control everyone and everything. This helps to diminish the narcissistic needs of our egos. This is an exercise in humility. Nobody needs to be perfect to be worthy of love. We are all worthy of love especially those of us who live with flaws and shortcomings. People who need to be perfect are people who live in self-imposed prisons. Many of us know this from experience. And the names of these prisons are self-centered fear and unrealistic expectations. Grace is the key to unlock the door. Not only do we give grace to ourselves, we also give it to others. This is the reality of courage. It lives in all of us. It’s part of the journey.
Those of us who live in one day at a time recovery realize the importance of returning to work when we had to miss time because of our disorders. In reality the stigma still surrounds those of us who live with mental illness. If addiction was present, the stigma could be worse. This is a reality of life. We need courage, but when complicated with anxiety, it is a heroic effort just to walk in the door and try to resume some form of normal for ourselves. Thus the need for education. Some of our co-workers do have an understanding of our situation. Some of them will be supportive. This too is a reality. We need not discourage this support. Nonetheless if we don’t feel the need for their support we don’t have to rely on it. This can be welcomed if we had, and still have a good relationship with these people. Another reality is some people have had bad experiences with people who live with our disorders. We need to keep our conversations appropriate with our work environment. This will help us get back into the swing of things. One day at a time we can be ok. It can be worth it. Your efforts are amazing. That’s why I call you heroes.
Many people who are living in one day at a time recovery realize when we miss awareness. When we realize we are no longer living a reasonable, happy, and functional life we need to reach out. Perhaps we start to blame others for our difficulties. Perhaps everyone we know appears to be unhappy and negative. We believe this is the reason we have no energy and have withdrawn from activities we used to enjoy. Perhaps we are so depressed we cannot go to work. We blame others. Then we realize we are missing awareness. One day at a time recovery has given us the ability to reach out. We talk to a professional. We get treatment. Realizing we have lost our awareness has led us to regain good health. These stumbling blocks can happen to anyone. We know this. Reach out. Be aware. It’s important. So are we.
Those of us who live in one day at a time recovery really don’t know the outcome of our endeavors before they happen. We might like to think we do, but when such outcomes are up to other people to fulfill, they can go by the wayside, and at times fail. Such mismanagement of plans can be humbling indeed. If we can remain humble perhaps we won’t feel humiliated. This is in accordance with how our ego takes it. It can, at times, cause arguments, rifts, or other ill feelings. In matters of marriage, or other close relationships, we should always have an open discussion about such plans and outcomes. Just because we’re close to someone doesn’t mean we can expect others to jump on board. In matters of business, expectations and outcomes should be made clear by all concerned. These are realities and one reality is that outcomes can vary regardless of no matter how well they have been thought through, discussed and planned. Even the healthiest of people can have difficulties with disappointment and failure. It happens to most of us. One day at a time we recover. That’s all we can do.
The reality of short-term physical impairment can happen to anyone, and it can be particularly cumbersome to those living with such. One day at a time we are diligent in trying to adjust to being housebound. Perhaps we have to adjust to the loss of earnings from certain types of work. Perhaps advocations, and other passions, will need to be put on hold. Recovering people are no different from other people. These are difficult times. They could last a few months. If we are managing to stay clean and sober, one day at a time, life has a way of balancing out. The calls and visits we receive are blessings, be they many or few. Any progress made in our physical recovery is a bonus, and emotional difficulties can become less than they were at the first. We become grateful for this because this is the common gift of healing. And as we know, this happens to us, one day at a time.
Sometimes hanging on to one day at a time recovery is all that people like us can do. Mental health disorders are not the only obstacle in the way of those who live one day at a time. Nonetheless much of our mindset is based on I can’t instead of help me. In addition to this there are, as was said before, times we just need to hang on. After getting through a period of just hanging on we realize how others have been there for us. Gratitude for others’ generosity, concern, and love becomes more than apparent. We now realize, as people who live in one day at a time recovery, the generosity of those close to us, our cohorts, and the God of our own understanding. Love and goodwill are the building blocks of our recovery. We might not know it now, but one day at a time we experience this. It’s the gift of hanging on, or the benefit of surprise. Hang on. It happens.
A hazed and tired autumn brings the sleeping of the bear
The hunt is on at break of dawn the tracking of the deer
And soon I’ll travel forward to the Autumn of my life
While resting is the buzzing bee and I beseech less strife
And autumn but a chance to see and also time to feel
A poet’s inspiration a painter’s rent and meal
And words could never touch this time a masterpiece of God
For He softly lets the seasons change showing artists we are frauds
As Providence puts bears at rest and buzzing bees to sleep
A masterpiece that I can’t make the time I cannot keep
So gently I will close my eyes through the colors and the winds
And before I slowly drift in sleep I will say adieu my friends.
Those of us living in one day at a time recovery know that we sometimes struggle. Injuries, or health issues, might keep us away from the rooms of recovery. We could be housebound and perhaps not up to our daily recovery routines. Perhaps we step into a practice of prayer and contemplation. Maybe our writing becomes hand written and its only purpose is to try and keep in contact with the energy force we call God. We might not comprehend but we still have faith. This is one of the aloneness moments of living in one day at a time recovery. It happens. In upcoming moments we keep the faith. We turn it over. One day at a time – more will be revealed.
Those of us living in one day at time recovery know that art can help us to escape. Stressors, boredom, or being overly busy can wind us up or force us to live with other ill feelings. At one time in our lives we avoided it by using. No matter how much we used, we found we could not escape. Sometimes we didn’t know why we were escaping, we just kept using. The monkey was on our back. We needed to be free. Today, maybe watching a movie, or listening to music helps us to break free for a bit. Maybe creating art takes us out of ourselves. What we know is we do step work, try to help others, and take care of ourselves. We need to escape – especially when we know what we are escaping from. It’s called self-care. We need it. One day at a time.