Daily Recovery Readings
May 28, 2017

Daily Reflection

EQUAL RIGHTS

At one time or another most A.A. groups go on rule-making benders. . . After a time fear and intolerance subside. [and we realize] We do not wish to deny anyone his chance to recover from alcoholism. We wish to be just as inclusive as we can, never exclusive.

— “A.A. TRADITION: HOW IT DEVELOPED,” pp. 10, 11, 12

A.A. offered me complete freedom and accepted me into the Fellowship for myself. Membership did not depend upon conformity, financial success or education and I am so grateful for that. I often ask myself if I extend the same equality to others or if I deny them the freedom to be different. Today I try to replace my fear and intolerance with faith, patience, love and acceptance. I can bring these strengths to my A.A. group, my home and my office. I make an effort to bring my positive attitude everywhere that I go.

I have neither the right, nor the responsibility, to judge others. Depending on my attitude I can view newcomers to A.A., family members and friends as menaces or as teachers. When I think of some of my past judgments, it is clear how my self-righteousness caused me spiritual harm.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear. When these crop up, we ask God at once to remove them. We discuss them with someone immediately and make amends quickly if we have harmed anyone. Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 84

Keep It Simple

Who dares nothing, need hope for nothing.—Johann Fredrich von Schiller

As we grow in recovery, we’ll need to change our behaviors, values, and beliefs to stay sane. This take courage. Courage is doing what is needed in spite of fear.

Courage means facing what we can’t change. We can’t change the fact that we have hurt people. We can’t change the fact we have an illness. And we can’t change the fact that we need help from others.

Courage also means facing those things we can change. We need courage to be honest, to have faith, and to be humble. And we need courage to let people know how important they are.

Prayer for the Day:
Courage is more than being tough. Courage means being human. Higher Power, grant me the courage to stay sober and live a spiritual life.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll have an attitude of courage. I’ll talk in my meeting. I’ll offer help where it is needed. I’ll have the courage to say no when needed.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You continue to be an emotional being in a world where it’s often prudent to tightly wrap your feelings up in the logic of the day. However, the drive to express your heart’s desires in the safety of a stable relationship is fundamental to your wellbeing. Although you might be tempted to withdraw into your shell, growth occurs now from opening up. Self-disclosure is a rough road today because your perspective may conflict with someone else’s. Instead of making happiness your current goal, strive for recognition. Amy Bloom wrote, “Intimacy is being seen and known as the person you truly are.”

Daily Recovery Readings
May 27, 2017

Daily Reflection

NO MAUDLIN GUILT

Day by day, we try to move a little toward God’s perfection. So we need not be consumed by maudlin guilt. . . .

— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 15

When I first discovered that there is not a single “don’t” in the Twelve Steps of A.A., I was disturbed because this discovery swung open a giant portal. Only then was I able to realize what A.A. is for me:

A.A.is not a program of “don’ts,” but of “do’s.”
A.A. is not martial law; it is freedom.
A.A. is not tears over defects, but sweat over fixing them.
A.A. is not penitence; it is salvation.
A.A. is not “Woe to me” for my sins, past and present.
A.A. is “Praise God” for the progress I am making today.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 24~

Keep It Simple

It’s only by forgetting yourself that you draw near to God.—Henry David Thoreau

The biggest danger we face as recovering people is self-will. Do we try to control others?

Do we always put ourselves before others? Are we full of self-pity? These are all ways that bind us to our self-will.

In recovery, we put our lives in the hands of a loving God. Here, we find a new home. Our goal is to lose as much of our self-will as we can. We than put love in place of self-will. Recovery is truly about love.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, I pray and offer my self-will to You, Self-will is a danger to my sobriety. I pray that I may be closer to You than to myself.

Action for the Day:
I’ll list the areas that self-will get in my way. I’ll read my list every day next week, and I’ll try to put love in place of self will.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You are an easy target today because you’re wearing your changing moods on your sleeve. There’s no hiding the fact that your subjectivity can suddenly override your rationality. Objectivity ebbs and flows with your emotional tides, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it now, other than choosing denial. Thankfully, those you admire the most will benefit from your unyielding support. You are a champion at nurturing the people, animals and plants that you love. Be proud of your open heart and let your love light shine.

Daily Recovery Readings
May 26, 2017

Daily Reflection

TURNING NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE

Our spiritual and emotional growth in A.A. does not depend so deeply upon success as it does upon our failures and setbacks. If you will bear this in mind, I think that your slip will have the effect of kicking you upstairs, instead of down,

— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 184

In keeping with the pain and adversity which our founders encountered and overcame in establishing A.A., Bill W. sent us a clear message: a relapse can provide a positive experience toward abstinence and a lifetime of recovery. A relapse brings truth to what we hear repeatedly in meetings – “Don’t take that first drink!” It reinforces the belief in the progressive nature of the disease, and it drives home the need for, and beauty of, humility in our spiritual program. Simple truths come in complicated ways to me when I become ego driven.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to
Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give
freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the
Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you
trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 164

Keep It Simple

When I look at the future, it’s so bright, it burns my eyes.—Oprah Winfrey

During our illness, it was as if our spirit lived in a deep, dark cave. Our spirit became gloomy, cold, and lonely. Our spirit didn’t know how to get out of the cave. We were dying.

Recovery brings us into the sunlight. At first, we can’t see a thing—it’s too bright! The world stretches around us—it’s so big! There are so many way to go! We don’t know what to do.

But our eyes get used to the light, and we feel the warm rays of the sun. We see we aren’t alone anymore. We relax. We know our spirit is in a better place—a place where we can live!

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me feel at home in the sunlight of my new life.

Action for the Day:
Addiction made my world so small. It made my future so dark. Today, I’ll list three new choices I want to make to better my life.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Everyone notices the twinkle in your eyes and the smile on your face today, but you’re not giving them any facts to validate their assumptions. One reason you’re keeping your thoughts to yourself is that you might not be sure why you’re feeling so good. Or, perhaps you know exactly the source of your happiness; you just don’t trust that it will last. Either way, it’s preferable to find someone you can confide in about your inner journey. A joy that’s shared is a joy made double.

Daily Recovery Readings
May 25, 2017

Daily Reflection

PROGRESSIVE GRATITUDE

Gratitude should go forward, rather than backward.

— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 29

I am very grateful that my Higher Power has given me a second chance to live a worthwhile life. Through Alcoholics Anonymous, I have been restored to sanity. The promises are being fulfilled in my life. I am grateful to be free from the slavery of alcohol. I am grateful for peace of mind and the opportunity to grow, but my gratitude should go forward rather than backward. I cannot stay sober on yesterday’s meetings or past Twelfth-Step calls; I need to put my gratitude into action today. Our co-founder said our gratitude can best be shown by carrying the message to others. Without action, my gratitude is just a pleasant emotion. I need to put it into action by working Step Twelve, by carrying the message and practicing the principles in all my affairs. I am grateful for the chance to carry the message today!

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to find a spiritual experience, we ask that we be given strength and direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal consequences may be.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 79~

Keep It Simple

In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me.—Virginia Satir

Let’s keep this in mind: each of us is special in our own way. Often, we’re hard on ourselves because we’re different.

Our Twelve Step groups pull our differences together. We listen and learn from our differences.

We learn to see that each one of us is different—and this is important. Our program and the Steps stay alive for us, because each new person brings a different way of seeing things. Let’s celebrate our differences instead of trying to be alike.

Prayer for the Day:
Today, is a day to celebrate that, in all of the world, there is only one me. Thank-you, Higher Power, and help me see clearly how special I am.

Action for the Day:
I’ll make a list of what makes me special. I’ll share this with a friend or my sponsor and my Higher Power.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Although you might be so scattered that you’re not very productive at work today, there are many kinds of success stories. In fact, your accomplishments aren’t visible to others with the Gemini New Moon occurring in your 12th House of Privacy. Luckily, your stream of consciousness reveals a new direction for you to follow. Don’t resist any thoughts that enter your mind, even if they seem outrageous in the current context. Happily, there is plenty of time to weed out the irrelevant ideas while nurturing the best ones. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Daily Recovery Readings
May 24, 2017

Daily Reflection

“HAPPY, JOYOUS, AND FREE”

We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us. But it is clear that we made our own misery. God didn’t do it. Avoid then, the deliberate manufacture of misery, but if trouble comes, cheerfully capitalize it as an opportunity to demonstrate His omnipotence.

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 133

For years I believed in a punishing God and blamed Him for my misery. I have learned that I must lay down the “weapons” of self in order to pick up the “tools” of the A.A. program. I do not struggle with the program because it is a gift and I have never struggled when receiving a gift. If I sometimes keep on struggling, it is because I’m still hanging onto my old ideas and “. . . the results are nil.”

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is or He isn’t.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 53~

Keep It Simple

The way to love anything is to realize it might be lost. —G.K. Chesterton

Every day we take so much for granted. But we can count certain blessings: a roof over our head, food, clothing, family, and friends, freedom, a Higher Power we trust. These things are special.

Thinking about them wakes up our happiness. Our recovery program shows us how happy. we just have to remember to do what it tells us!

Step Ten helps us wake up our happiness. Each evening, as we think about our day, we can give thanks for the things we love: our recovery, our health, and the special people in our lives. If we spend part of our day thinking about these important areas, we wont lose them.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me make the most of my blessings today.

Action for the Day: Today, I’ll tell five people I love that I’m glad to have them in my life. And I’ll tell each of them one reason why.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Talking about your plans with a close friend enables you to be seen in a deep and profound way. But your current desire to keep communication simple makes it more challenging to convey the subtleties and nuances of your professional yearnings. Nevertheless, you are committed to understanding the big picture and may even consider enrolling in a course to further your studies. Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Daily Recovery Readings
May 23, 2017

Daily Reflection

SPIRITUAL HEALTH

When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 64

It is very difficult for me to come to terms with my spiritual illness because of my great pride, disguised by my material successes and my intellectual power. Intelligence is not incompatible with humility, provided I place humility first. To seek prestige and wealth is the ultimate goal for many in the modern world. To be fashionable and to seem better than I really am is a spiritual illness.

To recognize and to admit my weaknesses is the beginning of good spiritual health. It is a sign of spiritual health to be able to ask God every day to enlighten me, to recognize His will, and to have the strength to execute it. My spiritual health is excellent when I realize that the better I get, the more I discover how much help I need from others.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~

Keep It Simple

The present will not long endure.—Pindar

At certain moments, our best friend is time. Time is a gift given us. Time helps us heal. We need to know that when things are tough, these times will pass, and peace will return. Our Higher Power can be like a parent who comforts a child when there’s a storm outside. The parent gently reminds the child the sun will shine again.

Tough times come and go. There will be times when life is ugly and very painful. We can’t be happy all the time. Remember, our Higher Power is always there. We must have faith in this. A saying often heard in the program is, “This too shall pass.”

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, remind me that things will get better. Even if they get worst for a while, they will get better. Let this be my prayer in hard times.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll list times in my life when I thought I couldn’t go on. I’ll remember the pain, but I’ll also remember how time was my friend.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your coworkers and friends have your back today by creating a solid support system. But in order to activate your connection with others, you must be the one who gets the conversational ball rolling. Assistance will not magically arrive at your door or at your desk unless you ask for help. Unveiling your needs is not a sign of weakness. In fact, psychologist Brene Brown wrote, “Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.” No risk, no reward.

Daily Recovery Readings
May 22, 2017

Daily Reflection

STEP ONE

WE . . . (The first word of the First Step)

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 21

When I was drinking all I could ever think about was “I, I, I,” or “Me, Me, Me.” Such painful obsession of self, such soul sickness, such spiritual selfishness bound me to the bottle for more than half my life.

The journey to find God and to do His will one day at a time began with the first word of the First Step . . . “We.” There was power in numbers, there was strength in numbers, there was safety in numbers, and for an alcoholic like me, there was life in numbers. If I had tried to recover alone I probably would have died. With God and another alcoholic I have a divine purpose in my life . . . I have become a channel for God’s healing love.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“We have begun to comprehend their futility and their fatality. We have commenced to see their terrible destructiveness. We have begun to learn tolerance, patience and good will toward all men, even our enemies, for we look on them as sick people.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, Pg. 70~

Keep It Simple

Showing up is 80 percent of life.—Woody Allen

Life is full of things we don’t want to do. Yet when all parts of us( mind, body, spirit) show up, things go okay. By being there, we can learn about ourselves and help others.

Showing up means we care about our program. It means we speak up at meetings. It means we care about our family, our friends, the world. It means we listen when a friend has a bad day. It means seeing ourselves in others. It means we talk to someone who bothers us. Showing up means we laugh when something seems funny. It means we cry when we feel sad. We’re important, and we need to bring our mind, body, and spirit with us—wherever we go. Have I learned to show up, all of me?

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me show up for my life. Help me show up to do my part in Your plan today.

Today’s Action:
As I go through my day, I’ll think about how I’m showing up for my life. I’ll be proud of myself for doing my part.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

A new opportunity at work might catch your interest now and send you spinning out possibilities in every direction. However, it’s too soon to know how it might affect your career trajectory. One thing is for certain: your time is limited and you may need to step back from some commitments at home or with family to devote your energy to this project. Although you don’t have to decide today, it’s healthy to begin your process by surveying all the alternative paths until you find one that stands out from the rest.

Daily Recovery Readings
May 21, 2017

Daily Reflection

A LIST OF BLESSINGS

One exercise that I practice is to try for a full inventory of my blessings…

— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 37

What did I have to be grateful for? I shut myself up and started listing the blessings for which I was in no way responsible, beginning with having been born of sound mind and body. I went through seventy-four years of living right up to the present moment. The list ran to two pages, and took two hours to compile; I included health, family, money, A.A. – the whole gamut.

Every day in my prayers, I ask God to help me remember my list, and to be grateful for it throughout the day. When I remember my gratitude list, it’s very hard to conclude that God is picking on me.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“Although financial recovery is on the way for many of us, we found we could not place money first. For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress; it never preceded.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 127~

Keep It Simple

Be not afraid of growing slowing, be afraid only of standing still. —Chinese proverb

All of us are a little afraid of growth. We wonder how growth will change our lives. Who will we be? Will our friend still love us? Can’t we grow up and get in over with? Why does it take so long?

All of us have a need to keep growing. There is no age when we’re “all grown up” and all done learning. But we don’t need to rush our growth. Like a child on a too-big bicycle, at times we’ll find ourselves out of control. We’ll tip over. We can grow at our own pace, but we must grow. We must make changes. Or else, like an athlete on a too-small bicycle, we won’t get far. We’ll tip over too!

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You may be feeling the pressure as you try to clarify your next move. Red lights are turning green and you are eager to hit the gas pedal. However, you don’t know your current location and your GPS can’t get a proper signal. Instead of admitting defeat, start asking questions and see who comes up with the best solutions. Just remember that there is no one correct answer to solving your lack of orientation. Continue to gather data points until you can see the big picture. Once you have your bearings, you’ll be free to ride into the future.

Daily Recovery Readings
May 20, 2017

Daily Reflection

ONE DAY AT A TIME

Above all, take it one day at a time. — AS BILL SEES IT, p. 11

Why do I kid myself that I must stay away from a drink for only one day, when I know perfectly well I must never drink again as long as I live? I am not kidding myself because one day at a time is probably the only way I can reach the long-range objective of staying sober.

If I determine that I shall never drink again as long as I live, I set myself up. How can I be sure I won’t drink when I have no idea what the future may hold?

On a day-at-a-time basis, I am confident I can stay away from a drink for one day. So I set out with confidence. At the end of the day, I have the reward of achievement. Achievement feels good and that makes me want more!

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

“More than most people, the alcoholic leads a double life. He is very much the actor. To the outer world he presents his stage character. This is the one he likes his fellows to see. He wants to enjoy a certain reputation, but knows in his heart he doesn’t deserve it.”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 73~

Keep It Simple

And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. —Matt. 15:14

The Twelve Step programs are sometime called self-help programs. But they’re not really, because we all help each other. We don’t stay sober by ourselves. Sometimes we call Twelve Step programs peer programs. And they are. All of us equal. No one is an expert. But we need to be careful who we choose for a sponsor. We each need to find someone who has been sober longer than us. Someone who understands the Steps. Someone who lives by them. Some we want to be like. We need to stick with the winners.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, I know I’m like a blind person who is just beginning to see. Help me follow the path of those who see better than I do.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll list the people in my program I go to for help. Am I sticking with the winners?

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You might decide to fly beneath the radar today — maybe not even leaving the house. Thankfully, you have so much to do around your home that there’s no chance of boredom setting in. Nevertheless, a low-key anxiety may prevent you from enjoying this pause in your hectic life. Fortunately, the solution to dissatisfaction is simpler than you think. Dale Carnegie said, “Happiness doesn’t depend on any external conditions; it is governed by our mental attitude.”

Daily Recovery Readings
May 19, 2017

Daily Reflection

GIVING WITHOUT STRINGS

And he well knows that his own life has been made richer, as an extra dividend of giving to another without any demand for a return.
— AS BILL SEES IT, p. 69

The concept of giving without strings was hard to understand when I first came into the program. I was suspicious when others wanted to help me. I thought, “What do they want in return?” But I soon learned the joy of helping another alcoholic and I understood why they were there for me in the beginning. My attitudes changed and I wanted to help others. Sometimes I became anxious, as I wanted them to know the joys of sobriety, that life can be beautiful. When my life is full of a loving God of my understanding and I give that love to my fellow alcoholic, I feel a special richness that is hard to explain.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

3rd Step Prayer:

“God, I offer myself to Thee —to build with me and to do with
me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better
do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may
bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy
Way of life. May I do Thy will always!”

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 63~

Keep It Simple

The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.—Marcus Aurelius

The struggles of life teach us a lot. They challenge our beliefs. As we struggle, we come to believe that our friends, family, and Higher Power will be there for us in hard times. But we must do our part. We need to call and honestly let people know how we are doing. We need to pray and ask our Higher Power for help. If we do these things, we’ll come to respect and learn from hard times.

Prayer for the Day:
I pray for the wisdom to see that struggles are part of live. Higher Power, I pray for Your help in not taking struggles too personally.

Action for the Day:
I’ll list four times I’ve struggled and what I learned from each stuggle. I’ll share this with a friend.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Someone may be creating trouble for you behind the scenes today. Nevertheless, you’re eager to ferret out the truth and take your adversary to task. In fact, you could be fearless now because you believe you are on the side of fair and ethical behavior. Unfortunately, it’s possible to fail on your mission because you overlooked an obvious red flag. Don’t initiate any significant changes until you double-check all your assumptions and conclusions. If your facts are wrong, it’s like building your house on shifting sand. If your foundation is strong, your actions will withstand the tests of time.