Thank you Betty for your service and the daily! Timing is perfect - off to golf early tomorrow. I do know that I was raised to 'compete and compare' and it was the only mode of operating that I knew. I viewed most others as either better than or worse than me - which was truly insane as I was comparing how I felt on the inside to what they showed me on the outside...

I know now that I don't have it worse or better than others - just different. We all have a predestined path that was planned before we came to be, and I do believe today that I am where I am supposed to be. Gratitude truly does help me see what I am blessed with and provides me hope for what may come next. Recovery has changed how I view so many, many things and even when I am down or disappointed, I know today that it's not permanent.

Welcome back from your cruise - you were missed! (((Hugs)))

thanks Betty for the good reminder that I may be lacking in this, but I may have more of THAT!!! Tho I have been real guilty of envy, resentment, why my life is so S*** from my birth and cousins had support, nurturing, financial security left to them, so they dont' have to worry like I do about being able to support myself, yea, its tempting to feel jealous and like "why not me????" but its a waste of time..As of late, i've been too busy trying to find a real good , reliable, once a week client to work with so I can live...So too busy to be looking at their lives...I'm trying to make MY life better.....thanks for your service

Thanks Betty for your service and welcome back! My very wise sponsor taught me: compare = despair. I have tried to incorporate that into my permanent alanon tool box. I spent years in the past not feeling good enough. Alanon has taught me I dont have to waste any more time on that activity. Lyne

Welcome back Betty! Thank you for the daily.

I seemed to always be secretly in envy of other's relationships with their spouses... or the lives they lead. I say "secretly" b/c for years I have tried to live my best life. Tried to manage my career, husband, kid - my life- and I never really got the result I thought I would end up with. I was one of those that look up and suddenly realize, "Is this all there is?" I had to really look at myself and what I was either 1) lacking or 2)having false hopes of. Why wasn't I happy? Why could I not accept that THIS was my life?

That process took awhile with 2 journeys through Al-Anon to help! Today I try and focus on Gratitude. Because I am working on accepting this is the life I was given. I do sometimes still get envious of elderly couples walking anywhere together - I know that won't be my future with my Ex - but that is because that is what I chose. I chose this b/c the alternative I could no longer live with. Sometimes it is super tough to accept the outcome, when the outcome isn't your ideal. That is why I list my Gratitudes every morning.

I must say, I never thought of envy as "a hostile form of self-pity." I will have to ruminate on this awhile, as I think it is so important.

Thank you all for your shares!

Welcome back dear Betty. This is a good soul meditation for me today, a rare free morning. There is a sense of urgency knocking from various sources at my door just lately and I am half a foot in and half a foot out. Envy for me today as a theme relates closely to materialism. I have had a long brush with it living in an easy access consumer society for five years and return to my island home to see everyone chasing the mansion with glass staircases. It is chaos and fear inducing. What is my role in this? Do I too have the seeds of envy in my motivations? In any of my affairs? Possibly. No need to rush or get caught into anyone elses motivations, not today. Thanks for the service.