C2C, Monday, 1/3: I can change the past if I stop repeating it in the present.
Lyne said
Jan 2, 2022
The writer of Mondays reading explores how to make positive changes:
-ask, am I moving in a positive direction? -am I going to meetings and practicing the principles?-am I breaking out of unhealthy and unsatisfying patterns of the past? -can I set goals and take small risks on a daily basis? -can I take action every day instead of going on a frenzy every few months? -can I let a challenge be a new beginning?
Reminder: No one can make me change. No one can stop me from changing. No one really knows how I must change, not even I. Not until I start. I will remember that it only takes a slight shift in direction to begin to change my life.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess I am putting these ideas into practice right now as I have felt stuck. I no longer want to be in the down cycle. I reached out to my sponsor, I took a suggestion she made and wrote about it on board, and Im listening to my thought process and correcting negative thinking. I will go over it again this week with my zoom F2F. I do want to change and I have started this new cycle. When I think about all my years in alanon, whenever I get into a stuck place, I do always, eventually, get out of it. Amen.
DM2021 said
Jan 3, 2022
Thank you Lyne for your service, reading and honesty!
I too get stuck and that is the beauty of Al-Anon, the program is there for those
stuck times, so grateful!
Daffodils said
Jan 3, 2022
Thank you Lyne for your service, sharing about your pain and actions you take to walk through the rough patch. I gain power in your example. I can totally relate to being stuck which leads me to inaction then sick thinking sneaks in (for me). TT, you expressed my feelings so well regarding the loss of F2F meetings. My sponsor found creative solutions to stay connected and occasionally meet in person. Personally, I'm zoomed out and unfortunately when we get a rotation of visitors to our home group, I clam up and go into listening/observation mode.
We just got word that effective Wednesday, there will be a 21 day lockdown which means the Y will be closed. I had a routine of walking to/from, excersing, engaging with staff /other members which covered self-care, socializing, meditating, time apart from my spouse . Anyways, I didn't freak out. Counted my blessings and decided I am going to pretend I'm a tourist in my city and walk to attractions every day since I live in the downtown core. Also, I will have time to work on the only goal I set : an in depth fear inventory. Fun wow :) Have a wonderful day.
Iamhere said
Jan 3, 2022
Happy Monday MIP. Thank you Lyne for your service and the daily. I 'cycle' less these days than in the past and I can only attribute it to make a daily decision to align with this program, the tools and my HP. I am one who would lean heavy into recovery - all things, and then when I felt more balanced or better would set aside some tools or efforts only to cycle back to negative thinking, projection, insanity, etc.
I am a smart person yet very willful and unintentionally egotistical it seems. I can't explain why I would stop doing anything that brings relief yet, I did that over and over again. I believe (hindsight) at the time I really thought 'the next right thing' I opted for seemed more important until I crashed/burned. Countless times now I have returned to Step One, to remind myself of what truly works for my own recovery.
I finally make a personal commitment to myself as part of my self-care to do several specific things daily no matter what is going on around me. They are basic and they were shared with me early on and by the grace of the God of my understanding, I've been consistent for a few 24 hours. What I now know is that when I truly practice self-care and nurture my spiritual program and my recovery, I am better tooled for 'life events'.
I too am missing F2F meetings and the fellowship presented there. In spite of the isolation caused by this pandemic, I find comfort in believing I am doing my part by being mindful of the virus and how easily it can spread. I've been doing the exact same things the exact same way since the start and don't intend to do differently until I feel safe enough to make changes.
The writer of Mondays reading explores how to make positive changes:
-ask, am I moving in a positive direction? -am I going to meetings and practicing the principles?-am I breaking out of unhealthy and unsatisfying patterns of the past? -can I set goals and take small risks on a daily basis? -can I take action every day instead of going on a frenzy every few months? -can I let a challenge be a new beginning?
Reminder: No one can make me change. No one can stop me from changing. No one really knows how I must change, not even I. Not until I start. I will remember that it only takes a slight shift in direction to begin to change my life.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I guess I am putting these ideas into practice right now as I have felt stuck. I no longer want to be in the down cycle. I reached out to my sponsor, I took a suggestion she made and wrote about it on board, and Im listening to my thought process and correcting negative thinking. I will go over it again this week with my zoom F2F. I do want to change and I have started this new cycle. When I think about all my years in alanon, whenever I get into a stuck place, I do always, eventually, get out of it. Amen.
I too get stuck and that is the beauty of Al-Anon, the program is there for those
stuck times, so grateful!
I am a smart person yet very willful and unintentionally egotistical it seems. I can't explain why I would stop doing anything that brings relief yet, I did that over and over again. I believe (hindsight) at the time I really thought 'the next right thing' I opted for seemed more important until I crashed/burned. Countless times now I have returned to Step One, to remind myself of what truly works for my own recovery.
I finally make a personal commitment to myself as part of my self-care to do several specific things daily no matter what is going on around me. They are basic and they were shared with me early on and by the grace of the God of my understanding, I've been consistent for a few 24 hours. What I now know is that when I truly practice self-care and nurture my spiritual program and my recovery, I am better tooled for 'life events'.
I too am missing F2F meetings and the fellowship presented there. In spite of the isolation caused by this pandemic, I find comfort in believing I am doing my part by being mindful of the virus and how easily it can spread. I've been doing the exact same things the exact same way since the start and don't intend to do differently until I feel safe enough to make changes.
Love and light to all - make it great day!