What's in YOUR toolbox? - Al-Anon Family Group

Jean4444 · ~*Service Worker*~

What's in YOUR toolbox?

debilyn · ~*Service Worker*~

Good question.I liked your tools too.

Mine are what changed my life and keep me going every single day.

One day at a time. I learned to not look ahead at things I could not control anyway. HOuse loans, owing on the phone bill, being afraid all the time how would I do this or that.

Learned to not worry.

My life is clearly in HP's hands. I do what I can do, the outcome is his doing.

when I want to see my A,my tool in my brain is,you cannot get bread at a hardware store.

there are soooo many tools that are just part of me now Jean.

Be ready to see red flags. Be kind to everyone even if they are A.As I know for sure it is a disease.

these are tools to me.Tools to live by.I could never write them all down.

They were all gifts, miracles I was given and happily applied in my life.

hugs,debilyn who has to pull her toolbox in a wagon pulled by her pet pig Estersue

Karilynn · ~*Service Worker*~

((((((((Jean))))))),

What a great question. I have many tools (my challenge is to remember that I have them and use them! wink

).

1. Serenity prayer.
2. My coin in my pocket to hold onto when things aren't going my way (or at least the way I think they should be).
3. My daily meditations from the Hazelden group as well as my book The Promise of a New Day by Karen Casey
4. My gratitude list, lest I forget where I've been and where I'm going.
5. My service work here.
6. To laugh at least once a day because it's good for the

and soul.
7.   Remembering that the only thing I can control is myself and my reactions, and not others.
8.   Reserve some "just for me" time, no matter how short in duration, each day.
9.   Always, always carry on with life with a happy heart.
10. Not to isolate myself.
11. To always tell my A that I love him and Pipers no matter how much they drive me crazy.
12. I try and take a few minutes each day to revel in the glory of nature around me.
13. To ask myself before I go to bed, what did I learn today?
14. Make meetings a priority when I think I don't need them.
15. To remember that we are all human beings and one person's pain and struggling are no less important than another's, no matter how small I might think they are compared to mine.

Thanks for making me think. Love and blessings to you and your family.

Live strong,
Karilynn & Pipers Kitty smile

glad lee · ~*Service Worker*~

Practicing the steps is my best tool. I've been in the program about 18 months and I'm just getting to steps 4, 5, 6 and 7. When I practice these steps, I feel better!!!

Another favorite tool, is phoning my sponsor every day... Just the sound of her voice puts me in a more peaceful place.

I read from my Courage to Change book every day...

And try to pray often... and meditate once or twice a day...to improve my conscious contact with God...

I'm a bit of a snail, but still moving forward. Thanks Jean.

gladlee

kissers · Senior Member

Great topic!

1. Attend as many F2F meetings as possible.
2. Read my daily meditations (Hazeldon, Courage to Change, & Hope For Today)
3. Find humor in my own shortcomings
4. Meditate
5. Workout
6. Use my God Box
7. Read books that are good for the soul
8. Eat healthy meals
9. Get enough sleep
10. Give myself a pedicure and bubble bath once per month
11. When presented with a choice, ask HP to guide me toward the right path and patiently wait for the answer
12. Use Alanon slogans
13. Add to my list of what is unacceptable behavior for me and start placing those boundaries with others

Heartbroken · Senior Member

1. My God [HP]
2. My daily mediations (Our Daily Bread, Hazeldon, Hope for Today)
3. My Sponsor
4. My friends in this family
5. My programme
6. My Step Work
7. The space to find and be me
8. The support I get from my friends to get me through each day
9. The opportunity to help others
10.The security of my own home
11.The hope I have in my heart, and
12.Abundant love in my heart

david62 · ~*Service Worker*~

1. Attending meetings
2. Doing Service Work
3. CAL Literature
4. Working the Steps
5. Serenity Prayer
6. Talking with Program Friends outside of Meetings
7. Attending AA/Al-Anon Conferences
8. Miracles in Progress

....those are just the ones up on top of the box where I can see them this morning! biggrin

Great post Jean!

David

serendipity · ~*Service Worker*~

Prayer.

Meetings.

The steps (especially #1).

   MMOB (mind my own business)

    Let go...and Let God

     Focus on myself

       Give back.

I get so much from this program and I want to be in a spot where I can give back what I get. Some days I am some days I am not. But I come with my honest self and I listen and I practice and I repeat to others what has been helpful to me. I come when I am happy, I come when I am sad, I come when I am angry. I just keep comming back.

desert_brat · Newbie

In my tool box I carry a page a day calendar always set to the current day telling me it's "just for today"
a meeting directory and a watch to keep me in the moment and focused
a quarter attached to a phone list so I know I can always "phone a friend"
a tape measure to measure my progress (my journal)
a compass to keep me headed in the right direction (ODAT)
a disasembled hammer to remind myself not to beat myself up
it doubles as a step stool to remind me to work the steps
a bunch of loose coins thrown in at the bottom because there is always room for "change"

travors · Member

Mine is pretty small but it's everything I need.

1. Al-anon meetings
2. The Courage to change book - I read one page every morning.
3. Faith in my higher power - al-anon is my higher power, I have complete and utter faith in it.
4. My site - I use it to explore everything I've learned from al-anon.
5. Practising detachment - I keep my distance from my dysfunctional family and try to let them learn from their own mistakes.

Regards,
Dan

Jen · ~*Service Worker*~

My meetings- knowing I'm not alone in my troubles
Faith- in HP, in the general goodness of people, in my ability to change me, in others ability to change themselves when they are ready.
MIP- don't know where I'd be without instant access to all this love and understanding.
Detachment- that keeps me from getting bogged down in trouble not my own.
Daily reading- to keep me focused on my program.
The ability to check myself- what do I need right now?
Give back- helping newcomers, checking this site often, chairing a f2f.

Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my box.

The material presented here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method to exchange information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal level.