What do you do? - Al-Anon Family Group

Mandy123 · ~*Service Worker*~

What do you do?

hotrod · ~*Service Worker*~

I attend meetings, sponsor other members , write gratitude and asset list daily, read my daily readers faithfully each morning, spend one hour a day in prayer and meditation , work the 10 th Step each night, use the slogans or an alanon call when I become angry, or anxious and only pray for courage serenity and wisdom.

I remember to have fun , stop to smell the roses each day, exercise, do yoga and travel .

Breakingfree · ~*Service Worker*~

Weekly I meet with an al-anon friend and we laugh and laugh over lunch for an hour and a half every Tuesday! I exercise regularly and listen to music and not as much of the angry or sad music I used to love! I actually love to walk outdoors and love nature. I enjoy cuddle time with my girls or my boyfriend. I have learned to let things unfold instead of try to push and control. I actually can sit back and watch things unfold for my loved ones now and let them feel the joy or consequence of their actions, this was hard being an over protective Mother and all. I have been rushing around so much lately I finally just decided HP needs to keep the world spinning on it's axis and I needed a time out, guess what the world didn't cease to turn!
My tough loving old sponsor recently died and she taught me so much about this journey and what I am really made of. I took myself off the clearance rack and put myself on the full price rack behind the glass, she taught me people will pay full price for something worth it and I am worth it. I will not put up with gossip, inappropriate comments, disrespect or anything that takes away from who I am or where I am headed on my journey. My goal is to build people up and keep heading towards a healthier better me on this journey! I am a much better person, Mother, friend and so much more since finding al-anon and the blessings just keep coming. I discovered I want to become a nurse and am working towards that goal because I am smart enough and never imagined I could do it before. I get my hinder to counseling when I feel I need it and I no longer isolate myself during hard times, I have put reliable people in my circle and they have proven to me I can trust them and let them love me warts and all. Thank you for this topic! Sending you love and support on your journey!

grateful2be · ~*Service Worker*~

1. Al-Anon meetings
2. Sponsorship
3. Exercise to include gardening and yard work
4. Prayer
5. Step 3, Step 11
6. Spiritual & topical growth groups
7. Music
8. Hand bell choir
9. Family and friend contacts
10. Pets
11. Reading
12. Writing
13. MIP
14. Volunteering at places of my choice

-- Edited by grateful2be on Thursday 30th of October 2014 03:54:24 PM

el-cee · ~*Service Worker*~

I take care of myself since becoming an alanon member by... taking better care of my body, stopped smoking, go to the gym, rest when I need it, eat healthier. I also try to work this program into my every day life so that I dont go back to being that sick woman we all seem to have inside. Im trying to be gentle with myself by accepting parts of myself that i wouldnt face before. I suffer from perfectionism and im trying to train my brain that im good enough. Im trying to see my assets more and more. Im trying to look at myself as a friend and speak to myself like I would a friend instead of bashing myself when I get things wrong.

My recovery tools change all the time. Right now, I try to meditate each day even if its only for a couple of minutes, im praying more and asking for help with living in my hps will and not mine. I thank the universe for my blessings each day, trying to stay in the moment and being grateful for the moment. meetings, daily readings keep my on track, connecting with other alanoners here and in person.

the life changing things I have learned are, that my son has a higher power and its not me, the drinkers in my family have their own path that I dont need to step into, I cant fix anyone but me. I am entitled to a good and peaceful life just like anyone else, I can trust myself to have boundaries so that I dont have to live in fear. I can forgive myself because I did the best with what I had at the time. I dont have to be right all the time in fact it can feel just as good being wrong. i can forgive others, i dont have to carry a rucksack full of grudges and guilt. I am not alone.

Jerry F · ~*Service Worker*~

My former, now deceased, sponsor once gave me the instructions to find and use whatever was necessary to help me gain and maintain my serenity. Of course the core to that was our program; all of it and then he also gave me permission and the boost to look elsewhere too and I have. I look with an open mind cause "if you keep and open mind...you will find help" and I do find help always. I work at maintaining my relationship with my Higher Power as that relationship is first and all relationships depend on that one. My meditation is simple and I have been able to maintain it 24/7, 365 since the second I arrived at it with my HP..."God is" is the meditation. I close my days off with an 11th step and open my days with a request of my HP..."place me where you want me...tell me what to do" and then I listen; cause when man listens God speaks and always with an open mind and the willingness to be of use to HP, myself and others. I rely upon my value system on how to live this life no matter what and try not to let anything interfere with that. I come here often to read and listen and learn and support. We are family. (((((hugs))))) smile

cloudyskies · ~*Service Worker*~

1. Al-Anon meetings

2. Al-Anon reading/studying

3. Sharing with other Al-Anoners

4. Learning to laugh at my mistakes

5. Serenity Prayer

6. Learning to love myself

7. Al-Anon slogans

8. my favorite--Let Go and Let God

9. Getting out more with my friends and family

10. Listening to music

11. Working the steps

12. Looking to my HP for guidance always

Debilyn · ~*Service Worker*~

What do you do to take care of yourself? How do you show gentleness and patience with you? What are your valuable recovery tools? What are some little gems you have learned?

Number one for me is my HP, being the God in the Bible. Living his truths...Loving everyone as I want to be loved myself, not judging.

Being a loving person, love being my guide.

That the A's in my life are sick, with a disease they did not choose.

I learned to love the me hp is teaching and helping me to be. I live the Bible truths as best as I can, living how my creator is teaching me, not leaning on my own understanding.

I listen to my body and heart, and give myself what i need and want. Really paying attention to what I have.

day at a time is vital for me. do what i have to each day, and then rest, play whatever.

I share exact experience, not just saying slogans. explain how i detached, not just suggesting to detach.

taught myself to say stop to any negative talk in my head. Now it comes natural.

Keep my life simple. Not overdoing.

remember to find humor, use humor. things don't always have to be dark.

use ok honey, you might be right, oh yes i will get right on that....

Love is soooooo important. forgiveness, not keeping account of the injury. being humble....

I give myself.....the love from my dogs~

-- Edited by Debilyn on Thursday 30th of October 2014 07:17:36 PM

bud · ~*Service Worker*~

Hi Mandy- I always gain so much from your posts and was happy to see your entry!

I come to MIP, rework the steps and slogans, practice HALT.

Do a gratitude list every morning and thank HP for my blessings every night.

I love "Just for Today"! It reminds me that I can get through whatever challenge is ahead of me in bite sized pieces.

I can make a loving gesture without attachments to outcomes and I'm just as ok after as I was before doing so.

I can say something once, and that is plenty.

Keep my boundaries, but also keep myself open to opportunities and know that things change or may come to be perceived differently.

Write poetry

I listen to music- for a period of many years I couldn't do that.

Practice yoga (and I'm now a certified yoga instructor)

Hike in the woods

Spend time with my horse- what an amazing blessing!

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.