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.
Alanon has given me a life worth living. It sounds like an exageration, too good to be true but it has given me tools to see clearly the facts of my life and to accept them and take action to change things to make my life better, this in turn has made things better for my whole family. The three c's, awareness, acceptance and action. This sums it up for me.
Alanon has given me the courage to be honest
and to see things with clarity. it took me getting
out of living with a dry alcoholic to really be safe
to grow and change myself.
I am sure my new found strength does not set
well with my ah. He is use to bullying me around
to his wishes. Now it is not working anymore.
thank you Alanon !
Peace, courage and wisdom. Strength I already had, but Al-Anon showed me I had the right and the responsibility to be strong for myself, not just for others; that I am the one responsible for my life and I can't rely or expect anyone else to provide for me what I won't provide for myself.
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I am strong in the broken places. ~ Unknown
All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another! ~ Anatole France
I am with LMH .. it's been my sense of self, and my self worth. I am far more tolerant of my own imperfection however just straight out bad behavior I am far less tolerant of in myself or others. It has taught me I have the right to say no and mean it. It has also is teaching me through steps, traditions and concepts how to manage myself better in situations that would have left me breathless and helpless. I'm sooo grateful for that in this program!
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Faith minus vulnerability and mystery equals extremism. If you've got all the answers, then don't call what you do "faith". - Brene Brown
"Whatever truth you own doesn't own you" - Gary John Bishop
Al-Anon has given me the tools to be a person that I am proud of, empathic and patient. No more fear, to be able to quietly stand up for myself, with confidence.
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"Forgiveness doesn't excuse bad behavior, but it
does prevent bad behavior from destroying your heart". ~ unknown
Alanon has shown me the life I was meant to live. It has given me healthy options for situations that used to weigh me down and hold me back from that life. To put it in cruder terms...at one time my exAH said 'Alanon caused our divorce!' I relayed this to a sober friend who said 'right--you found out you don't have to live with a drunk anymore!'. I hope that doesn't offend anyone. It was a little bit of humor that I needed right then.
In general, Alanon gives me a healthy positive life to live
Where do I start?
Permission to treat myself with kindness, patience, generosity and encouragement....and isn't it funny that since I started treating myself this way instead of with anger, impatience and criticism, I have accomplished things I never thought possible!
Permission to be happy or at least focus on my own needs even when other people are in constant crisis.
The ability to say NO and not need to justify it.
Tools for working through hard times and faith that it will work out ok. Knowing that when something goes wrong, there is a constructive way to deal with it and often that way is to do nothing at all!
Friendships and the opportunity to experience the amazing ESH of an amazing group of people.
I could write this all night and not run out of things
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If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see? (Lewis Caroll)
Alanon has given me permission to put myself and my needs first, to see my wife's alcoholic behavior for the disease-caused behavior it is, permission to not engage with that behavior as if it is a normal part of a relationship, and, most importantly, Alanon has given me my inner peace back.
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Skorpi
If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present. - Lao Tzu