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.
The daily for tomorrow talks to me about how my will gets me into trouble! The writing suggests that even when we get our way, we are rarely satisfied. It doesn't make our life complete, so we want more or raise the ante, set a new goal and push even harder. The other option - we don't get what we want and feel inadequate or deprived. Perhaps this is why none of the steps speak of 'my will'....
The reading discusses lasting satisfaction has only been found when he/she let go of self-will and committed self to seeking the will of a power greater than one. Prayer and meditation are two means by which we can seek to discover what God's will holds for us.
Sometimes our hopes and desires are forms of guidance. When willing to place God's will above my own, those dreams have a chance of becoming a wonderful reality.
Reminder -- The path to my true heart's desire is to surrender to the will of my Higher Power.
The quote from the Twelve Steps and Traditions -- "We know that God can and will do anything that is for our ultimate good, if we are ready to receive his help."
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I have learned for my own peace and sanity to leave my own will and wants at the door. When I instead show up, look for direction from HP and do the next right thing, my days are better, my mind and heart have peace. When I instead want my way, expect others to be what they aren't or even remotely begin to try and influence the outcome of situations, the first thing to change is my serenity and attitude.
I am 100% satisfied with taking the high road, being happy vs. right and letting others be and do what they need/want to be/do. All I know is anytime I am feeling unsettled, restless, discontent, the answers come to me from a power greater than myself. I am very grateful to Al-Anon for all the tools, wisdom and awareness that allows me today to just be me and satisfied with what is vs. wanting more/different/better.
Happy Thursday to one and all - golfing in the morning - make it a great day!!
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
Good Morning IAH great topic --"My Will". I know that prior to program my will was my driving force and I prided myself on being self motivated and self aware. Enter program and I am asked to let go of (to me, my most powerful asset) and trust that the HP of my understanding would provide the guidance and inspiration that I needed to live a successful life.
This surrender was not easy as I often found myself automatically drifting to the future or wallowing in the past. Program is a process and so i picked up different tools such as the slogans:" Let go and let god" and 'keep it simple" 'Stay where your feet are" and oh so slowly I found that the hold of my will was releasing and I could experience the freedom of allowing the universe to move within my life.
I must note that this did not mean that my life ended up all peaches and cream but that it did provide me with the courage and wisdom to keep showing up as well as a safe place (meetings) to process my fears and anxiety.
Thanks for your service and I pray that you enjoy the day.
Mood morning MIP! Thanks for this great topic, IAH!
My will can also get me intro trouble! But before AlAnon, because of the young death of my partner, I literally couldn't have what I wanted, and I was upset with HP about that. Enter a relationship with an active alcoholic, and my will REALLY got in the way.
Thankfully, I've learned to let go of my will. I listen to what I want, but I leave it up to HP to sort out what I'm going to get. Sometimes HP and I still disagree on things, but I know that when I show up, when I do the next right thing, when I listen to the voice inside nudging me one direction or the other, that things will work out as they should. And I have a quiet, peaceful mind and serenity thanks to this approach, even when things aren't easy.
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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
This topic hits home today (it's also my birthday woohoo). I've been searching and searching for a rental close enough for my kids to walk to school. What this would do for me and the kid's lives cannot be overstated. There's also the losing of the beautiful home I worked so hard to provide and all the emotional baggage that comes with that. The rental market in my area sucks right now, unless you're a renter I guess and it's been much more difficult than I anticipated to find a place. In all this I recognized early on a desire within myself to "force" us into the place I WANT. It hasn't been easy but I've somewhat been able to guard against this attitude. I haven't signed any leases that are out of my budget anyway but still have the frustration and sometimes resentment toward my ex, Craigslist, renters and even my HP who aren't doing what I WANT in this regard. At least I kind of recognize it and I've prayed over it. Today's reading reminds me to avoid feeling entitled, to thank my HP for what I do have and to continue not trying to force the issue but keep looking for the right place.
Happy Birthday Westman - may the day be blessed for you and yours! I'm with Betty - try to let it all go, and trust the process. I believe the right place will appear for you and yours. (((Hugs)))
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
Hello MIP family and thank you for ESH on how difficult it is to surrender our will. Some days I am pretty good at it then things take to long and I'm right back trying to take it back from HP. Like I've been so successful running my life...lol. On that note Happy Birthday Westman and hang in there maybe HP just hasn't found that rental or has maybe something better or different planned. How great if it is something cost effectI've like a duplex that pays for itself. When my patience is testy it's time for me to quiet myself so I can Listen and Learn. Beautiful day in the neighborhood today and totally enjoying a walk to the beach.
This is one of my favorite readings. I have it bookmarked and read it often. I want control, why does it have to be so difficult to surrender to God's will, right?
Happy Birthday, Westman! Hope you had a lovely day!
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Never grow a wishbone where your backbone ought to be!
Thanks for your service, IAH, and all the ESH. Happy yesterday's birthday, Westman! My will is mostly still running rampage and has run like this for a very long time. When I can be truly present it seems to be a lot better. One thing I understood is that my will is to be lazy and and do as little as possible to help and change myself. That inner state of - I don't want to change, let the world change! Taking responsibility for my attitude - that's new for me. I'm grateful for this topic... Happy Friday, MIP family :)
What a great topic for today and I'm a day late on the board. Thank you for your service IAH and all the awesome shares!
I too thought I had insight and self awareness until all around me literally fell apart. Mostly, I fell apart. I have been putting into practice baby steps. Serious baby steps. Any more than that I can't seem to do yet. Getting out of the house to do PT, just some added things have really stretched me in the area of being around people. I suppose we have one common goal, getting out of pain at PT but it's so very uncomfortable being in a group of strangers...... in alanon, we all have a common goal that effects all in our lives .... self will vs Gods will.
Self will can be a small thing, or a great thing. The end results for me are always a huge mess. It is hard for me to ask for help. I drained, then lifted to pour out the rest of the water in the swim pools for the geese....it set my PT back a good bit...like in starting over. Seems a small thing but it sure effects my life. I see how this dis-ease has effected this area too. It was not Gods will that I jump in and do this. BUT, it was also at this point that it kept me off the lawn mower and the result was I asked for help. That too, came after practicing the steps, 3, 6,7, and 11.......all of them lol
