“Never forget how far you’ve come. Everything you have gotten through. All the times you have pushed on even when you felt you couldn’t. All the mornings you got out of bed no matter how hard it was. All the times you wanted to give up but you got through another day. Never forget how much strength you have developed along the way.” ~~Tiny Buddha
“Change how you see and see how you change.” Zen proverb
“If you’re facing challenges, think of yourself as an ‘OVERCOMER.’ Make this your identity, that you’re the type of person who ‘OVERCOMES’ challenges.” ~~Karen Salmansohn
Statement #1
I have a life-threatening problem that once had me.
I now take charge of my life and my well-being. I accept the responsibility.
Jean Kirkpatrick, Ph.D. often remarked about “white knuckling sobriety” and developed the WFS New Life Program’s 13 Statements of Acceptance to enjoy life in recovery while taking charge. Statement #1 in action enables a sober and balanced life.
On page 3 of the WFS Program Booklet, it states: Use the Acceptance Statements daily. Read them each morning, then choose one and practice it all day for a week. After that, select another and use it for a week. In time, the actions resulting from the use of these Statements will become automatic and your life will change for the better.” The simplicity of how to use the Statements insures manageability and ease of use.
Jean also encouraged daily meditation. In Goodbye Hangovers Hello Life, she wrote “Meditation need not be complicated. There are some complicated methods, if one wishes to delve into them, but the kind of meditation I found effective for me and others at this stage is merely to set aside twenty minutes each morning for absolute silence.” Today, with life filled with electronic gadgets and social media, those twenty minutes are like absolute gold.
How do you begin each new day?
Hugzzz
Karen
Hi 4C Women,
Statement #1 always reminds me of Independence Day. The day we celebrate freedom from our addiction and take charge of our lives. How do we begin this new journey of responsibility? It could be as simple as taking a new route home to avoid the urge to buy alcohol or as difficult as deciding you need to go to treatment. Whatever decisions you make to create a healthier, more joyful New Life, it is important to recognize that this is how we learn to let go of guilt and shame, to learn new ways of coping with all the challenges and obstacles that will occur in our lives. It is a beginning of empowering you to be the 4C Woman that’s always been there and most of all, to remember this is a process, not a giant leap! Be gentle with yourself as you go through the process.
- Where do you start? What’s your plan A, B or C?
- What changes have you already made? How challenging were they to make?
- What’s your greatest fear/stumbling block to change?
- Do you have a strong support system in place when you may start doubting your capabilities?
Bonded in accepting responsibility to be in charge of our lives and well-being,
your 4C sister
Statement one was daunting in the beginning to say the least. The thought of never drinking again was terrifying., but after awhile I began to feel the relief of what not drinking really felt like. No more feeling ashamed, embarrassed, physically sick and hurting. Every new day of sobriety brought me happiness and self esteem. I could do this, and I still am 21 yrs later.
Thanks Jean and all the wonderful 4C women of Women For Sobriety. You rock!