Monday Thoughts 8/4/2020

“I don’t spend time wondering what might be next.  I just focus on trying to savor every day.” ~~Trisha Yearwood

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” ~~Aesop

“I’ve always believed in savoring the moments.  In the end, they are the only things we’ll have.”  ~~Anna Godbersen

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#6 Life can be ordinary or it can be great.

Greatness is mine by a conscious effort.
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 Sobriety and Statement #6 in action enable the expansion of gratitude in our New Lives.  In our WFS Program booklet it states “Although we only get a one-way ticket through life, we speed through our days as if planning to enjoy them at another time.  We live as if we have an endless number of tomorrows.”  Today, gratitude lays a foundation for balance, simplicity and can even help prevent relapse.

Statement #6 may be one of those overlooked Statements, one that may not seem like it adds anything to sobriety but with ‘conscious effort’ it can make recovery rewarding.  Before my New Life, I sped through the days; continually wanting more of everything.  That included drama and emotional turmoil.  Unaware that I was creating my own distress, I looked to blame the world.

Statement #6 encourages the savoring of life instead of speeding through. Early in my sobriety, I began to write one thing that I was grateful for that day in a journal which sits next to my bed.  Some of the things that I have jotted down over the years are electricity, WFS, friends, laughter, art supplies, books, dogs, family, breathing, and water.  The list goes on and on.  Just doing this one exercise allows my brain to be on the lookout for more ways to savor life and now I also include experiences.  Being present or conscious, makes each moment come alive. This has opened my senses to experience moments as they are happening, thereby making life really rewarding.

How will you savor life today?

Hugzzz

Karen

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Hi 4C Women,

I came across a booklet, “A Winning Attitude,” by Michelle Fairfield Poley.  She is a nationally acclaimed writer, speaker and trainer in the areas of communication and self-esteem.  As I glanced at the booklet, the first question was, “Is your attitude affecting your life?”  To answer that basic question, I thought of my attitude when drinking and my attitude as a sober 4C woman and how vastly different the answers were then and now.  I wasn’t surprised at how different the answers were yet here we are in a challenging time of isolation, uncertainty and trying to make sense of it all.  I’m not sure how each of you are facing these circumstances but keeping a positive and grateful attitude is becoming a bit challenging for me.  Yet, knowing that my outlook on life has a profound influence on the results I am experiencing daily, I need to make a conscious effort to be sure my ordinary life is great and that begins with my attitude of gratefulness.

So, the next question is, “What is attitude?”  No other word is more important to people who want to change their lives for the better.  Attitude can be defined as the filter through which an individual sees the world.  Obviously, there is work to be done for change and a choice, one that magnifies the positives in our everyday lives and diminishes the negatives.  One great tip was not to try to STOP thinking in a certain way but to START thinking in another way.  I felt such a sense of relief because this is what the New Life program has taught me.  I just needed a reminder.  So rather than focus on what I can’t do now, I will focus on what I can do, what I do have and how grateful I am for having this awareness.

In the end, I see attitude as a practice.  Just as we practice using the 13 WFS Statements to change our lives, we can practice changing our attitude on a daily basis.  Do I have an attitude that helps me or hurts me?  Am I practicing self-care knowing I deserve to do so which will promote gratefulness?

Last question:  What am I thankful for today?

Now here’s the kicker.  This booklet was published in 1992 – yes, 28 years ago!  It says to me that while time may pass, many words of wisdom remain true throughout time.  After all, Jean Kirkpatrick wrote and established WFS in 1975!  To me, it’s all about moving forward, learning different ways to live a more balanced life in diverse situations and being open to positive change.

Bonded in learning gratefulness in our ordinary, great lives, Dee