ABCs of Gratitude

[MajestyJo]

A is for Action. We can't sit in a chair in a meeting and expect to recovery. Recovery takes action, sometimes all it requires is picking up the phone, picking up a chair to put it away, walking over to a newcomer, and saying, "Hi, my name is...., I am an alcoholic.

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[MajestyJo]

B is for Belong. We need to belong to a group for support. My home group was my home away from home, and they love me back to good health. They were my second family and allowed me to BE me.

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[MajestyJo]

C is for the 3 Cs. I didn't cause it, http://www.animated-gifs.eu/ps-santa-2/0008.gifcan't control it http://www.animated-gifs.eu/ps-santa-2/0002.gifand can't cure ithttp://www.animated-gifs.eu/ps-santa-2/0006.gif. The Al-Anon slogan helped me to stop beating myself up and take better care of me.

[MajestyJo]

D is for Doubt. If you are in doubt about what to do, "Don't do it." If it is meant to be done, you will know. My sponsor says if I doubt myself, I am doubting my Higher Power.

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[MajestyJo]

E is for Edit. Really another word for doing an inventory. Looking back at our life and looking at what we could have done what we know now. We can't know what we were never taught, so why let our past eat away at our souls, when we can make changes, which enable us to live with ourselves a little more easily.

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[MajestyJo]

F is for Freedom. Freedom from active addiction. Freedom to be who I am, a recovering addict who used alcohol like she used food, relationships, pills, work, busy so I don't have to look at me.

[MajestyJo]

G is for Gratitude. Gratitude is an action word. Just don't say it, show it!

[MajestyJo]

H is for Honesty. Not only cash register honesty or honest with friends, family and with people in general, but honest with yourself. If I am honest with me, the fears fade away, the insecurities disappear, and the denial just doesn't exist.

[MajestyJo]

I is for Isolation. Isolation is part of my disease. It blocks me from the sunshine of the spirit. Isolation is not a recovery tool.

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[MajestyJo]

J is Just. Don't justify. Just do! Just for today, I choose not to drink or drug. We can get addicted to busy, work, food, computer, etc. which can take us back to where we use to be, it all leads to the same soul sickness.

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[MajestyJo]

K is for Kit. Do you have a recovery kit. Have you put all the recovery tools into it. Do you use it? Have you taken an inventory of what is there. Are any missing? Do any need to be replace or refurbished?

[MajestyJo]

L is for Laughter. Laughter is a great medicine and heals all kinds of wounds. Recovery is serious, but we don't have to take ourselves so seriously and we can learn to laugh at ourselves and our antics. Look at what I did to bring me to where I am in today. Sometimes, when I am honest, it is laughable.

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[dwmoeller]

O is for keeping an Open mind

[MajestyJo]

P is for Patience. When you pray and ask for patience, things seem to come into my life so that I have to practice patience and tolerance. Becareful what you pray for, you may be surprised at what you get back.

[MajestyJo]

Q is for Quiet. It took a long time to sit quiet in a silent room. The Third Step, says we are to listen for the quiet, and in the stillness, say the Serenity Prayer and ask our Higher Power for help to move on to the other Steps.

[dwmoeller]

R is for Read....the Big Book, 12 x 12, daily meditations, and the Bible.

[MajestyJo]

S is for Solution. When we live in the solution, the problem is no longer there. The solution is often spiritual in nature, and comes from my Higher Power.

[schell08122008]

T- is for trust . Trust in the program, trust in the Lord, learn to truly trust others again..everyone is not out to get me. We learn to Trust in sobriety..when I trust someone I can honestly share with them. Sharing and trusting helps me grow as a person. Peace Schell

[MajestyJo]

U is for Urge. Just because you get an urge to go back out, remember it is just a thought and a feeling. Just because you have a feeling doesn't mean you have to act on it. You can pause, pray to the God of your understanding and ask for the courage and strength needed to not pick up no matter what.

[MajestyJo]

V is for Vital. It is vital to your recovery to work the Steps. If you want to stop and stay stopped, the Steps give you victory over your disease one day at a time.

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[dwmoeller]

W is for Write a gratitude list

[MajestyJo]

X is for 'Xpectations. They are not healthy especially when projected onto others who are not capable of meeting them. They are best when lowered and reachable and then we don't 'xpect too much of ourselves and won't be disappointed or have those less than feelings or 'xpect so much of ourelves we wonder why we fall flat on our face.

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[MajestyJo]

Y is for You. Only you can change. Only you can do the work. No one can do it for you, you have to want it for yourself.

[MajestyJo]

Z is for Zoo. What do you do when you live in a Zoo? Learn to get along with others. This disease is no respector of persons. We come from all walks of life, different heritages, race, colour or creed are not part of the equation which makes up the program of recovery. We all have the same problem and one solution is applicable to all and able to change all to a state of awareness and eligible for the gift of sobriety.

[dwmoeller]

A is for Admitting that you are powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable.

[MajestyJo]

B is for Believe. Came to believe that the program would work for me.

[dwmoeller]

C is for Care of God...we made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the Care of God as we understood Him.

[MajestyJo]

D is for DO it! Practice these principles in all our affairs on a daily basis.

Easy Does It!...But DO it!

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[MajestyJo]

E is for Easy Does it! We didn't get this way overnight, we can't expect a quick fix and expect everything to be peachy keen overnight. Each day is a healing process, one day at a time, we do get better and more experienced at handling life on life's terms.

[MajestyJo]

F is for Fun. If you are not enjoying recovery, what are you doing wrong. You are granted the opportunity of fun, food, and fellowship, as well as a message of faith, hope and love when you go to a meeting.

[MajestyJo]

G is for Grace. But for the Grace of God, I would not be here. It always amazes me that I lived long enough to get here, even though my name means "God's Gracious Gift" I didn't have much faith in it working for me.

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[MajestyJo]

H is for Home. It is important to have a home group. A place where you can feel comfortable with sharing and being a part of. The program works inside and outside the home, we need to take it into the community as well as our recovery home and family home.

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[MajestyJo]

I is for Interest. I heard a woman share many years ago when I came into recovery, she had 23 years at the time, and she is still going to meetings in today. She says that meetings are her insurance. Each meeting is a deposit on her life insurance. She said, "One day you will never know when I will have to chas in the dividends and live off the interest.

[MajestyJo]

J is for Justify. Justification, especially self-justification was one of my wirst defects of character. Even in today, I feel that I some times have to justify my existance. It is much better to justify getting sober than it is staying drunk.

[dwmoeller]

K is for Keep coming back, it works

[MajestyJo]

L is for Love. Love yourself. Love others. Know you are loved! Remember John 3:16.

[dwmoeller]

M is for Make....Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.

[MajestyJo]

N is for "No!" It is a complete sentence. You don't have to give an explaination, you don't have to justify, or give a definative answer as to why you are saying, "No!"

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O is for Open. Open your mind and your heart to let the sunshine in.

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[dwmoeller]

P is for Prayer --- experience the power of prayer!

[schell08122008]

Q-is for Quiet time. A time of silence and prayer is essential to growth in the spirit, mental health , and peace of mind..By having a quiet time, we are energized and better able to help others

[MajestyJo]

R is for Rest. Rest in the arms of your Higher Power and know that you are safe. Don't rest on your laurels, this is a one day at a time program, and just because we worked a step yesterday, doesn't mean we don't have to do one in today. I only get out of recovery what I put into it.

[MajestyJo]

S is for Serenity. By working the Steps, we can find peace in our lives, inside and out.

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[schell08122008]

T- is for Trust..in recovery we learn to trust others ..and develop trust of ourselves...to truly trust another person is a gift of this program Peace Schell

[MajestyJo]

U is for Undertaking. This doesn't mean you bury because things are lost; but trying your best to find the best part of you, on the recovery road and trying your very best to do what you understand your God of your understanding wants you to do one day at a time.

[MajestyJo]

V is for Victory. We gain victory over our disease one day at a time, by prayer and meditation, going to meetings, talking to our sponsor, gathering a network of clean and sober friends, and reading the literature.

[MajestyJo]

W is for Wisdom. We are asked to learn the difference between what we can do and what God can do. I had to stop playing God with my life, and put things in His Care. That was the smart thing to do!

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[MajestyJo]

X is for 'Xcuses. A grateful addict will never have a reason to pick up, although they may find a lot of 'xcuses. EXcuses are lies we tell ourselves. We focus on others to blind ourselves of our own faults and blunders.

[MajestyJo]

Y is for Yes. Say yes to recovery, say no to the old way of life. Yellow stands for caution. When you thinking gets to thinking of old habits and behaviors, tell yourself, I don't want to go back there yet, I want to stay clean and sober in today. You don't have to be alone.

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[schell08122008]

Z- is for Zest...sobriety brings us a new zest for life all around..As we grow in the programs, and work the steps, zest will be a result of the actions we take. Peace Schell

[MajestyJo]

A is for Anger. Anger is a danger to your recovery. Channel it and use it as a motivator. Find healthy ways to let it go like journaling, walking, sharing, etc. Accept what is, knowing it is subject to change, if you work your program.

[MajestyJo]

B is for BE. It is okay to be you. It is alright to just be, you don't always have to be busy just to be doing.

[MajestyJo]

C is for Celebrate. Celebrate your new way of life. Reach out and share it with others to show them you care.

[MajestyJo]

D is for Denial. We think, "Things aren't that bad. "This time it will be different. Don't want to drink too much, will be home early, only to find your there for last call. We are out in the cold, drunk again.

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[MajestyJo]

E is for Each day is a new beginning. Each day is an opportunity to start my life over, to practice applying the principles of the program to my life and using the tools to deal with defects of character in my life, and a new day to experience the joys of recovery.

[MajestyJo]

F is for First. First things first, is my sobriety. Without my sobriety, I have nothing. Without my sobriety, I don't have me. Without my sobriety, I am fragmented, not whole.

[MajestyJo]

G is for Grow. Grow in the fellowship of the spirit. I don't mean grow in width, I mean grow in depth. Good orderly direction will come from your group and sponsor, when you work and learn to live the 12 Steps.

[MajestyJo]

H is for Hunger. The body, mind, and spirit can be hungry if not fed. What do you feed your body, mind and spirit? Is it healthy or junk food?

[MajestyJo]

I is for Insecurity. They say if you have any problems with your legs or feet, you have insecurity and need to address your issues. It can also be a warning to look at the direction you are headed and to be watchful of where you are going.

[MajestyJo]

J is for Just for Today. Just one day's feelings, thoughts, actions, situations, and experiences that I have to deal with. I don't have to handle them alone, all I have to do is just pick up the phone or just put out a prayer and ask for the help I need.

[MajestyJo]

K is for Kiind. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself.

[MajestyJo]

L is for Love. Share the gift of love and friendship.

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[MajestyJo]

M is for Memory. Remember when you were using, remember when you came into recovery, remember how good it can be in today, if I stay clean and sober.

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[MajestyJo]

N is for New. Newcomers are important. They carry a great message. It isn't any better out there, STAY! Keep coming so you don't have to come back. Each day is a new beginning. We need to learn to crawl before we can learn the walk.

[MajestyJo]

O is for Out. Go out to meetings not out to use. Don't just look at your outsides, recovery is an inside job.

[MajestyJo]

P is for Patience. Not a plant, not doctor's patience, recovery is about you. When you pray and ask for patience, you get things to tolerate and practice on.

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[MajestyJo]

Q is for Quest. When I went on a Spiritual Quest, every where I looked, my God was there. I am going to continue my journey, if I stop looking for my God, I might forget He is there for me.

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[MajestyJo]

R is for Rest. Don't rest on your laurels. Rest with the assurance, that if God brings you to it, He will see you through it. Don't resist His guidance, He knows what is good for you.

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[MajestyJo]

S is for Satisfied. Are you satisfied with your life? Are you satisified with your recovery? Could you be doing more? Search into your program and see what is missing. What part of needs nurturing and isn't getting it's needs met.

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[MajestyJo]

T is for Trust. Trust in your Higher Power. Through my Higher Power, I learned to trust others and myself.

Many years ago, I learned a hymn that said, "Trust and obey, for there is no other way...."

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[MajestyJo]

U is for Undergo. We need to go through a major change. We have to undergo a psychic change, that changes our perspective and give us a new understanding of life.

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[MajestyJo]

V is for View. Learn to look at the whole picture. Let go of narrow mindedness, tunnel vision, and turning a blind eye. No longer put on those rose coloured glasses. Look at both sides of the coin. Remember the slogan, "Let it begin with me." Vision yourself with a new life and a scene of serenity and peace.

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[MajestyJo]

W is for Will. Will power was never my strong point. I had more 'won't' power. In today, I try to align my will with my God's. Not my will, but His be done.

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[MajestyJo]

X is for X-Ray! Take a look at the inside and the outside. When they start to match, you are well on the recovery road. When you get there to the X that marks the spot, what is it?

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[MajestyJo]

Y is for Yes. Say "Yes" to recovery. Say "Yes" to sobriety. Say "Yes" to working the Steps. Say "Yes" to getting a sponsor. Say "Yes" to going to meetings. Say "Yes" to living and say "No" to dying by continuing to use."

[MajestyJo]

Z is for Zest. Enjoy what you do, put your whole being into it. Dive right in, make the most of what comes your way.

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