Latest / Sober Readings / Keeping Optimism Afloat
Transcript
- 11 2Reading: Welcome back to Sober Readings everyone. My name is Scott. Today is what day is today? it's Monday, the second of November. My birthday's coming up, but I'm not gonna tell you when it is until the day gets here. Anyway, let's get to today's readings. They are from Daily Reflections twenty four hours, and as Bill sees it, let's start like we always do with the serenity prayer. God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference. From daily reflections, keeping optimism afloat. One of my favorite topics, optimism. The other steps can keep most of us sober and somehow functioning, but step eleven can keep us growing. That's from a book called The Language of the Heart. A sober alcoholic finds it much easier to be optimistic about life. Optimism is the natural result of my finding myself gradually able to make the best. rather than the worst of each situation. As my physical sobriety continues, I come out of the fog. This part right here is mainly for newcomers. As my s physical sobriety continues, I come out of the fog, gain a clearer perspective, and am better able to determine what courses of action to take. As vital as physical sobriety is, I can achieve a greater potential for myself by developing an ever increasing willing willingness To avail myself of the guidance and direction of a higher power. My ability to do so comes from my learning and practicing the principles of the AA program. And that's what we mean when we say practice these principles in all my affairs. The melding of my physical and spiritual sobriety produces the substance of a more positive life. You know, I mentioned in the beginning of the reading that optimism is one of my favorite subjects. Staying optimistic in sobriety is very important because I've learned that my attitude can make all the difference in how I face each day. Life isn't always going to go the way I want it to, and there will always be challenges and disappointments and setbacks. But today, I try to look at those diffic difficult situations a little differently. Instead of getting angry, feeling sorry for myself, or dwelling on what went wrong, I try to tell myself, good, this is an opportunity to pivot. Make a change and grow from this. That's a pretty powerful shift in thinking. Every setback can teach me something, and sometimes the situations that seem the worst at the time turn out to be the very things that push me in a better direction. Optimism doesn't mean pretending everything is perfect. It means having faith that there's something positive to be gained, even from difficult experiences. Sobriety has taught me that I don't have to control everything that happens in my life. But I do have control over how I respond. And if I can approach life's challenges with gratitude, an open mind, and a willingness to grow, then even a bad day can become an opportunity to become a better version of myself. Let's get to twenty-four hours a day. The AA thought for the day. So yesterday started off by saying, I have hope. Today starts off by saying, I have faith. That thing that makes the world seem right. That thing that makes sense at last, that awareness of the divine principle in the universe which holds it all together and gives it unity and purpose and goodness and meaning. Faith, that leap into the unknown, the venture into what lies beyond our ken, that which brings untold rewards of peace and serenity. And the question to ask yourself have I faith? The meditation for the day. Keep yourself like an empty vessel for God to fill. Keep pouring yourself out to help others so that God can keep filling you up with His Spirit. The more you give, the more you will have for yourself. God will see that you are kept filled as long as you are giving to others. And in today's prayer for the day, I'm praying that I may keep pouring out what I receive. For me, faith has become Such an important part of my sobriety because it allows me to let go of things I can't control and trust that my HP has a plan for me. Even when I don't understand what that plan is. So for many years I tried to force my will on everything and everyone around me, and all that did was create frustration and anxiety and unhappiness. Today when I practice faith, I'm reminded that I don't have to have all the answers, I don't have to figure everything out. And I certainly don't have to do it all alone. I just have to do the next right thing and trust that God will have the results for me. And what comes from that faith are two of the most important and most beautiful gifts of my sobriety peace and serenity. There's something incredibly freeing about being comfortable with life just as it is, without constantly fighting to change it to suit my e my expectations. And that doesn't mean that life is always easy or that I Never experience fear or uncertainty, but it means I have a foundation to return to when things get difficult. And for someone who once lived in so much chaos, being able to experience genuine peace and serenity today is a blessing I never want to take for granted. For today's final reading, we're going to read from As Bill Sees It, and the title of this one: Self-Confidence and Willpower. When first challenged to admit defeat, most of us revolted. We had approached AA expecting to be taught self-confidence. Then we had been told that so far as alcohol was concerned, self-confidence was no good whatever. In fact, it was a total liability. There was no such thing as a personal conquest of the alcoholic compulsion by the unaided will. And that comes from the 12 and 12. for many years I believed that if I just had enough willpower and determination and self discipline, I could somehow defeat the monster that lives inside me that is my alcoholism and addiction. But I've learned the hard way that willpower alone is essentially useless when it comes to fighting that disease, that monster. In fact, the more I tried to rely on my own strength and force my will, the deeper into darkness I seem to go. And that's interesting because willpower Has helped me accomplish some pretty difficult things in other areas of my life. But when it came to alcohol and drugs, it failed me time and time again, over and over. The problem wasn't that I wasn't trying hard enough, the problem was that I was trying to fight something much more powerful than myself, all by myself. Today I understand that the answer isn't to strengthen my will, but to surrender it to God. It's through faith and humility, prayer. And a willingness to follow his will rather than my own, that I find the strength to stay sober. That monster may still be inside me, waiting for an opportunity to take control, doing push-ups in the parking lot, but I no longer have to face it alone. My faith in God, strengthened through the program of Alcoholics Anonymous and the fellowship around me, is what leads me out of that darkness and into the beautiful light of sobriety and keeps that monster caged. So I'd love to hear about your monster and how you keep it caged on a daily basis. If you'd like to be a guest on the show and talk about your monster inside, or share your experience, strength, and hope, or just join me for a reading, there's a link in the show notes below to send me an email. You'll also find a link in the show notes to my website, soberreadings.com, where you can learn more about the show and stay connected. You can also learn more about me, and there's a terrible picture of me. And if you'd like to drop a dollar in the virtual Donation basket for today's readings, just go to the website, click on the support page, and find that button that says drop a dollar in the basket. So thanks again for spending a few minutes of your day with me. Be good to yourselves, be good to others, and remember, we only have to do this one day at a time. So just for today, don't drink, go to a meeting, and keep coming back. Have a great day, everyone. And as my friend Larry says, best day ever.