In our behavior respecting financial and emotional security, fear, greed, possessiveness, and pride have too often done their worst. Surveying his business or employment record, almost any alcoholic can ask questions like these: In addition to my drinking problem, what character defects contributed to my financial instability? Did fear and inferiority about my fitness forContinue reading “To Rebuild Security – As Bill See It #301”
Category Archives: Rationalizations
Freedom To Choose – Just For Today Reflection October 20th
In our active addiction, many of us lived our lives by default. We were unwilling or unable to make choices about how we wanted to act, what we preferred to do, or even where we would live. We allowed our addiction and other people to make our most basic decisions for us. Freedom from activeContinue reading “Freedom To Choose – Just For Today Reflection October 20th”
A Slob’s Guide to Spiritual Growth – Grapevine Article April 1982 By C.H.
IT’S A SQUIRMY word–“spiritual.” It makes me uncomfortable. It reminds me of the time I spent as a child sitting in a church and trying to look holy. “Spiritual” is confused in my mind with a kind of hymn and has connotations of mediums, levitation, and ghosts. Worse, “spiritual” implies pretensions of sainthood, a hypocriticalContinue reading “A Slob’s Guide to Spiritual Growth – Grapevine Article April 1982 By C.H.”
Acceptance Not Blaming Others Or Condemning Ourselves – Touchstone Reflection July 2nd
Fair play is primarily not blaming others for anything that is wrong with us.—Eric Hoffer As adults, we accept responsibility for our feelings and our circumstances. We haven’t chosen our own troubles, but we have the job of dealing with them. If a person falls and breaks a leg, he might say to someone, “It’sContinue reading “Acceptance Not Blaming Others Or Condemning Ourselves – Touchstone Reflection July 2nd”
AA’s Starfish Of Individual & Collective Responsibility – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 27th
Authors Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom reflect on the Alcoholics Anonymous community and the powerful lessons we can learn from them. Starfish have an incredible quality to them: If you cut an arm off, most of these animals grow a new arm. And with some varieties, such as the Linckia, or long-armed starfish, the animalContinue reading “AA’s Starfish Of Individual & Collective Responsibility – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 27th”
Using Blame To Avoid & Distort Reality – Keep It Simple June 25th
When a man points a finger at someone else, he should remember that three of his fingers are pointing at himself.—Louis Nizer It’s so easy to blame others. Others are always making mistakes we can hide behind. That’s what blame is—hiding. When we blame others for our mistakes, we’re trying to hide our character defects.Continue reading “Using Blame To Avoid & Distort Reality – Keep It Simple June 25th”
Forgiveness – Spirituality Of Imperfection (Extract From Chapter 15) By Ernest Kurtz
To forgive, truly to forgive, involves letting go of the feeling of resentment and of the vision that underlies that feeling—the vision in which we see ourselves as being offended against, the vision of self-as-victim. As in all matters relating to the spiritual, focusing on feeling distracts from the more profound and truly important issue—theContinue reading “Forgiveness – Spirituality Of Imperfection (Extract From Chapter 15) By Ernest Kurtz”
What We Resist Persists; Acceptance And Willingness – Get Out Of Your Mind & Into Your Life (Chapter4) By Stephen Hayes
This article focuses us on the pragmatic idea that we must be willing to accept our pain to begin to heal as we move from a life of being a pain killer to become a pain healer. Experience avoidance and denial do not work. What we resist persists. The truth can set us free butContinue reading “What We Resist Persists; Acceptance And Willingness – Get Out Of Your Mind & Into Your Life (Chapter4) By Stephen Hayes”
When Am I Being Manipulative – Walk In Dry Places April 23rd
Without understanding our motives, we can easily lapse into behavior aimed at manipulating others. Sulking is a means of letting others know we are displeased and forcing them to attempt to win our approval. Flattery is a false expression of approval that we don’t really feel…. giving others good strokes for our own purpose. WithholdingContinue reading “When Am I Being Manipulative – Walk In Dry Places April 23rd”
Growing Up Emotionally – 12 Smart Things To Do When The Booze And Drugs Are Gone By Dr. Allen Berger
Emotional sobriety doesn’t spontaneously appear. We have to work hard at growing up. Bill did. In addition to the time he spent working the Steps, getting spiritual direction from the Reverend Sam Shoemaker, spending time alone in contemplation, and working with others, he also sought out psychotherapy. His therapist was the famous Dr. Harry Tiebout,Continue reading “Growing Up Emotionally – 12 Smart Things To Do When The Booze And Drugs Are Gone By Dr. Allen Berger”