Just for Today – Risking vulnerability

“As we grow, we learn to overcome the tendency to run and hide from ourselves and our feelings.” - Basic Text, p. 85

Rather than risk vulnerability, many of us have developed habits that keep others at a safe distance. These patterns of emotional isolation can give us the feeling we are hopelessly locked behind our masks. We used to take risks with our lives; now we can take risks with our feelings. Through sharing with other addicts, we learn that we are not unique; we do not make ourselves unduly vulnerable simply by letting others know who we are, for we are in good company. And by working the Twelve Steps of the NA program, we grow and change. We no longer want or need to hide our emerging selves. We are offered the opportunity to shed the emotional camouflage we developed to survive our active addiction.

By opening ourselves to others, we risk becoming vulnerable, but that risk is well worth the rewards. With the help of our sponsor and other recovering addicts, we learn how to express our feelings honestly and openly. In turn, we become nourished and encouraged by the unconditional love of our companions. As we practice spiritual principles, we find strength and freedom, both in ourselves and in those around us. We are set free to be ourselves and to enjoy the company of our fellow addicts.

Just for Today: I will openly and honestly share with another recovering addict. I will risk becoming vulnerable and celebrate my self and my friendship with other NA members. I will grow.

Copyright (c) 2013, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Just For Today – Coming out of isolation

SQUIRREL NOTES:  Although I don’t write these posts, but instead re-post from daily NA readings, this one just struck me as being so crucially important and really spoke to me in regards to my diseased thinking and that this is TRULY a disease of isolation.  I sought to isolate and insulate myself from the unpleasantries of my life in the past with the use of nuts, and although I no longer need to do that because my life is really full and wonderful, the old habits and desires remain.  I do feel like I learn something new every day though – this isn’t even the first time I’ve read these words.  But they are truly speaking to me today.  -P. Squirrel

“We find ourselves doing and enjoying things that we never thought we would be doing.” - Basic Text, p. 102

Active addiction kept us isolated for many reasons. In the beginning, we avoided family and friends so they wouldn’t find out we were using. Some of us avoided all nonaddicts, fearing moral backlash and legal repercussions. We belittled people who had “normal” lives with families and hobbies; we called them “uncool,” believing we could never enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Eventually, we even avoided other addicts because we didn’t want to share our drugs. Our lives narrowed, and our concerns were confined to the daily maintenance of our disease.

Today, our lives are much fuller. We enjoy activities with other recovering addicts. We have time for our families. And we’ve discovered many other pursuits that give us pleasure. What a change from the past! We can live life just as fully as the “normal” people we once scorned. Enjoyment has returned to our lives, a gift of recovery.

Just for Today: I can find pleasure in the simple routines of daily living.

Copyright (c) 2013, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Just For Today – “Defects”

“We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.” - Step Six

After taking the Fifth Step, many of us spend some time considering “the exact nature of our wrongs” and the part they’d played in making us who we were. What would our lives be like without, say, our arrogance?

Sure, arrogance had kept us apart from our fellows, preventing us from enjoying and learning from them. But arrogance had also served us well, propping up our ego in the face of critically low self-esteem. What advantage would be gained if our arrogance were removed, and what support would we be left with?

With arrogance gone, we would be one step closer to being restored to our proper place among others. We would become capable of appreciating their company and their wisdom and their challenges as their equals. Our support and guidance would come, if we chose, from the care offered us by our Higher Power; “low self-esteem” would cease to be an issue.

One by one, we examined our character defects this way, and found them all defective; after all, that’s why they’re called defects. And were we entirely ready to have God remove all of them? Yes.

Just for Today: I will thoroughly consider all my defects of character to discover whether I am ready to have the God of my understanding remove them.

Copyright (c) 2013, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Just For Today – Oops!

“Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.” - Basic Text, p. 23

Mistakes! We all know how it feels to make them. Many of us feel that our entire lives have been a mistake. We often regard our mistakes with shame or guilt-at the very least, with frustration and impatience. We tend to see mistakes as evidence that we are still sick, crazy, stupid, or too damaged to recover.

In truth, mistakes are a very vital and important part of being human. For particularly stubborn people (such as addicts), mistakes are often our best teachers. There is no shame in making mistakes. In fact, making new mistakes often shows our willingness to take risks and grow.

It’s helpful, though, if we learn from our mistakes; repeating the same ones may be a sign that we’re stuck. And expecting different results from the same old mistakes-well, that’s what we call “insanity.” It just doesn’t work.

Just for Today: Mistakes aren’t tragedies. But please, Higher Power, help me learn from them!

Copyright (c) 2013, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Just for Today – Write about it!

“We sit down with a notebook, ask for guidance, pick up our pen, and start writing.” - Basic Text, p. 30

When we’re confused or in pain, our sponsor sometimes tells us to “write about it.” Though we may groan as we drag out the notebook, we know that it will help. By laying it all out on paper, we give ourselves the chance to sort through what’s bothering us. We know we can get to the bottom of our confusion and find out what’s really causing our pain when we put the pen to the paper.

Writing can be rewarding, especially when working through the steps. Many members maintain a daily journal. Simply thinking about the steps, pondering their meaning, and analyzing their effect is not sufficient for most of us. There’s something about the physical action of writing that helps to fix the principles of recovery in our minds and hearts.

The rewards we find through the simple action of writing are many. Clarity of thought, keys to locked places inside of us, and the voice of conscience are but a few. Writing helps us be more honest with ourselves. We sit down, quiet our thoughts, and listen to our hearts. What we hear in the stillness are the truths that we put down on paper.

Just for Today: One of the ways I can search for truth in recovery is to write. I will write about my recovery today.

Copyright (c) 2013, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Just For Today – Teachable

“We have learned that it is okay to not know all the answers, for then we are teachable and can learn to live our new life successfully.” - Basic Text, p. 96

In a way, addiction is a great teacher. And if addiction teaches us nothing else, it will teach us humility. We hear it said that it took our very best thinking to get to NA. Now that we’re here, we’re here to learn.

The NA Fellowship is a wonderful learning environment for the recovering addict. We aren’t made to feel stupid at meetings. Instead, we find others who’ve been exactly where we’ve been and who’ve found a way out. All we have to do is admit that we don’t have all the answers, then listen as others share what’s worked for them.

As recovering addicts and as human beings, we have much to learn. Other addicts-and other humans-have much to teach us about what works and what doesn’t. As long as we remain teachable, we can take advantage of the experience of others.

Just for Today: I will admit that I don’t have all the answers. I will look and listen to the experience of others for the answers I need.

Copyright (c) 2013, NA World Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Keep on trying!

I just wanted to quickly say thank you to everyone who has told me that it’s ok not to be perfect, and the important thing is to not give up and to keep trying.  I especially appreciate those who I am closest to who have always loved me, and haven’t given up on me.  I promise I won’t give up on myself.

Hard-working squirrels in training!