Thursday 25 July 2013

Alcoholics Anonymous | July 25 | DonInLondon | Step 7 "Courage To Change"


July 25, 2013 step seven in mind: "contingent on the current conditions today," what about romance and finance? When we are open, honest and willing anything can happen in the next 24 hours. So if anything can happen, if we have courage to change, faith in doing the next right thing and confidence? It really does depend not only on the current conditions of us today; it also depends on the current conditions of them, whoever they may be…

What about romance and recovery? With a sober head it could happen to anyone anywhere at any time. Be careful of our expectations, we might over expect or under expect from whomever we find attractive. Or as usual we might be completely unaware of anything to do with romance because it's been a long time, or never that we understood what it is to love, be loved back and happy to engage. In my experience setting my expectations to zero every morning means that if anything happens, I am surprised, happy and prepared…

What about finance and recovery? With a sober head we might find ourselves able to cover basic needs, and we never know, we might be successful. If however, like in the UK, recession is just around the corner, or the economy in your area is fundamentally flawed, covering basic needs might be very difficult. The best we can do is to be open, honest and willing to try and endeavour as best we can. It's always in the journey, not the destination. Over expectations, or expectations of failure do not help. When I set my expectations to zero, and something good happens, I might be happy. If something bad or ugly happens, I am ready to cope with matters the best way I can without a pile of resentments under construction.

In the past, I used to earn a reasonable amount of money and be reasonably successful. And then I tried to earn more and certainly deserved more. I had great expectations, and the boss full of resentments under construction. Never satisfied, the boss drove me bonkers, was able to bully me and use my virtues of determination and tenacity to the point where it broke my spirit and I had a nervous breakdown. Foolishly at the time, I believed I could be repaired and restored back to the old me. It was impossible, not only because I was broken, no one wanted a broken person doing what I used to do professionally. After years heading for rock bottom which is unbelievably painful, understanding the journey there was a great deal to do with step six, step seven provides me with an understanding of what it is to learn what I can do and what I cannot do on a daily basis and keep on learning the wisdom as life trundles along.

Romance and finance, somewhere it says in the promises that fear of economic insecurity will disappear, and it's true, simply because I do not fear what I cannot control. The economy, people, places and things are what they are. At the same time I can adapt to what is possible and know what is impossible. As to romance, as always, serendipity. The gift of recovery is finding loving relationships and it's not like it used to be today. I say this with a great big smile and a better understanding of me and life today.

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