“… relive the past or experience the future before it arrives… in between these two extremes is peace.” Author Unknown
How can I get my mind to shut off the thoughts from the past and worries of the future? How can I stop letting the outcome of expectations dictate my happiness? How can, in the face of perceived wrongness and discord, find acceptance and joy? By practicing the many recovery tools I take the needle off that scratchy record as quickly as possible, getting instant peace & quiet. Today I’m doing the “deal” and my misery is running on empty — while my peace tank is almost full to the top. The more I can keep that ratio just like that, the more ILML!

— JamieQ 

“The calm… comes when we willingly relinquish our frenzied attempts to control all the events in our life.” – In God’s Care
My desire to control creates so many problems, and expectations is one of the biggest. Accepting life on life’s term – embracing it and celebrating the gratitude that’s evident all around me – is really the easier, softer and calmer way. And when I truly surrender… ILML!

“… we were trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.” – AA, pg. 88

I used to think I could arrange everything so that my life would turn out perfectly. Years of attempts led me to the rooms, where I finally fully surrendered to a higher power, admitting I can’t perfect life – no matter how hard I tried. I made a deal with my new higher power: I’ll do the footwork if you guide my thoughts, attitudes and actions, and life. 

Since my higher power is love, kindness, joy, goodness, compassion, gratitude and service, my life is now guided by these ideas and has turned out profoundly better than I could have ever orchestrated on my own. I surrendered (and continue surrendering) and now ILML!

— JamieQ

“… when you focus on what’s wrong, you tend to dig yourself into a bigger hole.” — Attitudes of Gratitude in Love 
The other day I received some news I didn’t like. Some regular income I’ve come to expect and rely upon, won’t be coming in any more. That created fear. My mind was focused on it. Recognizing this, I shifted my thoughts to all of the abundance in my life, and how much more awaits me if I simply open myself up to it and continue doing the footwork. Fear’s grip weakened, faith flowed in, and once again I’m convinced that my financial future is epic. 

When I work the program, my perception shifts and ILML!

— JamieQ

“Your pain… is the result of what you are telling yourself about yourself, about others, about situations or circumstances.” — Until Today
I often tell my friends “Be careful of what you’re speaking aloud, your brain is listening.” Repeating the problem over and over, enlarges the problem. 

My way out is to set a timer and give myself 15 minutes to: (1) Identify the problem. (2) Seek an answer that doesn’t require ‘them’ or ‘it’ to change. (3) Apply the solution or give it to God. If in 15 minutes I am still focused on the problem, I haven’t applied the solution or surrendered the problem, so it’s time for me to use my recovery tools to get reconnected to source and back into gratitude. 

Not so easy, but it’s a simple way for me to stay out of the Blame & Shame Game and get back into the Life Boat. ILML! 

— JamieQ

“… it seemed as though life was rather like a bike ride; but it was a tandem bike, and I noticed God was in the back helping me pedal. I don’t know just when it was the He suggested we change places, but life has not been the same since..” — 12 Step Prayer Book 
This is my favorite reading in this book (Anita’s too :-). It reminds me that I’m never alone, and that if I’m not feeling so great, I may want to check to see if God’s in the back seat again. If He is, I can simply invite him to switch with me and take the lead, and instantly, I feel the pressure of having to try and control the journey taken away from me. God knows bike secrets, so it’s better for me to let him steer. ILML!