by

Teach to Learn

“… I believe in that teaching what I want to learn… I can become more consistent in achieving it myself.” – Love is Letting Go of Fear

I send out these spiritual texts, speak up at meetings, and carry the message to my sponsees exactly for this reason – I want to learn more about loving life in recovery. I want to learn how to always pause when agitated, to be more giving and loving without sacrificing what’s best for me, to stop blaming, playing the victim, and feeling shamed or guilty. By searching, sharing and applying the tools I discover, I continue mastering the art of being comfortable no matter what. Hanukkah is here, Thanksgiving is over, Bodhi, Yalda, Christmas and Kwanzza are almost here, and ILML!!!!
– James

by

Imagining God

“When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God. Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you… We needed to ask ourselves but one short question… am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?… upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built.” – BB

It took me over 10 years after putting down booze and drugs to finally get this God concept. I had made it so hard. I thought I had to understand and know for sure that God existed in order to believe. It turned out that all I had to do was make a firm DECISION to PRETEND that there was a higher power and then IMAGINE what I would like it to be – that was it. Whether there really is a God or not doesn’t matter – my pretending (aka belief), works great for me. I’m good with an imaginary God – my path is way more happier and serene. ILML
-James

by

Giving Thanks

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”
– The Language of Letting Go

Giving thanks on this day for so much. I’m sober, alive, in recovery, helping others, connected with my family, and working towards being a kinder, more loving guy everyday. The universe has given me more than I ever could have hoped for – actually beyond my wildest dreams. And a big part of it is you. Thanks for sharing your life with me and allowing me to share mine with you. Happy Thanksgiving Day!
– James Q.

by

Mountain Climbing

“You don’t just THINK it has been hard; it has been hard… You have been climbing a mountain. Breathe deeply. Move forward… The time is coming to relish and enjoy all which you have fought for… Peace, joy, abundant blessings… There will be more mountains, but now you know how to climb them.” – The Language of Letting Go

I went mountain climbing recently in Malibu hills. At the start of the climb my car keys fell out of my pocket. I tore up the mountainside looking for them. My hands literally got bloody pulling out bushes. In the end it got too dark to see. I became aware that it was over. Acceptance was my only hope. I took the next indicated action and called my wife and brother – they love me & came to my rescue. Awareness, acceptance and action led me back to peace. So grateful for the program tools and life lessons to use them on. ILML
– James Q

by

God Shots

“God… often appears in human affairs in the guises of ‘luck,’ ‘chance,’ or ‘coincidence.” – Daily Reflections

About 25 years ago, on the way to a job interview my truck broke down. This was pre-cell phone days. I finally made it an hour late and was told they hired someone else as his assistant.

A year later, I read in a local paper that the owner and his assistant were arrested for fraud. I made up my mind to believe my truck breaking down was more than a coincident.

Today I realize that my HP often protects me by not giving me what I want. At the moment I may get upset, but in the long run I’m so grateful for those God shots. ILML!
– James

by

These Three Things

“… yesterday is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision. But today, well lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow a vision of hope.” Sanskrit Proverb from 12 Step Prayer Book

I like the idea that I can manifest great memories of yesterday and a positive outlook for tomorrow simply by staying in the moment and focusing on these three things:

(1) stay in gratitude,

(2) do the very best I can at all that’s in front of me, and

(3) get out of the expectations business by surrendering results to my HP and looking for the lesson from situations where I don’t get my will satisfied (from people, places and things).

Grateful for this beautiful sunny Sunday in tropical Maui, Hawaii. ILML 🙂
– James

by

Limited Time Offer

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Believe

This is the essence of the attitude of gratitude we speak about in program, and the rewards we receive when we focus on all the great stuff in our lives.

Think about it for a second. How many things are you grateful for right now. Every part of your body? Each tooth you have? Your senses? People in your life? Lessons learned? Sunshine? I know my list is practically endless. And when I think of those things I particularly treasure, I can feel the years of joy want to spill out.

Life IS an amazing adventure – a limited time offer – and I for one am so grateful to be in it. ILML – James

by

No Longer Enough

“I’m striving for… an overall sense of wellness… it is no longer enough simply to survive… The principles and tools… help me to create an increasingly rich and fulfilling life… I’m… participating in a whole host of solutions that can lead to emotional, physical, and spiritual health.” Courage to Change

No matter what. No matter what. No matter what – I choose to love life, to be happy and helpful. To rejoice in this, a magic time where I have been given the gift to occupy a small space on this beautiful planet. I am forever grateful that our program has shown me, so brilliantly, how to do this. ILML! – James

by

Let Go, Let God

” “Let Go” comes before “Let God” for a reason. I can’t expect God to do something if I am still holding onto my problem.” – How Alanon Works for Families & Friends of Alcoholics p.76

I came across this excerpt in Hope for Today. The reading talks about the futility of trying to control people, places, and things. It also suggests letting go of what others say and do, my expectations, and the outcomes in my life.

Another particular line I loved from the read was “It was no longer important that others read from the script that my expectations have written.”

When I reflect on this, I realize that about 99% of my frustration, anger, suffering and sadness come from exactly these things – unmet expectations of people, places and things. But here’s the good news:

The amount of time I spend in frustration, anger, suffering and sadness has substantially decreased as a result of (1) not poisoning myself with things that numb out my feelings and (2) embarking on a spiritual journey of recovery while applying all that I learn to my attitudes and actions each day.

If I reflect back, there was a time that feelings of frustration, anger, suffering and sadness could last hours or even days. Now, it would be highly unusual for me to get stuck in them for more than a few minutes, at which point my program and spiritual tools kick in, taking me me back to gratitude.

This change didn’t happen overnight. I got sober and white knuckled it for 7 years. After coming into the rooms, it took 3 more years for me to find a sponsor. Several years more before finding my Higher Power. But it wasn’t until 20 years sober that I starting working a life-changing spiritual program (and when I say spiritual, I don’t mean religious, I mean something that helps me to actively increase my love for life, for others and for myself).

My personal understanding is that the time I spend struggling is generally equal to the time between the moment I get upset until the time I close my eyes, remember my Higher Power, reconnect, and trust that I will be okay if I just let go and let God handle it. Simple but not always easy. However, this is exactly how ILML! – James

by

Bright Yellow Lenses

“… when we assume the best, our eyes are open to all that we are being given, and therefore we are able to receive it.” – Attitudes of Gratitude in Love p.92

When I do the work to change my glasses from the dark dingy ones to those bright yellow lenses that block the harmful rays but let in the sunlight of the spirit, I see the world differently, from a place of love rather than fear. Then, all my dreams are able to come true. Skating over to IHOP for lunch with my son Jake. ILML! – James