“Good morning God. You are ushering in another day, all fresh and new.” – 12 Step Prayer Book 

I remember vividly how I used to feel upon awakening, in the days before I embraced our program. I would have to get a little stoned or drunk just to get out of bed and face the day. These days I wake up with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude. First that I’m still alive and healthy – a gift I treasure beyond measure. My mind then wanders over the overwhelming array of gifts my higher power has bestowed upon me. By the time I arise, I’m feeling great, excited for another awesome day and ILML! 

“Miracles happen all the time, but they only happen to those who believe they are worthy of them.” – Until Today

What is a miracle? I believe it’s the manifestation of a desire that, at some point, I felt would be amazing if it happened. Which means… my whole life is a miracle! When I’m spiritually centered, loving of myself and others, am clear about my vision and intention,  know that it’s aligned with my HP’s desire for me to be happy, joyous and free, step up and do the footwork to manifest my desire, and then turn the results over to God, miracles ALWAYS happen, and…  ILML! 

— JamieQ

“We are finding freedom from most of our fears… Our faith that all will work out for our good is growing…” — In God’s Care
Growing up in an alcoholic home, I was often in fear. In my teenage years, using drugs and alcohol, this fear manifested itself into resentment and anger, a false sense of pride and bravado, and I became someone whom I immensely disliked. By diligently practicing the program most of my fears have slid away leaving a sense that everything is going to work out great, now that my higher power is in charge. I’ve surrendered and joined the winning side, I love who I’m becoming and ILML!

— JamieQ

“If you are willing to look at another person’s behavior toward you as a reflection of the state of their relationship with themselves rather than a statement about your value as a person, then you will, over a period of time cease to react at all.” — Yogi Bhajan

If I’m totally honest, it’s not so much another’s behavior that bothers me as it is my reaction to it. When a stranger on the street acts angry, or crazy, I generally don’t react. But when I ingest the behavior of someone close to me – take it deep into my mind, body and soul – I have no choice but to react, defend and attack. My serenity evaporates and discord fills me up. One way to avoid this is to reframe the experience as its unfolding. When someone is saying or doing something I don’t like I can simply think “Wow, I’m glad I’m not in their emotional state of mind.” This opens the door for compassion and detachment, possible saving me from reacting or losing my serenity. I love the little gems I pick up in the program and ILML! 

— Jamie Q

“When you do not have a healthy or intact sense of worth, you feel the need to win every argument.” — Until Today

When I first read this page in Iyanla Vanzant’s book, I wrote the word “Me” next to that sentence. It was a huge realization; a direct connection between my actions and how I felt about myself. From that point forward, I became much more aware of what was really happening when I tried to get my way. Concurrently, I began to use program tools to rebuild my sense of worth. Today I still like to win and be right, but it doesn’t dominate me like it used to. Getting better day by day. ILML! 

— JamieQ

“Surrender your lack of faith to your Higher Power, and ask for faith.” – Courage to Change 

 This is the perfect solution for anyone struggling with the concept of a Higher Power – trust me, I know. “Ye of little faith…”, that was me. It was so hard to believe in something I can’t prove exists. Yet I wanted to believe because I saw the benefits others received from this relationship. After doing as suggested — asking a God I didn’t believe in for help to believe in that God — I finally got it. Today I have an epic relationship with my HP, one that enriches me every day. ILML! 

“From that place of peace and centering will emerge an answer, a solution.” The Language of Letting Go 

Good things come into my life when my thoughts, words and actions are being guided by a higher, more loving power. So it makes perfect sense to me that I invest time each morning into reading uplifting, positive literature. By infusing my mind (and heart) with a higher vibration, I launch my thoughts into a place of deep contentment and appreciation for this gift of living, which only reinforces the fact that ILML! 

– JamieQ

“Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.” – AA pg. 77

My sponsor once asked me if I knew what my personal purpose in life was. I said, “No I don’t.” He opened up the big book to page 77 and then said, “If, when you lay your head to sleep at night, you’ve stayed sober and done what’s written here, you’re a success. You’ve fulfilled your primary purpose. Even if you didn’t get this, win that, receive approval from someone else, if you’ve done what’s written here you are a winner. Remember that.” I keep that in mind, and having achieved my purpose – one day at a time – ILML! 

“Sure, things happen (but) you have the power to reshape and redefine any experience, no matter how devastating…” — Until Today

I love it when what happens makes me feel happy – it’s all good. But the true opportunity for me to evolve into a more wonderful person comes from experiences that make me feel uncomfortable. When they happen – and they will – if I take one long, deep breath I’ll open up enough space to practice patience, tolerance, understanding, acceptance, detachment and love. This is how I live the program and literally breathe it into every moment, with the result that ILML! 
— JamieQ

“Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley

In this website, you’ll find some great tips on how to get and stay in the attitude of gratitude. But if you go a step further, and search the internet for gratitude tools, you’ll discover even more actions and suggestions on how to live a thankful life, appreciating every moment. I’ve found such tools to be invaluable in my desire to love life. In fact, it’s by practicing actions of gratitude consistently on an everyday basis, that I’ve managed to find, and stay in that magical place where almost every day, ILML! 

– JamieQ