From Courage to Change of Jul 18:
We often come to Al-Anon with the philosophy that if something works, it will work even better and faster if we try harder. But Al-Anon involves a long-term process of growth and change. Our efforts to speed up this process are more likely to interfere with it, leaving us frustrated and depressed. In Al-Anon we learn that “Easy Does It.” The work often gets done when we stop pushing.
When I first came to Al-Anon I heard that, although we learn to entrust our lives and our future to a Power greater than ourselves, we must do our part as well. With my usual fervor I threw myself into doing “footwork.” I made at least ten Al-Anon calls every day and began a frantic effort to practice all Twelve Steps at once. No wonder i was soon overwhelmed – and exhausted.
Today I know that I can plant a seed in fertile soil, but I don’t help the plant to grow by tugging at the seed in hope that it will sprout. I have to let the process unfold at its own pace.
Today’s Reminder
I take my commitment to recovery seriously, but I can’t expect to recover overnight. When I approach my life with an “Easy Does It” attitude, I treat myself and the world around me gently and lovingly.
“‘When we try to absorb too much too quickly in Al-Anon, we may be discouraged . . .’ We would be wise to take it slowly, concentrating on one idea at a time.” ~ One Day at a Time in Al-Anon
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I have lived life driven by that old pulse in me—the one that says “Do more. Hurry up. Fix everything now.” It’s a voice I know well, and one I once mistook for strength. But in recovery, I’ve begun to hear it differently. That urgent push to over-function, to over-perform, to overcorrect—it’s not wisdom. It’s fear wearing the mask of responsibility.
Al-Anon has been teaching me something different. Something softer. Something wiser. That “Easy Does It” isn’t an excuse to check out; it’s an invitation to trust the process. I used to think I had to do all the growing, all at once. Now I know—growth is already built into the soil. My job is to show up, to tend, to water, to keep the weeds of shame and self-punishment from choking out the sprout. But not to tug. Never to tug.
When I came in, I thought the Steps were a ladder I had to sprint up. But recovery isn’t a race, and the Steps aren’t a checklist. They’re more like breath. Each one takes time. Each one returns me to the moment I’m in.
I don’t need to panic my way toward healing. I can listen to the quiet guidance within. I can pick up one idea and let it shape me. I can walk slowly. Gently. Let God do the growing. Let grace do its quiet work.
And maybe, just maybe, that’s where the real miracle happens.
Daily Reprieve 
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