Daily Reprieve

From Courage to Change of Oct 16:

When I am trying to tackle a tough problem or cope with a stressful situation, and I’ve done all I can for the moment, what then? I can do something that will nurture my mind, body, or spirit. Perhaps I’ll take a walk or listen to music. Maybe I’ll meet a friend for coffee and conversation. I could have something nutritious to eat, or sit quietly and meditate, or read a book.

Al-Anon is a program of action in which we recognize that we have choices about what we do with our time. A bubble bath, a massage, an Al-Anon call, a bike ride, or a nap might be constructive ways to fill time that might otherwise be wasted on worry.

Even though I may be powerless to change my circumstances, I certainly am not helpless. I can use my time to do something good for myself. When I treat myself with love and tenderness, I am better able to deal with the challenges that life presents. I have a chance to feel good, even when surrounded by crisis.

Today’s Reminder

One of my primary responsibilities is to take care of myself. I will find a small way to do something for my mind, body, and spirit today.

“Part of my recovery is respecting my need and my right to let go and relax.” ~ In All Our Affairs

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This a vital spiritual truth: powerlessness is not helplessness.

When we come to the end of our control, the ego wants to keep fighting — to analyze, fix, or force a solution. But recovery teaches us to redirect that energy toward nourishmentratherthannoise. The act of self-care becomes both rebellion and surrender: rebellion against the inner critic that says, “You must suffer to prove you care,” and surrender to a Higher Wisdom that says, “Peace itself is productive.”

Taking a walk, calling a friend, or resting isn’t avoidance — it’s alignment. Each act becomes a quiet ritual of participation in life rather than domination over it. When we treat ourselves tenderly, we stop making punishment our form of progress. Love and rest turn out to be far more transformative than control and worry.

In the language of recovery, this is Step Three in motion: turning our will and our lives over, moment by moment, to a Power greater than our fear. By choosing nurturing actions, we acknowledge that serenity can coexist with chaos — that grace can enter even through something as humble as a cup of coffee or a deep breath.

This entry was posted on October 17, 2025 at 7:22 pm and is filed under Uncategorized with tags Addiction, Alcoholism, Courage to Change, faith, Journal, Life, mental-health, Personal, Recovery, Spirituality, writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.