Blog entry for:

Tue, Nov 20, 2007 07:30:08 AM


δ the recovery process experienced through the Twelve Steps will take me from an attitude of envy and low self-esteem Δ
posted: Tue, Nov 20, 2007 07:30:08 AM

 

to a place of spiritual fulfillment and deep appreciation for what i do have.
and this morning i am on the that particular path. last night i decided to miss the first half of a local sporting event to finish my SIXTH STEP with my sponsor. my actual plan was to sit down with my sponsor, then go to a meeting, BUT i decided that i did not want to fight the traffic going home, so i came home and watched the end of that sporting event. what if anything does that have with appreciating what i do have, and moving beyond the thoughts of envy over what others have? well, altering my plans has very little to so with moving beyond the self-esteem issues that are still present within my life. HOWEVER, choosing to treat myself to an easier softer trip home from my sponsor’s place, is certainly a step in the right direction. my actions as i sit here and do very little between the Sixth and Seventh steps except work on the spiritual principle assignment given to me by my sponsor last evening. that assignment? well it is simple to practice the first half of acceptance -- namely tolerance. tolerance towards others as well as tolerance towards myself. he also suggested an alternative take on what tolerance is -- not resisting what is going on inside. quite a bit different than i believed it was. in this form, i do not need to suppress thoughts of how idiotic, nonspiritual or crazy i think some behavior or action is. nor do i try and suppress those feelings associated with that particular train of thought. rather i think what i think, i feel what i feel and i choose not to react. HMMMMMMMMM!
so anyhow, if self-acceptance and self-esteem can be achieved through the practice of tolerance, than i am willing to do what it takes. i am so sick in living in the fear of doing something stupid, or revealing myself as some sort of fraud that i am willing to try and do anything which will help disarm that fear. the concept that really took me for a loop last night, was that if i am resisting my fears and defects of character, there is no way that the disarming process can be happening. if i do not disarm what is killing me, i will find a way of separating myself from the pack and the justifications that it is the pack’s fault. quite a bit of sophistry, and one that i am familiar with very intimately.
so off to the showers and into ma day of practicing a bit of tolerance.

∞ DT ∞

 

djtConsulting Brand
The views expressed on this page are solely the opinion of the author.
While the author is a member of a 12 Step recovery fellowship, these writings are not intended to endorse or express the published wisdom of any fellowship.
These writings are not meant to be socially or politically correct, and if you take issue with any opinions expressed, please seek the guidance of someone wiser than me.

Another Look!

ω recovery envy or gratitude? α 279 words ➥ Sunday, November 20, 2005 by: donnot
∞ i may think everyone, from the newest member to the oldest oldtimer, sounds better at meetings than i do. ∞ 338 words ➥ Monday, November 20, 2006 by: donnot
↔ in recovery, i may find i am experiencing a sort of envy. ↔ 517 words ➥ Thursday, November 20, 2008 by: donnot
∂ there were times in my active addiction when i wished i could become someone else ∂ 549 words ➥ Friday, November 20, 2009 by: donnot
ð i was not oriented toward fulfillment ð  556 words ➥ Saturday, November 20, 2010 by: donnot
∫ there is much to be grateful for in my life ∫ 752 words ➥ Sunday, November 20, 2011 by: donnot
¡ i may think that everyone else ! 478 words ➥ Tuesday, November 20, 2012 by: donnot
⇒ the recovery process experienced through the Twelve Steps ⇒ 604 words ➥ Wednesday, November 20, 2013 by: donnot
← i am finding that i no longer would ← 603 words ➥ Thursday, November 20, 2014 by: donnot
∗ finding fulfillment ∗ 668 words ➥ Friday, November 20, 2015 by: donnot
☀ the emptiness  ☼ 471 words ➥ Sunday, November 20, 2016 by: donnot
🛤 the journey 🚑 599 words ➥ Monday, November 20, 2017 by: donnot
🚓 a different sort of envy 🚔 561 words ➥ Tuesday, November 20, 2018 by: donnot
🎀 cherishing the 🏗 532 words ➥ Wednesday, November 20, 2019 by: donnot
🌄 fulfillment 🌄 467 words ➥ Friday, November 20, 2020 by: donnot
🔬 what i am 🔍 361 words ➥ Saturday, November 20, 2021 by: donnot
🏃 becoming 🏃 428 words ➥ Sunday, November 20, 2022 by: donnot
😆 humor 😆 600 words ➥ Monday, November 20, 2023 by: donnot
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☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯

THE TAO TEH KING, OR THE TAO AND ITS CHARACTERISTICS
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge

Book 2

3) With that gentleness I can be bold; with that economy I can be
liberal; shrinking from taking precedence of others, I can become
a vessel of the highest honour. Now-a-days they give up gentleness
and are all for being bold; economy, and are all for being liberal;
the hindmost place, and seek only to be foremost;--(of all which the
end is) death.