List Post – New Thought Sobriety

By no means a complete list–really just a beginning, and I’m sure I’ve omitted some obvious ones. Feel free to add your favorites; I just like the number 12. Whether I pick up any of these to read a page, paragraph, chapter, or the whole thing, I always come away re-minded.

Our February “List Post” features a dozen wonderful quotes from New Thought and Recovery. Enjoy these words of wisdom from the likes of Ernest Homes, Bill W., Napoleon Hill, and other great teachers of Truth!

Welcome to 2018 and our first list post of this brand new anything-is-possible year. Here is a list of reminders in the form of affirmations, taken from a guided meditation by Gale Minchew.
There are 31 here – one for each day in this brand new month. They offer a good reminder of who you are, and how it works.
Which ones resonate with you?

These seven beautiful affirmations are offered by Mark Guay in a guided meditation entitled “Manifest your Unlimited Potential.” This meditation is based on the research of psychologist Abraham Maslow and uses the ancient practice of visualizing chakra centers. Chakra means “wheel of light” in Sanskrit. What a perfect time to share these as we close out a year that was full of events beyond imagination (many we love so much and others we would prefer not to have happened…).

When I first stopped drinking, I was unaware that it could be possible to enjoy things without alcohol or drugs. The alcohol was the centerpiece of any event I attended, and procuring it or making sure it was available was the first order of business. How wonderful to know that my full sensory enjoyment of simple things has magnified so much more than anything I thought was fun in my blurry, boozy haze of pseudo fun.

When I first stopped drinking, I felt naked and afraid without a glass in my hand. I actually thought I was overly conspicuous, and it warranted an explanation. At first, I shifted to sparkling, spritzer-like things with a twist and a straw. My sponsor told me she just orders diet Coke. That didn’t seem right. Over time I have actually become comfortable with water, sparkling water, or even nothing at all!

Gary C. always had time to sit with a friend, particularly a Friend of Bill. He wanted his fellows to know there is a way out of the abyss. Sober for 22 ½ years after banging around on the streets of Hollywood where he grew up – and not the movie star, glamorous side of the block – he spoke at AA meetings. He attended AA conventions, and men’s retreats. He served breakfast at these events. He washed dishes afterwards. He did whatever was needed. He connected with newcomers and old-timers.

So much symbolism in this holiday, and at this time of year for those of us in recovery. Long days to live life to the fullest… Independence Day for our country – it’s a birthday – take a chip, USA. Some of the freedoms we hold dear in recovery are ideals, concepts, and things we strive for – which is also true for us as a country… progress not perfection. But today and this month, let’s honor the freedoms we have created for ourselves – and that is MUCH to celebrate!