recovery

Finding a Serene Mind

Slowing Down

My father also used to tell me, “Slow down, Son.”  I was a rambunctious child.  I was a drunk adult.  I never really stopped to consider what I was doing or where I was going.  I just knew I needed to do it all at 100 miles an hour.
Lately, I have been trying to be more aware.  Aware of the things I say, the things I do, while not turning my eyes away from what is going on around me.  In order to process all of this information, I need to maintain my serenity.  Many distractions can take me off course.  I am not an island.  I am surrounded by other people–other people with their own needs and issues.
As I navigate my relationships with these people, I am slowly learning to navigate my emotions.  I’ve learned to recognise them, now that I’m feeling them. I’ve been numb and laughing for years.  Sobriety is allowing my emotions and feelings to come to the surface.  I’m not used to this. I’m finding that I have no control over my emotions, but I do have control over my reactions to those emotions.  The key is stopping to think.  Instead of letting my emotions run away with me, I need to take the advice of a fireman.  “If you’re on fire, remember:  Stop.  Drop.  Roll.”

Like Soap Bubbles

Call on your serenity.  Stop and take a look.  Watch those emotions and problems bubble to the surface and then take flight into the air.  Learn to look at your problems as soap bubbles.  Some are quite large, but only because I’ve blown so much air into them.  Amidst the rainbow colors showing their many facets, I can see one thing, very prominently: a reflection of myself.  How do I look in each of those bubbles?  What was my role in creating each of them?  Can I stop and take a step back and course-correct before I get too far along?

Those soap bubbles are actually all kind of pretty, floating there in the air.  Are these problems really as bad as I’ve blown them out to be?

All Those Other People

The other thing in the reflections are the other people around me.  What are their contributions to the situation?  Are they to blame?  I should not judge–that is best left to our Higher Power.  We can, however, be aware that they my be emotional.  Wouldn’t it be better to try to recognize their emotions and try to be supportive instead of confrontational?

Calling on Our Higher Power

Don’t be afraid to seek help!  Help is right around the corner.  Help is deep down inside each of us.  Call on your Higher Power to do the judging.  Call on your higher power to do what’s right.  Let His will be done.  Reach out to others to help them.  Helping others is very therapeutic.  Maybe in trying to solve the problems of others, we will find a solution that works for our own problems!

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