Answering the question: “If you could have the best life ever in this moment, what would it look like?” is a tool that helps me put action into Statement #6. I can confirm contentment while moving towards new experiences. Simple every day moments come alive and I can feel greatness or contentment, even when the signs are pointing in the opposite direction such as in long check-out line or snarled traffic. These bursts of bliss throughout the day feel centering and are a beautiful benefit of sobriety and recovery.
Before my New Life, I hurried through one moment to get to the next. Rushing through life I created deep feelings of lack within myself and I attempted to fill this void with alcohol. Of course, this didn’t work; I had disconnected from life and slid right into isolation.
Sobriety and Statement #6 encourage conscious investigation and action. Being part detective and part architect each day has the potential to be ordinarily great. What will you create today?
Hugzzz
Karen
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Hi 4C Women,
Do you ever feel as though your life is being created without your input? I feel that way sometimes and that is why Statement #6 is such a good reminder that we are in charge of how greatness appears to us. I've heard women say that after so much chaos with drinking or using, having an ordinary life is the greatest experience of contentment and joy. I understand that sentiment. Yes, an ordinary life can be great and it also gives us time to stop, pause and be in the most extraordinary, ordinary moments. I was over at my daughter's house yesterday while two guys from my church were putting in a new back door. I used the time to clean out the garage, bathroom cabinets, refrigerator and then my granddaughter's room. She had emptied out all of the furniture but left a huge pile of "stuff" in the middle of the floor. She told me that 99% could be thrown out so I had to search through everything to find that 1% that I considered a keeper. I found a birthday card from her Granny & PaPa who both passed away - keeper! Then I came across a folded-up paper and when I opened it, I found a note from 2010 from a boy who asked my granddaughter if he could be her boyfriend. She is now 21 so I traveled back to a time of age 14. I remembered how much fun we had together whether shopping, going on trips, horseback riding (her, not me) and having her spend weekends with me. Life was great and I am blessed to have those memories. I could feel a smile cross my face as I read that note and then Karen's message was that reminder that I need to create that life today. While I treasure those memories, it's important to create new cherished memories by being aware, discovering new adventures. Logically some of that is on hold because of my daughter's situation and my responsibility to handle many things right now. However, I am an optimist at heart and I know extraordinary, ordinary times are awaiting me.
Found this quote from Brene' Brown that I feel explains it perfectly.
"Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments - often ordinary moments. Sometimes we miss out on the bursts of joy because we're too busy chasing down the extraordinary moments. Other times we're so afraid of the dark, we don't dare let ourselves enjoy that light. A joyful life is not a floodlight of joy. That would eventually become unbearable. I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude and inspiration."
Bonded
4C WFS Member
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