Loosid Sober Tip of the Day February 26

Sober Tips
#1

The power of the serenity prayer.

Over the next three days, we will look at one of the most powerful prayers in recovery …and in life.

First, as mentioned in previous tips, it is important to clarify that the program of recovery is a spiritual one, not a religious one and when we say, ‘God’ that is whatever our conception of our higher power may be.

The first part of the serenity prayer is as follows:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.

We often notice that the first part of the serenity prayer, once we truly practice it, frees up the vast majority of our time.

So many of us in recovery (and in life) wonder why someone did this, why someone else did that, why someone else said this, or why someone else said that.

We also get upset when we get an injury, miss the train, get cut off in traffic, the list is endless as it happens countless times each day to all of us.

Here’s another one… why do we have alcoholism? Why did we become an addict?

When we don’t accept the things we cannot change, we waste energy foolishly.

If it already happened, why do we spend any energy whatsoever fighting what has happened?

Once we are able to truly accept the things we cannot change, we can free up our lives and focus entirely on changing the things we can.

Just for today, think about what you have been wasting your time on that has already happened. How much time have you wasted?

Once you recognize this and choose to let it go and move into acceptance, you should feel a feeling of relief that you have not felt in a very long time.

If you are open to it, share below your experience with this first part of the serenity prayer. What have you been wasting your energy on?

There are many people in the Loosid community who need to hear what you have to say.

With Love, Loosid :pray::heart:

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#2
#3

Always have loved the serenity prayer! The first part literally translates to: stop banging your head against the wall.

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#4

I’ve been wasting my time pressing each and every button inside the infamous “recovery elevator” fabrication of my ‘get over on it before it gets over on me’ mindset. I’m wasting my time thinking and posting about it now.

God grant me the willingness to surrender and take the stairs one step at a time.

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#5

“…to accept the things that I cannot change…”. I have been working on the concept of ‘Radical Acceptance’ with a therapist, and it has helped to ratchet my acceptance and serenity quite a bit. I can’t control people/places/things, now or in the future - but especially from the past. I’m learning to just let go.

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#6

I am terrible at this and struggle with the past all the time. It’s not easy to let go of why did I, how could I, where would I have been now, I could of, should have and so on! How does everyone move past the past and find this serenity? I’m guessing for changing the things I can now! I’m just starving for the Serenity! I hope everyone is having a lovely Saturday morning! :sunny:

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#7

Thomas B , yes. I have heard / read about radical acceptance. I definitely need to work on acceptance. I have a friend who asks annually what our personal word for the year will be. I immediately chose Acceptance for 2022. I keep reading about how true change, transformation begins at the point of acceptance. And of course, the Serenity Prayer makes perfect sense ( any way ya splice it )!

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#8

What helped me was accepting the unconditional love and forgiveness of the God of my understanding. And if He forgives me, who am I not to forgive myself?

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#9

I spend so much time, energy and sleeplessness over things in my past….it’s endless and a waste of energy….when I overcome this thought, it’s such a relief or breath of fresh air…..it’s calmness and clarity….peeps….please try and live and let live….confrontation can sap the mind and soul of life…..

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#10

I have a very similar problem. It can get to the point of obsession and takes away from my wellbeing and ability to be present. I have picked up a wonderful book called The Power of Now by Ekert Toll. I listen to it on audible and it was helped me so much with this problem. Once we can free ourselves from this habit, however much, I have found that I can be happier in the moment, and my choices are better...thus creating a better past!

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#11

I have tried very hard to stop trying to control others. It usually comes in the form of "trying to help" them. I've discovered that by doing this I am saying to them, you are not good enough as you are. Mind you, I do this when not asked for help, thats a different thing. By trying to control or change others, I invite constant dissapointment. I also have lost my own responsibility towards working on my flaws. I stayed in a relationship for 8 years with someone who could not, and would not pursue sobriety. I wanted this for him, but he didn't want it badly enough for himself. Finally he asked me to accept him for who he was...an active, sick alcohilic. That was hard because it ment that I would ultimately be alone because I knew that I couldn't love him that way. It was very long coming and difficult, but now I am so much less stressed all the time and have more time to work on me. It's not easy for us to accept things as they are, but we as al oholics must if we are to be healed.

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#14

ACCEPTANCE wow I struggle with that since I born.

#15

Tough got me but have to do it; multiple times a day!

#16

Yes you are right :kissing_heart:

#17

I’ve wasted so much energy on the things I cannot change. I need to sight this daily, sometimes multiple times a day. We practice our program to make habit not perfect.