To feel great is really simple, but not always easy
I was always very guarded with my true feelings. I bottled up a lot of frustrations, anger, and fears. They came out in other self-destructive ways. I never felt great, or even all that good.
When I took the advice of my early AA sponsors and started faking it until I made it, I discovered that thoughts and intellectual knowledge could be very fleeting. All the while, feelings could be long-lasting.
I had a lifetime of bad feelings and was beginning to like and look forward to the good feelings that were appearing. Studying Spirituality opened the door to these good feelings.
“I didn’t wish to kick anyone today,” “Didn’t crave a drink today.” “I am not a bad person today.” “Helped someone today.” “I learned something new today”
These thoughts made me feel good and, being addictive, I wanted more, much more. Where my thoughts of a vengeful, ogre-like God scared me badly, my thoughts of a loving, caring, understanding God comforted me.
When I learned to Utilize and not Analyze, my life very quickly became one that I embraced. I don’t study the AA program with my head. When I do, I forget quickly.
Anymore, I do not have many of the 12 Steps of AA memorized in my head. I have the 12 Steps of AA embedded in my heart. I live the program and all of its principles to the best of my ability.
This brings up another thought. Whenever making a statement such as this I would usually modify it with a disclaimer such as “Of course, I am not perfect.” Or “Being human, I can stray.” This only brings up the negative so today I leave the disclaimers out.
My inner knowledge of Spirituality has given me the inner peace that I always strove for but never could find. Remember, we are Spiritual Beings. Living in a Spiritual Universe. That is governed by Spiritual Law. And we are one with all that exists.
Knowing that I am one with all reminds me that I am never alone. The first two words of The Lord’s Prayer, Our Father, remind us that we are all one. After all, we share the same Father. With this, I am emotionally wealthy. This means Happy, Joyous, and Free.
When one of life’s many distractions greets us, simply say the shortened version of the 3rd Step, “God, help me,” and then step back and let Him. It works for me!
You can do it too if you want it enough to be willing to do the work. Thank you, God!