1st Conceive, 2nd Believe, 3rd Achieve
First, let’s see what it means to profit and how to profit in ways that make our lives better. The Cambridge Dictionary defines profit in a couple of ways. First, of course, is the money that is made after expenses. Then it also defines profit as: “the good result or advantage that can be achieved by a particular action or activity.”
Practicing CBA fits nicely into the second definition by Cambridge. Here we will learn how to simply use our inborn spirituality to achieve this type of profit by simply using CBA.
Just what is CBA? Conceive. Believe. Achieve. A wonderful recipe for Happiness, Joy, and Freedom!
Recently, we discussed Spirituality and Fear. Now that we know that fear is the foundation of ALL of our character defects and shortcomings, what can we do about them? “If you had, coming up, the same things that I did, you would be fearful, too.” “If you did what I did, you would be fearful, too.” “Why do I wake up in the middle of the night and not know why?” “Why can’t I just go to bed and go to sleep instead of fretting and stewing about my problems?” “I believe that X is a healthy fear.”
First, there is NO healthy fear! Fear is fear and not to be desired in my life. I respect the heat of a flame and do not stick my hand into one but I do not fear the flame. I respect the fact that, if I jump off of a cruise ship while in the ocean, I will probably drown but I do not fear it. And, I respect the fact that if I jump in front of a large truck, I will probably be badly injured or killed but I do not fear traffic.
Fear is a thought in our minds and so it can be changed any time we have had enough dread and misery. How do I do this?
I use the CBA principle by first Conceiving the feelings that I really want. I want to be Happy, Joyous, and Free. So, I picture the images of being this way, calm and serene.
I then Believe that it can happen to me. After all, I see it happening all around me in the faces and lives of others, both in the AA program and out, who have found peace and serenity after maybe suffering horrible, painful lives. If they can do it, so can I!
If I first Conceive this, then Believe it, I WILL Achieve it.
Think back to when watching world-class athletes prepping for a race in the Olympics. For instance a hurdler. Watch the person’s head bobbing as they stand at the starting line visualizing their skimming over each and every hurdle and then watch them burst from the starting blocks and do just what they had visualized. This is CBA!
If you are an alcoholic and did not drink or drug today, you are a world-class individual alcoholic. One of the very few who has accomplished this.
Don’t shortchange yourself. The stats don’t lie. Most alcoholics and/or addicts do not make it out of the cellars of their addiction. Many die, end up in prison or Psych wards and few survive as we all are doing right now.
I was going to add “so far.” But I do not wish to put any limitations on all of the Happiness, Joy, and Freedom from mind-altering substances that we have. And it will only get better IF WE WORK OUR PROGRAM 24/7/365.
See, there is a cost to all this. The cost to us is simply to continue working our program in all of our affairs. This is done by living by the principle of simply always doing the next right thing.
Don’t be afraid of living. Really living and enjoying life. Be happy with the fact that you can now truly live and enjoy life. If you didn’t drink or drug today, you now have choices. Maybe for the first time. Choices that you couldn’t buy, no matter how much money you had.
Do you choose to be miserable or do you choose to be Happy, Joyous, and Free? The choice is yours and nobody else’s. Choose wisely! Thank you, God!
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