dailydatewithgod

Have you ever wondered if you could just walk away from the thought pattern going through your own mind?  Early in recovery  I learned a very helpful phrase: “Thank you for sharing.”  Like anything it can be said with insincerity or become overused, but the idea behind it is acknowledgment.  Given that most addicts deal with some level of shame and are afraid to share what they are thinking and feeling, it is a helpful first step.  Additionally, I learned from those who came before me that sharing was a way to get it out of my head and not let it ruminate further.  I came into recovery suffering from a lot of stinking thinking. Plus the nature of substance addiction is such that when consuming the substance, it is hard to maintain a clear head.  Then you add into it the fact that I am someone who is known to over think things. I would let thoughts go round and round in my mind under the guise that I would be able to figure it out.  Through early experiences, it appeared to me that no one wanted to hear what I actually had to say.  I also learned that I would just need to figure it out on my own.  I know I am not the only one who was walking around with such mental constructs.  The power of being able to share authentically with a simple acknowledgement has helped shape my life moving forward.  It is one of the greatest gifts of being in a 12-step room.  You get up in front of a group of people, you share what is on your mind and when your time is up you sit down.  Sometimes they clap for you and approach you at the end of the meeting to say thank you. I believe one of the most beneficial elements began when I learned to tell myself, “Thanks for sharing.”  The same simple phrase when directed at my own thinking, allowed me to acknowledge what I was thinking and feeling and move forward.  I did not have to hide it or make it wrong.  I could just notice it. I constantly have thoughts and feelings running through my head, they can’t all possibly be as important as I once thought they were.  I can acknowledge them and move on. I do not have to attach myself to them. I found the same experience on my daily date with God.  The power shown to me by God as I showed up for our date full of thinking, good and bad, and God not running, judging, or dismissing is immeasurable.