Have you ever felt like life is like a big puzzle, and some pieces are missing? It can be confusing and challenging, can't it? Well, guess what? There are ways to find peace and happiness, even when things seem complicated. Let's talk about how Narcotics Anonymous (NA), with its belief in a higher power, can help you let go of some worries and find tranquility.
**1. Letting Things Be:**
Imagine you're floating on a calm river. It's effortless to go with the flow, right? Well, life can be like that too when we stop trying to control everything. In NA, they teach you to let things be, just like floating down that peaceful river. Sometimes, things happen for reasons we may not understand, but that's okay.
**2. Letting People Go:**
People are a part of our lives, but sometimes they need to leave for their reasons. It can be sad, but NA teaches us that we can't make people stay. Trust that your higher power, as mentioned in NA, will guide you through these tough times.
**3. Not Fighting for Closure:**
Closure is like tying up a story with a neat bow, but not all stories have perfect endings. In NA, they say it's okay not to fight for closure all the time. Accept that some things will remain a mystery. Trust your higher power to give you the strength to move forward, even without all the answers.
**4. Not Asking for Explanations:**
People don't always explain their actions, and that can be confusing. Instead of constantly asking for explanations, NA teaches us to understand that everyone has their reasons. Focus on what you can control - your reactions and feelings - and trust your higher power to handle the rest.
**5. Not Chasing Answers:**
Life is full of questions, and we often want answers right away. But some answers take time to reveal themselves. It's like waiting for a flower to bloom; you can't rush it. In NA, you'll learn to be patient and trust that your higher power will provide the answers when the time is right.
**6. Not Expecting Everyone to Understand:**
We're all different, and sometimes, it's hard for people to see things from your perspective. In NA, they remind us that not everyone needs to understand your journey. What matters most is that you understand yourself and trust your higher power to guide you.
NA, with its belief in a higher power, can be a powerful tool for finding peace in your life. Letting things be, letting people go, not fighting for closure, not asking for explanations, not chasing answers, and not expecting everyone to understand are all ways to embrace serenity and happiness. Remember, you don't have to have all the pieces of the puzzle to find contentment; sometimes, you just gottawanna need to trust and let go.
Practicing Service in All Our Affairs Page 240 "Service gives us opportunities to grow in ways that touch all parts of our lives." Basic Text, Chapter 9: Just for Today--Living the Program The Basic Text describes who we used to be in active addiction as "devious, frightened loners." Many of us come to NA with very limited healthy and productive life experience. We may never have held a legal, on-the-books job and don't have the skills to get one. Or we may have skills and experience, but our dodgy work history reflects our using more than our employability. Our relationships, if they even still exist, are a mess--with our loved ones, with ourselves, with a Higher Power. Our self-serving behavior and our aversion to being truly vulnerable and intimate with others have kept us isolated. And then there's the spiritual deadness so many of us arrive with--and either the hardness or the utter fearfulness that comes with it. In meetings, we hear members share that their lives are "bigger," "amazing," and "beyond my wildest dreams." Initially, we are skeptical at best, especially when they also tell us that it's not because of material gains but because of what they've gained by being of service to Narcotics Anonymous. A member shared, "Through service, my relationship to humanity was restored." Seriously? ALL of humanity? Most of us get involved in service because we're told, "That's how we stay clean." We don't fully grasp its holistic benefits until we experience them ourselves. Through our NA commitments, we learn basic accounting, public speaking, and good communication skills. We learn how to listen--in meetings, to a fellow member who needs to vent, to people we don't even like. We learn how to treat others with respect when we disagree. We learn to show up to do the job no matter what. And more. These are qualities we take with us wherever we go, in all our affairs. NA doesn't just help us stay clean; it transforms us into people who can make a positive impact inside and outside of the rooms. What aspects of my life have been touched by NA service? Through service, what can I do today--at work, at home, or wherever I go--to make a positive impact?
Inclusiveness Means Any Addict
Page 239
"All addicted persons are welcome and equal in obtaining the relief that they are seeking from their addiction; every addict can recover in this program on an equal basis."
Basic Text, Chapter 6, "Tradition Three"
Our Commitment to Encouragement Page 237 "As a group, it's our job to be tolerant, listen well, hear the message through the mess, and encourage newer members to grow." Guiding Principles, Tradition Ten, "For Groups" Practicing encouragement, especially with newer members, is a job not to be taken lightly. Encouragement breeds hope, which leads to a willingness to change, which leads to courageous action, which leads to growth that can be miraculous to witness. When we consider the importance of encouragement, we realize policing the message, or the messenger, is likely not helpful. We all hope to be met with empathy and encouragement, not an explanation about outside issues. We can overlook when a newcomer misspeaks. When we're tempted to correct the way someone shared, maybe we offer a hug instead and our phone number. The share that hits the marks of solution oriented, message carrying, and utterly authentic--all before the timer goes off--may not happen every day. And is that even our goal? Many of us believe sharing honestly is the solution--and actively listening for the message reflects our empathy and encourages others to speak honestly. We can validate each other--and also model how to connect the dots between what's happening in our individual lives and the process of recovery we all share. When we provide each other with support and encouragement, we're more inspired to be part of each other's growth. Encouragement is living by example, as much as it is the words we utter. Rather than critique a group member's way of handling a problem, we share our experience with a similar situation. Through it all, we witness each other's courage to endure some unimaginable conflict and strife and stay clean through it. "NA members' encouragement has provided the nudge I needed to take one more step forward," a member recounted. "I was told not to quit before the miracle. My suggestion is to not quit during or after either!" We've all shared a "mess" at some point. Heck, we've all BEEN a mess! But the encouragement I received gave me the courage to learn and grow. I'm committed to doing that for others today.
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Guided by Conscience Page 236 "We come to know our intentions. We get better at hearing our own voice, our own conscience, and listening to our instincts." Living Clean, Chapter 5, "Conscious Contact" Even those of us who were raised by wolves were taught the difference between right and wrong. The code of ethics we inherited may have been a bit twisted, but it gave us a point of reference nonetheless. As a result, many of us suffered from a guilty conscience when we screwed up or caused harm early in our using careers. At some point, though, we made a choice--knowingly or not--to behave in ways that were contrary to the values we had internalized. It's not that we lacked a moral compass; we'd just put it away for a bit. On those occasions when we still felt bad, we turned to denial, defensiveness, and drugs--lots of drugs--to help us stuff the discomfort of a guilty conscience. Our awareness of that still, quiet voice within starts to return almost as soon as we put down the drugs. Our first reunion with our conscience can feel pretty distressing. Without drugs to mask our feelings, many of us experience an uncut dose of the shame we'd been stuffing for years. We're relieved to read that "we are not responsible for our disease" in the Basic Text. People who know their way around the Twelve Steps assure us that the second half of that sentence, "we are responsible for our recovery," will help us make peace with the past and develop our own conscience. We begin to tune in to what's right for us and focus on aligning our actions with spiritual principles and our own values. We learn--sometimes through trial and error--to behave in ways we can be proud of. Not wanting to pay a spiritual price, we're slower to act out on our most basic urges and selfish desires, so we do so less frequently. We can even observe our impulses without acting on them--who knew? With practice, we recalibrate our value system and develop a code of behavior that reflects our intentions. I will listen for the reawakened voice of my conscience knowing that it reflects my beliefs and intentions.
Finding Grace in the Process Page 233 "Spiritual awakening is a process. Maybe it is what the whole process is about. We nurture our awakening spirits and know that we are finally free to live in grace, integrity, and dignity." Living Clean, Chapter 3, "Creative Action of Spirit" When we were using drugs, our spirits slowly eroded as our disease progressed. We compromised our beliefs and screwed over anyone who got in the way of our self-serving plans. The journey from desperation to spiritual awakening is a long and storied path for each of us. A pink cloud may protect us from the jagged edges of life on life's terms for a time, but reality sets in sooner or later. Eventually, we will walk through the death of someone close to us or perhaps go through a painful divorce with years clean. We each deal with loss differently. Our initial response may be to avoid our feelings, instead seeking comfort in food or sex or gaming. With time, we learn to rely on a power greater than ourselves and our support group to navigate overwhelming feelings. When we let go and surrender to the process, our spirits are free to awaken. Grace teaches us to let things unfold naturally and let go of the illusion of control. We're less invested in outcomes, and we focus instead on aligning our will with the greater good. We open our minds to the possibilities and pay attention to opportunities as well as to closed doors. We live in the moment and enjoy the freedom that comes with grace. I will let go of my expectations and enjoy the clarity of the moment. I will allow myself to be present for the evolution of my spiritual journey and revel in the grace of living just for today.
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