Hello to everyone,
I am just going to start posting inspirations here, hope no one minds. I also hope that some of you get something from them.

First one: KEEP AT IT

Keep practicing your recovery behaviors, even when they feel awkward, even when they haven't quite taken yet, even if you don't get it yet.
Sometimes it takes years for a recovery concept to move from your mind into your heart and soul. We need to work at recovery behaviors with the diligence, effort, and repeated practice we applied to codependent behaviors. We need to force ourselves to do things even when they don't feel natural. We need to tell ourselves we care about ourselves and can take care of ourselves even when we don't believe what we are saying.
We need to do it, and do it, and do it- day after day, year after year.
It is unreasonable to expect this new way of life to sink in overnight. We may have to "act as if" for months, before recovery behaviors become ingrained and natural.
Even after years, we may find ourselves, in times of stress or duress, reverting to old ways of thinking,feeling, and behaving. We may have layers of feelings we aren't ready to acknowledge until years into our recovery. THAT'S OKAY! When it's time, we will.
Do not give up! It takes time to get self-love into the core of us. It takes repeated practice. Time and experience. Lessons, lessons, and more lessons.
Then, just when we think we've arrived, we find we have more to learn. That's the joy of recovery. We get to keep learning and growing all of our life. Keep on taking care of yourself, no matter what. Keep on plugging away at recovery behaviors, one day at a time. Keep on loving yourself, even when it doesn't feel natural. "Act as if" for as long as necessary, even if that time period feels longer than necessary.
One day, it will happen. You will wake up, and find that what you've been struggling with and working so hard at and forcing yourself to do, finally feels comfortable. IT HAS HIT YOUR SOUL.
Then, you go on to learn something new and better.

Make this promise to yourself today: Today, I will plug away at my recovery behaviors, even if they don't feel natural. I will force myself to go through the motions even if that feels awkward. i will work at loving myself until I really do.

Bless you all,
Marcia

Marcia,

Thank you so much for posting these words of inspiration. You have no idea how your words are exactly what I needed to hear tonight. They really hit home for me and give me renewed hope. Lately I have been feeling like I am working so hard on beating my anxiety, but why don't I feel it is actually a true part of me. Then of course all my what ifs spiral from there and my wondering if I am normal because I am working on getting better but do not truly feel it. You are totally right, I need to keep working hard on it until it becomes a true part of me. Thank you so much for this. I am ready to continue working onward! Please post further inspirations! I am printing this one out so I can read it over again and again when I become discouraged.

Stressmess,

Patience:

Sometimes we get what we want right away. At other times, we wonder if our desires will ever be fullfilled.
We will be fulfilled in the best way possible and as quickly as possible. But some things take time. Sometimes, we have lessons to learn first, lessons that prepare us so we can accept the good we deserve. Things are being worked out in us. Blocks in us are being removed. A solid foundation is being laid.
Be Patient. Relax and trust. Let go. Then,let go some more. Good things are planned for us. We will recieve them at the first available moment. We will have all our heart longs for. Relax and trust.

"I will identify what I want and need; then , I'll be willing to let go of it. I will devote my energy to living my life today, so I may master my lessons as quickly as possible. I will trust that what I want and need is coming to me. I will let go of my need to control details"

Wishing you the best,
Marcia

Just to add to my reply to StressMess. This is also meant for everyone.

Best to all of you
Marcia

Hi everyone,
Today is Getting Through the Discomfort:

Our goal is to make ourselves feel comfortable, peaceful, content. Happy. We want to be at peace with ourselves and our environment. Sometimes, to do that, we need to be willing to face, feel, and get through discomfort.
When we have surgery, the pain hurts most of the day after the operation. When we do the kind of work we are facing in recovery, we are doing an emotional, mental, and spiritual surgery on ourselves. We're removing parts of us that are infected and inflamed.
Sometimes the process hurts.
We are strong enough to survive discomfort and temporary feelings of emotional pain. Once we are willing to face and feel our discomfort and pain, we are almost to the point of release.
Today, be willing to face your discomfort, trusting that healing and release are on the other side. Be open to feeling whatever you need to feel to be healed and healthy.

God Bless you all,
Marcia

Thanks so much for the inspiration......I needed it today. You are awesome!

Thank you so much Marcia! Excellent! Just what my mind needed to hear!

I love this thread thanks marcia!

Marcia!

OMG! I love your post! I am so very happy to hear that you are doing so well. God Bless! Much happiness, health and continued positive growth to you and everyone of the forums and chat!

Warm wishes,
LizB

Hello again all you wonderful people from this site.

Valuing this "Precious Present Moment":

This moment, we are right where we need to be, right where we are meant to be.
How often we waste our time and energy wishing we were someone else, were doing something esle, or were someplace esle. We may wish our present circumstances were different.
We needlessly confuse ourselves and divert our energy by thinking that our precious present moment is a mistake. But we are right where we need to be for now. Our feelings, thoughts, circumstances, challenges, tasks - all of it is on schedule.
We spoil the beauty of the precious present moment by wishing for something else.
COME BACK TO YOURSELF. Come back home to the present moment. We will not change things by escaping or leaving the moment. We WILL change things by surrendering to and accepting the moment.
Some moments are easier to accept than others. To trust the process, to trust all of it, without hanging on to the past or peering too far into the future, requires a great deal of faith. Surrender to the moment. If you're feeling angry, get mad. If you're setting a boundary, dive into that. If you're grieving, grieve. GET INTO IT. Go where instinct leads. If you are waiting, wait. If you have a task, throw yourself into the work. Get into the moment; the moment is right.
Where we are we are, and it is okay. It is right where we are meant to be to get where we are going tomorrow. And that place will be good.

"I will let go of my need to be someone other than who I am today. I will dive fully into the precious present moment. I will accept and surrender to my present moments-the difficult ones and the easy ones, trusting the whole process. I will stop trying to control the process; instead, I will relax and let myself experience it.

Staying in the precious present moment,
Marcia

Thank you again Marcia for your wonderful words. I am just now learning to live in the moment and it feels so good. I used to live in the past, while at the same time worrying about the future, and on top of that, I worried about what everyone was thinking about me. I makes me anxious just remembering how anxious I was. I am finally learning to feel good about ME. Who I am, what I look like, what my talents are, what I have to offer the world. I feel so much more peace inside. I still have a long journey ahead, but it feels good to have made the progress I have so far. I am proud of myself and I have to give thanks to God.........pray is what brought me to this place. I know with Him all things are possible!!!!!!! Thanks again Marcia!

Hey Man,
You are awesome for taking the time to post, the things you have said in here are so true! I know that when I got the program I thought that I would never make it and perserverance paid off. It really is about sticking to it and reconditioning your way of thinking. You have to take the time to step back when you feel like running and remind yourself that there is nothing to run from! Thank you again for sharing your inspirations in here!

Marcia:
Thank you for your post. I recently realized I have been suffering from anxiety and depression because I don't sleep - at all! I have to take medication to help me sleep. And I hate the idea of it. I just joined the program a few days ago, and reading your post has brought ease to this overactive mind. Thank you for your words of encouragement. You give me hope and focus.

Hi Marcia: I've been working with the program on and off for a few weeks, and am on lesson 3. Today is first time I've gone to the website -- thank goodness. Your inspirations/comments are wonderful -- PLEASE know I'll be a frequent visitor. There's a tendency to feel isolated, this website will be a huge blessing. Again, your gift is appreciated immensely!

Hi Sweet Marcia,

I enjoy reading your inspirations everyday ....thanks for sharing it with all of us .

Susan