DAILY GRATITUDE LIST

BEING IN RECOVERY, AT LEAST FOR MYSELF, IS A DAY -TO -DAY PROCESS. AT SOME TIMES IT IS EVEN A MOMENT-BY -MOMENT PROCESS. I WAS REMINDED THIS MORNING, ON A MORNING NEWS PROGRAM, BY SOME CHILDREN WHO ARE SURVIVORS OF CANCER, OF ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I EVER LEARNED TO DO IN RECOVERY. THAT IS, TO KEEP A DAILY JOURNAL OF GRATITUDE. MY VERY FIRST SPONSOR, "KAREN", INSISTED THAT WE WRITE EACH NIGHT OF AT LEAST 10 THINGS THAT WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR THAT DAY. THIS SEEMS LIKE AN EASY REQUEST AT FIRST, OR AT LEAST IT DID TO ME. HOWEVER, NEW IN RECOVERY, SOMETIMES IT SEEMS THAT I WAS AT A TRUE LOSS TO FIND EVEN THE SIMPLEST THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. I AM CERTAIN THAT THIS, AT LEAST FOR MYSELF, IS THAT I WAS SO- SELF CENTERED, AND SELF- SEEKING THAT I WAS UNGRATEFUL , UNMOVED, AND PRETTY MUCH MORALLY AND SPIRITUALLY BANKRUPT AT THAT TIME. EVEN THOUGH THIS PRACTICE WAS RATHER DIFFICULT AT FIRST, IT IS ONE OF THINGS THAT I HAVE CONTINUED TO DO IN MY LIFE SINCE BEING TOLD DO TO SO, MANY YEARS AGO, SOME, TWENTY OR BETTER. IT IS A PRACTICE THAT EVEN IN TIMES OF RELAPSE, DESPERATION, INCARCERATION, I HAVE FAITHFULLY CONTINUED. I LOVE THIS VERY SIMPLE MESSAGE . IT HAS DONE SO MANY THINGS FOR MY CHARACTER AND MY CONTINUED JOURNEY. IT HAS REMINDED ME TO STAY HUMBLED, AND TO ALWAYS REMEMBER WHERE I HAVE BEEN, WHILE KEEPING MY HEART ON THE GOAL. IN SOME WAYS IT SHOWS ME HOW FAR I'VE COME AT TIMES AND IT ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF THE MANY MILES YET TO TRAVEL. SO, I HAVE MADE A DECISION THAT IT IS IMPERATIVE TO POST A DAILY GRATITUDE LIST ON MY BLOG. I WOULD GREATLY ENCOURAGE ANYONE OUT THERE TO ALSO DO THIS SMALL AND AMAZINGLY MOVING STEP, AS IT IS VERY POWERFUL. IT WILL HELP YOU IN TIMES OF STRESS, TURMOIL, DOUBTING, AND IT IS SO SIMPLE. IT REQUIRES SUCH LITTLE TIME, FOR SUCH AMAZING RESULTS. JUST TEN THINGS EACH DAY. THEY CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS, I WOKE UP TODAY, WHICH IS BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE, RIGHT? ANYWAY, I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO DO THIS FOR YOU, FOR YOUR LIFE. IT WILL EMPOWER YOU, GOOD LUCK, JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(NO SPECIFIC ORDER)
#1. FREEDOM
#2. FAMILY, FRIENDS
#3. MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY, PETS
#4. RECOVERY
#5. LOVING LIFE ON LIFE'S TERMS
#6. MY INCREDIBLE GREEN THUMB, ALL MY TALENTS (I RECOGNIZE THEM TODAY)
#7. THE TRUST I'VE EARNED FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPORTANT
#8. THE CHOICES I CONTINUE TO MAKE
#9. WHERE I'VE BEEN, JAILS, INSTITUTIONS, PRISONS, FREEDOM!
#10. LEARNING, TO BETTER MANAGE MONEY