Courage to Change:
Like alcoholism, obsessive thinking can be too much to handle. My best hope in battling it is not to begin, because once started, it gains steam and becomes harder to interrupt.
Before obsessive thinking takes hold, there is usually a point at which I have to make a choice. I can opt to mentally toy with a subject that has held my mind hostage in the past and is therefore dangerous. Or I can recognize the danger and try to drop any thought of the topic from my mind, praying for my Higher Power’s help. I can reach out to an Al-Anon member for support before tackling a topic to which I am vulnerable, so that my thoughts won’t have a chance to get locked inside my head.
I will exercise the power of choice by refusing the invitation of obsessive thoughts. If I don’t pick them up, I won’t have to let them go.
Today’s Reminder:
I am learning to pay attention to my thinking. If there is something I cannot contemplate without becoming obsessed, I will respect that fact and act accordingly. I will gather the strength and support of my Al-Anon program, my friends, and my Higher Power before I try to reason it out. And if it is none of my business, I won’t pick it up at all.
“If you work on your mind with your mind, How can you avoid an immense confusion?” – Seng-ts’an