Courage to Change:
There was nothing simple about my life before I came to Al-Anon. My work was highly stressful, my time was always short, and my attention was intensely focused on the alcoholic, but I didn’t realize I was under a strain. During the early days in Al-Anon, I shifted my intense focus to the program. As my denial broke, I became aware that I was exhausted all the time. The topic at an Al-Anon meeting, “Keep it Simple,” was just what I needed to hear!
I decided that the top priority for my unmanageable life was to recover from the effects of alcoholism. I had responsibilities and couldn’t eliminate all the stress from my life, but I tried to simplify it wherever possible. In my case, this meant letting go of some social activities, temporarily switching to a lower paying but less stressful job, and leaving some household chores undone. It wasn’t a permanent change, just a way to give myself the time I needed for my emotional and spiritual health.
It was such a relief! By the time I returned to my normal schedule, I had a better grasp on keeping it simple, so I was able to handle it more serenely.
Today’s Reminder:
If I am overwhelmed, I may be trying to do too much. Today I will try to keep it simple.
“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.”
– Hans Hofmann