Today's Readings

Today's Just for Today:
... "If it were not for others sharing their experience, strength and hope, where would I be?"...
..."For today: is there someone to whom i can gie of myself - my time; my presence, my attention?"

Today's Voices of Recovery:
"thinking of eating is not overeating. We do nothave to act on our feelings. The worst thing we can do is try to talk ourselves out of it . . . we can abstain, no matter what." A Plan of Eating, p. 8
"My sponsor says "stay out of your head. It's a dangerous neighborhood.' a comedian once said, 'whenever I get into an argument with myself I always lose!'
"If I listen to the voices in my head, they can rationalize me into a runaway relapse. Thinking just doesn't work for me.
What works for me is to get out of my head and into my heart with heartfelt prayer and an attitude of gratitude.
What works for me is to get out of my head and into action, working the Steps and using those wonderful tools: a plan of eating, meetings, telephone, literature, sponsorship, writing, and service.
I can abstain, no matter what. Thank you, OA!"

Today's In This Moment:
"In This Moment, it's OK to feel feelings."
..."In recovery, I've learned that I need to allow myself and others to hear the truth and feel appropriate feelings in order to experience life fully."
I'll have to be doing that for my mother soon.

Today's Language of Letting Go:
..."Sometimes, the holidays can be difficult and lonely.
Here are some ideas I've learned through personal experience, and practice, to help us get through difficult holidays:
Deal with feelings, but try not to dwell unduly on them." Okay. Good.
"Put the holidays in perspective: A holiday is one day out of 365. We can get through any 24-hour period.
Get through the day, but be aware that there may be a post-holiday backlash." Really? Oh, shit.
"Sometimes, if we use our survival behaviors to get through the day, the feelings will catch up to us the next day. Deal with them too. Get back on track as quickly as possible." I'd better be able to. I have a lot of cleaning to do. Seriously. A lot. Really need to.
"Find and cherish the love that's available, even if it's not exzctly what we want. Is there someone we can give love to and receive love from? Recovering friends? is there a family who would enjoy sharing their holiday with us?" Isn't this a little late to be asking this? Shouldn't we have thought of this LAST week? "Don't be a martyr; go. There ma be those who would appreciate our offer to sahre our day with them.
We are not in the minority if we find ourselves experiencing a less-than-ideal holiday. how easy, but untrue, to tell ourselves the rest of the world is experiencing the perfect holiday, and we're alone in conflict.
We can create our own holiday agenda. Buy yourself a present. Find someone to whom you can give. Unleash your loving, nurturing self and give in to the holiday spirit.
Maybe past holidays haven't been terrific. Maybe this year wasn't terrific. But next year can be better, and the next a little better. Work toward a better life - one that meets your needs. Before long, you'll have it.
God, help me enjoy and cherish this holiday. If my situation is less than ideal, help me take what's good and let go of the rest."

I hope this has helped someone.
I do not feel like it's helped me.