Most everybody know I am in recovery from alcohol. Recovery is an ongoing process, like reading one of those "REALLY" good books that you find something knew each time through.

This came through in one of my Daily Readers, and is so deep and true that it took me back to the bedrock of recovery. It is something that goes against all of the thought-tracks common to an addict/ co-dependent/ or "Why the hell me!" kind of person, so it "whacked me between the horns" (a jeffism for "was true about me") on several fronts.

The Url for the Site is ==> http://www.coping.org/growth/accept.htm

The first section is copied below. If you find it thought provoking, please check out the rest. If it or the URL is helpful, please post! There are a lot of hurting people out there that think they are the only one whose life sucks so much.
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What is accepting personal responsibility?

Accepting personal responsibility includes:

Acknowledging that you are solely responsible for the choices in your life.

Accepting that you are responsible for what you choose to feel or think.

Accepting that you choose the direction for your life.

Accepting that you cannot blame others for the choices you have made.

Tearing down the mask of defense or rationale for why others are responsible for who you are, what has happened to you, and what you are bound to become.

The rational belief that you are responsible for determining who your are, and how your choices affect your life.

Pointing the finger of responsibility back to yourself and away from others when you are discussing the consequences of your actions.

Realizing that you determine your feelings about any events or actions addressed to you, no matter how negative they seem.

Recognizing that you are your best cheerleader; it is not reasonable or healthy for you to depend on others to make you feel good about yourself.

Recognizing that as you enter adulthood and maturity, you determine how your self-esteem will develop.

Not feeling sorry for the ``bum deal'' you have been handed but taking hold of your life and giving it direction and reason.

Letting go of your sense of over responsibility for others.

Protecting and nurturing your health and emotional well being.

Taking preventive health oriented steps of structuring your life with time management, stress management, confronting fears, and burnout prevention.

Taking an honest inventory of your strengths, abilities, talents, virtues, and positive points.

Developing positive, self-affirming, self-talk scripts to enhance your personal development and growth.

Letting go of blame and anger toward those in your past who did the best they could, given the limitations of their knowledge, background, and awareness.

Working out anger, hostility, pessimism, and depression over past hurts, pains, abuse, mistreatment, and misdirection.


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Warm days and pleasent night, and light upon your path.

Jeff