Thoughts Precede Feelings
The Web Committee is pleased to welcome Wilma T. as our guest blogger for February -
Thoughts Precede Feelings
by Wilma T., Sober Men and Women United
The Program has taught me that my thoughts precede my feelings. The way I feel is a product of the way I think. We cannot think ourselves into a better life. We must live ourselves each day into better thinking, and a new way of being. Just as I must be responsible for my actions, I can also be responsible for my feelings by acknowledging them, and then try to adjust the thoughts that influence them.
As I pray for the ability to be a better person, I ask for the willingness to give up those ideas that are negative to myself, or others. Once I let go of the resistance, then new ideas began to form. I realized that as I surrendered to the teachings of the Program, I was able to monitor my thoughts, and change them if I didn’t like them. This of course, wasn’t easy at first, but as I continued to apply faith, and effort, the less difficult it became. New ideas led me to new attributes. I began to outgrow the tendency of doing the same things, and experiencing different results. I started being liberated from guilt, secrets, and shame. The things that I couldn’t have comprehended in my old way of thinking, I began to see clearly.
These new ideas and attitude that I incorporated broke down some old barriers. For instance, if my old idea of thinking that I could recover by myself had continued, I wouldn’t be here today. I would have remained isolated, and narrow-minded, and never would have grasped the “WE” concept of the Program. Without the idea to change, and my willingness to do so, I wouldn’t have experienced all the comfort, joy, and strength that I’ve received through the Fellowship. Letting go of the self-defeating idea that I couldn’t be comfortable in my own skin really gave me the opportunity to get better acquainted with myself. I became humble enough to believe that what has worked to change the lives of others will work to change mine.
Also, if my idea of the fear of writing an article had not changed, I would have never written. I wouldn’t have known how much inspiration I could be open to in the absence of that fear. When I’m stuck in a negative idea it always contributes to my not being all that I can positively be. It is with our attitudes, and relationships to people and things that we must learn to live. New ideas are cultivated as our recovery progresses. We have a choice to either think positive, or negative. What we do with the ideas, and blessings we’re given make a lot of difference in our life, and the lives of others.
I’ve been blessed with being an open-minded person. I have new friends, and sober relationships. I believe that I have positive directions, and I trust that God will continue to guide my efforts. If I hadn’t put new ideas into action, I would never have been able to know what it meant to change, and be well thought of. Today I feel more peaceful, and secure. I can even cope better. The consistent application of positive ideas in our lives will give us rewards far greater than what we can imagine. Positive ideas make way for positive outcomes.
We have the Steps as guiding principles for every action that we take. The Program works, and will convince us if we’ll submit to it.
copyright Akron Intergroup News; January, 2008