Category Archives: New Ways Of Thinking

God, New Ways Of Thinking, Protecting Your Sobriety, Staying Focused, Staying Sober Today

Religion

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I have mentioned in past posts that I am willing to go to any lengths to stay sober. I revealed that I have used AA, seen both psychologist and psychiatrist, medication, read books, written a book, set up this website, posted some Youtube videos on my journey of recovery, daily meditation and prayer and most importantly have developed a relationship with God and feel that I can reach out to him for guidance and direction anytime.

Today I would like to discuss another avenue that I am using to stay sober. I have included religion as part of my life. Now I know this is a delicate subject. I am 55 years old and with the exception of over the past year I was very closed minded about the subject. I basically shunned the idea of it have any possibility of improving my life. I didnt like the idea of people congregating and in my perception of so many claiming that their denomiation was right over all others.

Now, I have not been church going my whole life but have recently found that religion is bringing me closer to God. I have attended a handful of church services with my wife. I found that for the most part that if I listen very close to the subject being presented that I have been able to relate some part of it to my life. Not always, but more times than not. Much of the sermons were full of things I could not comprehend. Partly because I have not ever studied religion or made an attempt to do so.

These days I am being open to the concept. I have made a compromise in terms of how I worship. Not being comfortable around groups of people I have been tuning into religion being discussed on Sunday morning television. I have found two ministers whom I have been able follow and listen to their message from God. As the bible is being interpreted by them I am usually able to receive some sort of positive message that pertains to my life and this has been a very enlighting process that I am experiencing. Now I don’t understand the bible but I am trying to by listening to the ministries and with the help of my wonderful wife who helps interpret passages for me.

Now I am not saying that religion may be for you. If your like me I had such a limited experience with church and the gospel of the bible that I remained closed minded for all my life. All I am saying is that it is really having a impact on my beliefs and my way of living. For those of you reading this post it is up to you to decide if this is an avenue that you want to explore. Once again I opened my mind to the concept of religion because I want to be as strong as possible in my quest to remain sober everyday.

God bless you and lets pray for the still suffering alcoholic and that they may find a way to recovery.

Thanks for reading this post and as always I welcome any comments.

New Ways Of Thinking

Finances

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In my drinking years my finances were the last of my concerns. All I cared about was having a little money for a place to stay, some food and the rest for drinking. Living on credit cards and pawn shop loans to sustain my lifestyle was common with little thought of paying them back. Back then I had a message machine for my home telephone line and the messages would be filled with collection calls, which I ignored. Bankruptcy took care of a lot of credit but not all. I regret my past actions regarding my finances and irresponsibility but that was the way I survived. Why am I telling all of this? You see, in sobriety one of the gifts I received was the ability to realize debts are to be repaid. These days I pay my bills on time. What a relief. It took a while but in doing so I have been able to be approved to buy a home, car and have credit again. My credit score has improved from being very poor to good in the 700+ range. This all came from a new way of thinking. These days I am looking into retirement options so that I can live at least modestly for my remaining years. I say all of this because I believe by living in sobriety anyone with financial difficulties can turn their situation around for the better. It takes time: just hang in there and good things will come to you. May God bless you.

New Ways Of Thinking

Changing My Way Of Thinking

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One of the first things,  among many , that I learned about staying sober was that i had to begin to change my way about thinking. For me this meant that I had to abandon the negativity that consumed my being.  For many years, while drinking, my thoughts about life were that filled with hate and selfishness. I hated my way of existing, I hated people  and I hated that God could let me live a life  I had.  Self pity also consumed my mind as I was always thinking  ” why me”.  In sobriety I have learned that I  had an illness that consumed my mind, body and spirit. It took some time but I began to see that, when drinking, I had not a choice in the way i was living because I was sick. I know realize that God had been there all along with me regardless of my feelings about him. You see, I believe he had great plans for me and it took taking a good look at my past lifestyle to see how I could be useful to others suffering from Alcoholism. As far as hating people I now know that we are all God’s children and hating another human being is to hate God. Now going on 13 years of sobriety I have caught myself occasionally slipping back into old thinking patterns of negativity. My wife even mentioned this to me. Thanks to her I have recognized my faults ans have been able to pray for God to remove that character defect, as they say. I certainly am not perfect but I know if I continue my path of prayer and believing in myself I will be fine. i suppose this will always be a work in progress. I pray that if you suffer from negativity or self-pity that you too can find a way to a wonderful new way at looking at life. May God Bless You!