“Making direct amends and taking a personal inventory continues our progress in the program and helps free us from all the hurts of the past. We know now that we can’t afford to think long about real or imagined hurts, or we will throw ourselves back into saddening ourselves once again.”
CLARIFICATION OF THOUGHT
One of the things that is toxic to the depressed person is a negative thought. This thought continues to grow, once nurtured by my attention and rumination, into a large and uncontrolled wild weed taking all the attention from the good things happening in my life. I know that I can no longer give into that first thought that I keep allowing to pound me into the ground. My negative thinking is very much akin to drinking for the alcoholic. Once I give into that first moment of self-bashing, the depression spiral begins.
Hurts form my past continue to grow stronger the more I allow them to dominate my thinking and my behavior. Hurts are best eradicated when I deal with them openly and honestly.
MEDITATION
Our spirit hopes in God as we begin today with a prayer and a belief that this day can be a good one like all the good days that I have had in my past. (Personal comment).
Resources
(C) Higher Thoughts for down days: 365 daily thoughts and meditations for members of 12 Step fellowship groups. Depressed Anonymous, Hugh Smith. Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville, KY. Page 154. September 17.
(c) Depressed Anonymous, 3rd edition. Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville, Ky.
(c) The Depressed Anonymous Workbook (2002) Depressed Anonymous Publications. Louisville, KY.