Quote:
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go
Honesty
Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
—Step Five of Al-Anon
Talking openly and honestly to another person about ourselves, in an attitude that reflects self-responsibility, is critical to recovery.
It's important to admit what we have done wrong to others and to ourselves. Verbalize our beliefs and our behaviors. Get our resentments and fears out in the open.
That's how we release our pain. That's how we release old beliefs and feelings. That's how we are set free. The more clear and specific we can be with our Higher Power, ourselves, and another person, the more quickly we will experience that freedom.
Step Five is an important part of the recovery process. For those of us who have learned to keep secrets from others, and ourselves it is not just a step - it is a leap toward becoming healthy.
Today I will remember that it's okay to talk about the issues that bother me. It is by sharing my issues that I will grow beyond them. I will also remember that it's okay to be selective about those in whom I confide. I can trust my instincts and choose someone who will not use my disclosures against me, and who will give me healthy feedback.
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When I share, it helps me to get honest. When the words come out of my mouth, I can hear what has been rattling around in my head. Today's reading is a day ahead of where I was at yesterday. I got to share with a dear friend, someone I have known for a long time, and I can be honest with her and we accept each other. It is a real gift of recovery, loving unconditionally, even though someone else is in a place I wouldn't choose for myself. Hopefully they chose to have the same attitude toward me. I don't have to go outside of myself for validation and affirmation, but it helps.
