Sunday, August 19, 2018

Aug. 19, 2018 - Readings in Recovery: Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Sunday, Aug. 19, 2018
Today’s thought from the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:

I couldn’t hit a wall with a six-gun, but I can twirl one. It looks good.
 — John Wayne

Many of us fake emotions because our past experiences never taught us how to use boundaries when dealing with feelings. Now we are oftentimes stumped when it comes to knowing how we should feel or act when we are faced with emotional situations.

Sometimes we need to learn to “fake it till we make it.” What is asked of us is to act the part until the part becomes us.

We may not know how to feel anticipation around holidays – but we want to experience joy. We may not know what it feels like to really trust someone, but we would love to be in that position. What we can learn to do is “act as if” – working all the time to liberate the frozen emotions of years gone by – until we actually do experience what we seek.

Like new shoes, my new behaviors and feelings will feel stiff and uncomfortable for a little while. I am willing to live through the “breaking in” period.

You are reading from the book:

Days of Healing, Days of Joy by Earnie Larsen and Carol Larsen Hegarty. © 1987, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

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