Monday, April 24, 2023

April 24, 2023 - Readings in Recovery: Today's Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

 

Monday, April 24, 2023

Today’s Gift from Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is:

Assume a virtue, if you have it not.

— William Shakespeare

Our recovery program tells us to “Act as if.” If we wish we had more faith, we will act as if we had it and see what happens. If we wish we were more honest, we will tell the truth and see what happens. If we wish we were brave, we will take the actions a brave person would take and see what happens.

Face it. Few of us are as good, kind, brave, generous, honest, and loyal as we would like to be. But the way we become who we want to be is simple. First think about how we will act in a difficult situation, then do it. In the beginning, it feels a little phony, but that’s okay. Our program also says it’s a good thing to “Fake it ’til you make it.” Hey, we can do that! We can’t remake ourselves and fix everything all at once, but we can fake it a little. We can act like a kind person. We can do what a brave person would do. We can say what an honest person would say.

Let’s just call it practicing the program.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, help me recognize times to practice “Acting as if” today. Help me act as if I were already the kind of person I hope to be some day.

Today’s Action

I will be aware today of the chances to act the way I would like to act instead of the way I am used to acting. I will write a sentence or two about what I learned.

Hazelden Foundation

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